Marklin

[bodmin65]

Have recently been looking at this brand ( one of Germany's oldest brands ) am am wondering if it can be made into a reasonable looking layout? Or is it considered to be to train set like?

 

Am just interested in others thoughts initially.

 

Regards

 

Martin

[Joseph_Pestell]

It runs really well!

 

If you use the sectional track and small radius pointwork, it will inevitably seem train set like. But you can use it on flexible track and the studs are not so apparent as to be totally unacceptable. Peco used to do a metal strip compatible with Streamline track but I don't think it is still available.

[michl080]

Have recently been looking at this brand ( one of Germany's oldest brands ) am am wondering if it can be made into a reasonable looking layout? Or is it considered to be to train set like?

 

Martin,

ask that question in a German forum and you will start a flamewar right away.

Märklin is Germany's  largest model railway supplier and has a significant market share. Many hobbyist are used to Märklin from childhood on. This tradition allows the manufacturer to stay on top, even if the "Mittelleiter" system is unique to this brand. Most other manufacturers even need to supply their DC equipment modified for the Märklin system.

No other nation in Europe or oversea uses the 3 rail system these days.

Generally, if you want to use the Märklin system, only Märklin can supply the rails for the layout, which means no alternatives and higher prices at a lower quality model appearance.

In the last couple of years, Tillig and Weinert sell very nice looking track system, you may want to take a look and compare.

 

Michael (from Germany, running a 2-rail-system :-)

 

and now, let the flame war begin...

[Allegheny1600]

Hello Martin,

Without trying to be controversial, I'd say Märklin can be made to look good!

Particularly if you follow Joseph's comments - and none other than Josef Brandl (THE master craftsman, Google him!) has built very attractive layouts using Märklin track.

Although you are not entirely stuck with just Märklin rolling stock, Roco, Fleischmann, Brawa, ESU and others all make or made 3 rail versions. Reading comments about these on German forums, however, it does seem that the skates for the centre rail do give cause for concern.

 

Personally, I prefer the greater realism given by the 2 rail system and the simplicity of wiring given by going fully digital, others will differ.

[boxbrownie]

After giving up 7mm (almost completely) I have decided to go 4mm to just basically build a layout that I can finish with limited dexterity in my hands now, looked at Peco Setrack but that does look a bit toylike, especially the points with their large plastic frogs, so I am in the middle of ordering a whole bundle of TRIX track (which is Märklin Stud track but as a two rail version), it looks very good with its built in ballast and I have seen it weathered and it looked very very good indeed.

 

Also it has (although expensively) the abaility to have the points DCC controlled with the motor and decoder all fitted within the point structure itself, this will be handy because I cannot now crawl around under the baseboard to wire these up.

 

The actual rail is code 83 so not far off the code 75 (like Peco Streamline) which is considered finescale for 4mm.

[readingtype]

I have some Märklin H0 stuff which I'm very fond of. About three years ago I ordered some of the copper stud strips directly from Peco themselves by phoning up their 'Technical Advice Bureau'. I had a good play with these under Peco streamline flexible track and a medium radius turnout (there are higher ones for turnouts so the skates clear the blades, lower ones for plain track). The wheels have very deep flanges but run fine on code 100 track. It's not quick or simple to build the stud contact track this way, so you need some dedication over what you will need either to use two-rail flexible track or to use set track.

[Sir Madog]

No other nation in Europe or oversea uses the 3 rail system these days.

 

Michael (from Germany, running a 2-rail-system :-)

 

and now, let the flame war begin...

 

Without intending to start the flame war Michael apparently wants to start, but that statement simply isn´t true at all. There are many railway modellers in other countries who have chosen Märklin as their hobby poison - for good reasons! The Märklin 3-rail AC system is not only the most comprehensive, but also the most reliable and durable model train system.

 

The only drawback of Märklin HO trains is the rather unsightly plastic look of the track, combined with the general disadvantages of a settrack system, but that´s a common problem for Hornby, Fleischmann etc.With a little effort, Märklin track can be turned into something looking much better.

 

For reasons of health, I had to give up my "regular" railway modelling activities and have gone back to my childhood days, when everything started with a Märklin train set.

 

Here are a few pics of my current layout:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other than the buildings, scenic materials and decorations, the stuff is between 35 and over 60 years old and still in excellent nick! As you can see, I even use the old tinplate track! It´s foolproof to set up and operate!

Of course one cannot compare such a layout with those highly detailed and realistic creations you will find here and in other forums, but hey - it was never meant to be that, just pure fun!

