My Transition From Märklin 3-rail to 2-rail DCC

My Transition From Märklin 3-rail to 2-rail DCC
Brian Hitchcock brianhitchcock.net July 16, 2016

Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting
Who Am I? Brian Hitchcock ETE member for several years Enjoyed Euro West many times HO Märklin until 6 years ago Apologies for some of the older photos Scans of prints from 50 years ago… For all the vendors I mention I have no connection, I’m just a customer 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

First Layout 2-rail DC 4’ by 8’ Simple oval Single siding It was ok, but didn’t work real well 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

First Märklin My uncle was in the Air Force While in Europe Bought several Märklin starter sets I played with those starter sets when visiting My father knew German I studied German in high school and college 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

First Märklin What I liked about Märklin… Sturdy sectional M-track Freight cars More shapes and colors than US railroads For my birthday in 1966 (?) Starter set 2953 Additional track, turnouts Uncouplers, mechanical crossing gates I really enjoyed playing trains back then… 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

First Märklin Märklin 2953 Images from 1965 Märklin catalog 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

First Märklin Layout Who sees something that makes no sense whatsoever? 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Second Transformer Why am I showing you this? I went to college because I wanted to know what 30VA meant, and I found out! I still have this transformer, I couldn’t part with the cool red pilot light! 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Märklin Layouts I had a list of what I wanted… Mainline with passing sidings Main station Switchyard Branch lines Hidden storage tracks Some industrial sidings This is what I saw in the Märklin books… 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Märklin Layout Books 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Märklin Layouts I tried to squeeze all of this into my layouts Last permanent layout K-track, flex track, L-girder construction Multiple levels, grades, tunnels I learned a lot from building this layout Too much maintenance My rolling stock filled switchyard and sidings Was more work than fun 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

K-track Layout 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

It Wasn’t Fun Anymore What was I missing? I always wanted walk around control Very good low speed performance Switching, shunting Reliable couplers, uncouplers I converted to Märklin digital Was great, less wiring Still not really good low speed performance 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

What Was I Missing? Walk around control I was waiting for Märklin to offer this Märklin kept offering Central control Database of locomotives Integrated train, turnout, signal control Layout controlled from a single central point Not what I wanted 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Meanwhile, In Real Life Many other activities took my time Two sons in school I was playing trains less often One time, I did want to run my trains Couldn’t get the engines to run well My dealer told me to replace all pickup shoes I knew he was right, but I was frustrated The expense and effort to replace them It happened too often 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Am I Anti-Märklin? No, not at all I’m concerned you’ll think I don’t like Märklin Not true They offer a set of products based on 3-rail AC digital Pickup shoes Central train control All fine, just not for me… 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

The Path Forward I decided to tear down my K-track layout Decided to move to C-track temporary layouts Easier for my sons to setup and take down It was fun But it wasn’t a permanent layout Took too long to setup and put away Still no low speed switching Still didn’t have reliable couplers, uncoupling 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

C-track Quality Issues
Track chipped after a while Not from being dropped or misused Just from being connected Once chipped, connections were loose The whole point of C-track Quick, easy, durable connections C-track also expensive I was not impressed 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Off Topic One of my favorite online images From the ETE website C-track used to build the ‘Carpet Bahn’ Google ‘carpet bahn’ Image downloaded from the internet 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Random Events For some reason, I don’t remember exactly I stumbled on a YouTube video A model of the Daylight 4449 DCC, full sound and lights I was stunned Always wanted some US prototype locos Newest Märklin locos had a few sounds Not as many sound, light functions 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Decision Time Decided to start over A complete redo I decided what I wanted Find which vendors could supply what I wanted Märklin could supply some parts don’t be completely dependent on one vendor 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

My Want List Track Appearance, especially at turnouts (no third rail) More choices, turnout radius for example Locomotives, rolling stock Buy from any vendor, not just Märklin Prototypes from US and all around the world Universal, reliable couplers All cars, locos must accept same couplers Excellent low speed performance Best sound, lights available 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

My Want List No longer collecting No need to buy every car in a series Buy only the cars I want Märklin Magazine and Museum cars for example Too many multi-car sets Only difference is road numbers I would have to give up Märklin 3-rail AC locos Online search, could get all the same locos From other vendors, for 2-rail DCC 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

