Marklin Points
Ok - I am prepared (if a little afraid) to admit I run Marklin on separate concentric ovals to my DC track. I use K Track on Mid West Scenics rubber/cork compound roadbed (the easiest roadbed you could ever find to lay) which is then ballasted. Outside my two Marklin AC main lines are two more main lines of Peco Streamline code 100 with adjoining yards (on which my DC stock operate). While neither look as good as Code 85, I have to live with them as I have a number of locos from the 1960's - 1980's, and the truth is not only does the track not look that bad, but it really takes a very close look to tell the Marklin K track and Peco track apart (a tip for anyone wanting to mix AC and DC). Both my AC and DC lines are totally analogue - I have no DCC. Confessions over, I am wondering if anyone else with Marklin has ever had the same perennial problem I have with their points, which after a while will cease to change when operated electrically and after a while can even stall at changing manually. Back in the 60's and 70's I invested a substantial amount of money in the old Marklin M Track with plenty of single points, double slips and three ways. One after the other they ceased to switch. The solenoid would sound, but there would not be enough power to get the point to change. I suspected - and still do - the point springs (which I have never been able to get spares of here in Australia). It really turned me off after replacing a few (ripping up track each time) and I now have a box under my layout of mostly useless M track that has not seen the light of day since I switched to K track in 1984. More cautious this time, I decided on hand operated points in K track. No problem until recently, where now a few of them are not responding first time to me pushing the lever. At an exhibition not long ago I saw a DCC layout where the operator was having similar problems with a C Track point - unfortunately (as is usually the case) on the first morning of a two day exhibition and placed at a very strategic part of his layout. I have to admit that this problem with Marklin points has seen me oversimplify my AC track plans over the years, diminishing operational value. Everything else about Marklin has been very reliable, and there is no product in the world easier to service. So do others have this problem? Could it have been (with the M track) a case of my wiring practices - although I don't think so as with a double slip, one switch would cease to work, then another - but not all at once. I am looking at making some reinvestment in Marklin track and would really appreciate any feedback. Thanks, Richard

Hi Richard, No real answer as to why the point motors have given up the ghost, but it maybe that there is a whole lot of gunge in the mechanism? I do know there was a major problem with early C track point motore, but thankfully that is now long in the past. For Marklin spare parts you may want to try these guys, www.toottoot.co.nz . Dion is an electrical engineer by trade. Cheers John

Thanks John, Had a look at the old M-Track and the points seem clean inside the mechanisms. Tested a few again. Some will switch OK, some will switch by hand and not solenoid and a couple will only just switch by hand. Have not lifted the K track as it would cause too much disruption to the current layout. I am (getting older and lazier) thinking of replacing some of my hand operated K track points with electric ones (while K track is still around!). So I was just checking before I spent the money. Thanks also for the tip on the spares site for Marklin. I will certainly make use of it when I can't get things locally. Very best wishes, Richard