Edited November 30, 2018 by Sir Madog

[Allegheny1600]

Here's a Youtube video for you;

 

 

I think his modelling speaks for itself.

[bodmin65]

Without intending to start the flame war Michael apparently wants to start, but that statement simply isn´t true at all. There are many railway modellers in other countries who have chosen Märklin as their hobby poison - for good reasons! The Märklin 3-rail AC system is not only the most comprehensive, but also the most reliable and durable model train system.

 

The only drawback of Märklin HO trains is the rather unsightly plastic look of the track, combined with the general disadvantages of a settrack system, but that´s a common problem for Hornby, Fleischmann etc.With a little effort, Märklin track can be turned into something looking much better.

 

For reasons of health, I had to give up my "regular" railway modelling activities and have gone back to my childhood days, when everything started with a Märklin train set.

 

Here are a few pics of my current layout:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other than the buildings, scenic materials and decorations, the stuff is between 35 and over 60 years old and still in excellent nick! As you can see, I even use the old tinplate track! It´s foolproof to set up and operate!

Of course one cannot compare such a layout with those highly detailed and realistic creations you will find here and in other forums, but hey - it was never meant to be that, just pure fun!

 

Would love to see more photo's of this layout of yours. They look fantastic by the way. ( almost to the point of selling it to me on Marklin as a serious consideration)  preferably some overall shots perhaps Is it a roundy roundy type type of layout?

Edited November 30, 2018 by bodmin65

[Sir Madog]

The layout is a tiny 160cm by 70cm roundy-rounder with still lots to do. The wiring is not completed and so are the scenic details. Here is a birds-eye view of it:

 

 

Some more detail shots:

 

 

 

The electrics actually get their juice through the catenary.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Here's a Youtube video for you;

 

 

I think his modelling speaks for itself.

 

That still shows how good the stud contact can look on plain track. Unfortunately, it becomes rather more apparent on the pointwork.

[Alan Kettlewell]

This awesome layout at the Hans Peter Porsche Traumwerk, near Salzburg, is all Marklin track and trains. The video will show how the track looks. I find Marklin stuff to be quite expensive though...

 

 

 

Cheers ... Alan

[boxbrownie]

Impressive, but I lost count of the number of SPADs    

['CHARD]

This awesome layout at the Hans Peter Porsche Traumwerk, near Salzburg, is all Marklin track and trains. The video will show how the track looks. I find Marklin stuff to be quite expensive though...

 

 

 

Cheers ... Alan

 

Wow!!!  Simply wow!!!!!  That is truly inspirational.

[Alan Kettlewell]

I went to see it earlier this year. It is indeed an awesome layout - a big festure is the moving back-scene all done by videos - moving clouds, a real sunrise and sunset every 20 minutes or so, flying aircraft, a firework display and a magnificent thunder and lightning storm all feature. The layout itself rises up to 5 metres high in places.

 

Well worth a visit if you a ever get a chance.

 

Cheers... Alan

Edited December 5, 2018 by Alan Kettlewell

[Alan Kettlewell]

Couple of pictures from my visit there:

 

 

 

Alan

[Taigatrommel]

I would regard Märklin as akin to Apple products.  A higher price for better perceived quality, though often actually similar build quality to their competitors.  Where they do win out is in usability, again, rather like Apple.  They're reliable, simple to use with an ecosystem of own brand products and certain third party compatbile items, perhaps not as flexible as other products but generally easier to achieve impressive things (eg automation) with.  The Märklin digital system is actually very capable, I think more so than DCC.  There are more basic offerings in the range at reasonable prices.  There's a choice of track available, I would say the C-Track in both its stud contact and Trix two rail form is the best train set track out there.  Although convention is for studs lifting the pickup skate over the switch rails on points, with fairly simple wiring the switch rail on Peco track can be made to switch to common with the centre studs when appropriate and eliminate this one uglier element of the tracks.  However, you won't want to use code 75 owinng to deeper flanges- I assume this standard has been kept to ensure good road holding on train sets.

 

I have seen impressive models made using Märklin's system, for the average modeller I think the achievable realism is generally as good as two rail.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Amazing number of Marklin layouts featured on YouTube

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

This awesome layout at the Hans Peter Porsche Traumwerk, near Salzburg, is all Marklin track and trains. The video will show how the track looks. I find Marklin stuff to be quite expensive though...

 

 

 

Cheers ... Alan

 

Awesome indeed!