The Decision To get the best Locomotive sound, lights Track appearance Couplers Move to 2-rail DCC But, what about all the Märklin I had? I had collected a lot to this point 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Time to Sell I sold most of my Märklin To a person I met at Euro West I wanted a lot less locos and cars Storage, maintenance I did keep most of the newer Märklin cars That have NEM 362 coupler pockets DC wheelsets available from Märklin 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

I Kept Some Older Märklin
3-rail AC locos Kept those with most sentimental value Older cars Don’t have NEM 362 coupler pockets Kept my favorites I call these my ‘tinplate’ collection Plan to have a simple M-track layout someday With all the cool accessories I didn’t have before 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Old Märklin I Kept 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

What About New Track? I asked my Märklin dealer for advice Helmuts Hobby Specialties Assuming I wanted to convert to 2-rail DCC Using Märklin cars with DC wheelset I needed to know What brands of track would be compatible Märklin flanges are deeper 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Bigger Märklin Flanges
7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

New Track Dealer suggested Kato HO sectional track He was already using it himself Checked Märklin freight cars with DC wheelsets The flanges didn’t bind on the turnouts Kato HO track is code 83 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

New Layout? Having settled on Kato HO track, 2-rail DCC What kind of layout would I build? I made a list of what I wanted Small enough to fit in dedicated space No temporary sections, nothing hinged Completely flat, no grades Very simple baseboard, not L-girder Very simple track plan, minimalist even… 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Wants For New Layout List of wants (contd) No hidden track, everything within reach Don’t squeeze tracks into the space No need for branchlines Widest radius curves and turnouts possible For most reliable operation With low speed, reliable couplers Try operation, switching/shunting I had never been able to try this… 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Layout Planning Software
I looked at a number of products Not an exhaustive search Chose AnyRail, Relatively inexpensive Does a lot more than I needed All I wanted was track libraries for Märklin M-track, C-track, Kato HO track 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Related Goals Small enough collection of rolling stock All of it on display at all times Display cases become my hidden storage yard My fiddle yard to use the UK terminology I can enjoy my locos and cars at any time Even when I don’t have time to run trains They are safe, under cover 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

But What About a New Layout?
Internet search for small layouts Led to shelf layouts, UK website The Model Railways Shunting Puzzles website From this website, my favorite Inglenook Sidings A very simple layout, lots of switching 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Inglenook Sidings Very simple, two turnouts, four lengths of track. Eight cars placed as shown, randomly select five, switch cars until you have them in order, train leaves the yard. 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Other Switching Puzzles
Same website discusses John Allen’s Timesaver More familiar to US model railroaders 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Timesaver Starting positions Switching order (end positions) 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Dedicated Layout Space
I had half of a two car garage Decided to build a flat baseboard 2 feet wide, 16 feet long All track reachable Using AnyRail software, tried various options Had room for Inglenook and Timesaver connected Decided to add double track mainline Temporary bridge for continuous running Violates my rule of no temporary baseboards 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

New Layout 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Inglenook & Timesaver 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Time To Go Shopping! Purchased Kato HO track, turnouts Hobbies Unlimited, San Leandro NCE Powercab Very simple DCC starter set Athearn Genesis SW1500 Southern Pacific 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

First DCC 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Layout Photos 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Converting Märklin Cars
The newer Märklin cars I didn’t sell That had NEM 362 coupler pockets Converted to Kadee couplers Kadee #18, medium length Coupler conversion was very easy Converted to Märklin DC wheelsets Difficult to find correct DC wheelset for some cars Took time, was not cheap 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Current Rolling Stock 1 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

Future Presentations? Building the layout Attaching track, wiring, control panels Uncouplers Issues, choices, construction, signals? Turnout motors Buffers construction, lighting Turnout lanterns Operation Switching the Inglenook and Timesaver 7/16/2016 Brian Hitchcock -- ETE July 2016 Bay Area Chapter Meeting

My Transition From Märklin 3-rail to 2-rail DCC

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My Transition From Märklin 3-rail to 2-rail DCC

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