# Marklin live steam class 44 locomotive



## LarryS (May 25, 2008)

In case anyone is interested, this locomotive is listed on the LokShop web site http://www.modellbahn-markt.de/ for about $1700 with shipping to the US for about $25 extra (item MAR55004). Not a bad price for a well detailed, live steam 2 10 0 locomotive with RC and working lights. A set of 5 hopper cars for the locomotive is listed at about $825 (item MAR58358).


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

That's quite a deal, as the german VAT is 19% and it gets knocked off if you ship outside the EU. Pre-VAT it's about 1345 Euro plus shipping, or (as Larry says) $1700. Wonder if you could make it into a UK 9F... 

More (big) pictures at *Ebay listing of Marklin 55004*


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## shaysteam05 (Jul 19, 2008)

I just checked the eBay listing at 4:02 PM EST, and the listing has been ended due to "buy it now". Somebody got a deal!
Alex


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## jlinde (Jan 2, 2008)

I've noticed that there's little discussion of Marklin live steam on the boards. Personally, I love the appearance of several of the German prototypes and I agree that this offer looks to be a deal. I _especiall_y like the installed RC. However, with few people running this equipment in the states, I'm concerned about support. If anyone on the board operates Marklin live steam, I'd love to get your impression of or comments on their product. Thanks, Jon


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I just checked the eBay listing at 4:02 PM EST,

Alex, 

I clicked my link and got the same as before - it doesn't seem to be an auction, just a "Buy-it-Now" deal at $2049.99. Oops - it just went away - maybe someone read this thread! The pics are still there if you scroll down. I think the seller was in Germany, so there was still the shipping problem. I like the $1,700 myself. 

Incidentally, if you google 'marklin 55004' you get some very interesting info. Marklin's own store says it is in stock, but at a much higher price. I found offers all over the map, up to $5500.


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## LarryS (May 25, 2008)

Note: the locomotive can be purchased anytime from LokShop (web site http://www.modellbahn-markt.de/). This is not the E-bay site, and the regular store price from LokShop is lower.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

evnein',/mornin', Pete.

This loco has a few things going for it - it is pretty darn big, even for a Euro loco - MUCH bigger especially in height, than the same scale British 9F. Unlike the 9F, the Class 44 is a three-cylinder loco with a big sticky-out third cylinder tail rod overhanging the buffer beam/pilot, although the third cylinder is a dummy.

It has an eight-wheeled tender, so you would also have to build a six-wheel BR-type tender - 'Mr Aster' does not sell tenders for the 9F as individual items.

The steamy bits are made by Regner, just like the S3/6 (I have a green S3/6, and so does Rod Blakeman), and it should, like the S3/6, be a mad hauler.

Aster made one a few years back, THEY haul mountains.

As for faking a 9F out of one, you might fool a model train fan from Botswana or Mars, but you wouldn't fool anybody else...







It looks FAR too German to me to be anything else. The French had a few in green without the smoke deflectors....but that just looks, well, like a German locomotive painted shiney green - the railroad equivalent of a British racing green Ferrari.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

As for faking a 9F out of one


Not sure half my US pals here would know it wasn't a 9F if I painted it green... So how about a Chinese QJ 2-10-2 ? 

http://www.nordling.nu/schaefer/qjdetails/QJdrawingside.gif


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Pete Thornton on 12/06/2008 3:44 PM
As for faking a 9F out of one


Not sure half my US pals here would know it wasn't a 9F if I painted it green... So how about a Chinese QJ 2-10-2 ? 

http://www.nordling.nu/schaefer/qjdetails/QJdrawingside.gif


It's about 3/4 the size of a Q2....that is BIG.

What's wrong with it being a BR44?

tac
www.vgrs.orgc


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## livesteam5629 (Jan 2, 2008)

What's wrong with it being a BR44? 
Because Pete and I have a mutual friend that owns a large scale P-51D which would love to get that thing in it's gun sights.....that's why.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

tee hee.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## David_DK (Oct 24, 2008)

Be ware!

I know of several who have had problems with Marklins steamers - myself inclusive. I have the 18.4

It is a Regner when it comes down to details.

Most of all - you have to notice that it does not have a true gear. It is controlled by a simple rotating valve between the cylinders.
And this construction is leaking a lot! so you loose power and water.

The design is in fact worse that the piston controlled Accucraft Ruby (at least it is not leaking)

Then there is all the problems with the pistons, materials, etc. Im not impressed.
In Germany there are a few proffesional workshops who have made cnc driveworks for the Marklins, so you can "update" your
engine and get new cylinders, real gear etc. Ill post a small youtube film in a week or so, with the "new" engine.

I have had my engine sendt to Germany and it now has a true gear and new cylinders and works perfect. Though it now costs allmost as much as an Aster.
And - belive me - it will never be an Aster or likeweise.

I would only by one if it is very cheap. If I was to chose between a 30 years old Aster who is due for a remake and a new Marklin (and had to give the same price)
I would go for the Aster, simply because it is made to take apart. The Marklin is to much plastic.

Others might disagree with me. But that is my opinion. I know that Anders Grassmann from Sweden have a 18.4 as well, and that one is running without problems. (but that is allso the only one I have heard of, that in fact is running  )

Regards

David


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Dear Mr David in Denmark - MY Maerklin S3/6, and that of my pal Rod Blakeman, are not only prodigious and very strong steamers, but haul a long train like mad things - you can both of them on Youtube under 'bavarian pacific'. 

It is most certainly NOT an Aster - I already have one of those - but this is a very graceful and impressive model for not a lot of money. The subject of just how good or bad they can be has been covered exhaustively on this site over the last few years since they came out - do a search and see the results.

If you accept the class 44 for what it is, a reasonable model with the limitations of simplification inherent with the price, then you might be happy. If you are expecting Aster quality at a quarter of the price, then you are in for a disappointment.

Best from Tokyo

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## davidarf (Jan 2, 2008)

Two of my film clips of the Marklin pacific are on Youtube, the first in 2006 and the second a couple of months ago








Judge for yourselves on the performance - for me, it is always a pleasure to see an express pacific in action and this is one of the best I have seen. It has a great balance of looks, performance, road availability, practicallity and price.


I have not seen an example of the 2-10-0, and so cannot comment on that model.


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## David_DK (Oct 24, 2008)

Dear Tac and David

Nice to hear your locos are running fine. And David thanks for posting the videos. The engine and track looks impressive! (and a very nice website as well)

Anyway I think a forum is a place for honesty and thats why I posted my comments. In Denmark most 18.4 owners was a littel embarrassed of their Live Steam Marklin.
(The price was about half of an Aster not a quater, so people have spend their hard bucks and then realised the mistake. So the standard response was sonething like: " Better not to tell anyone so you can get it off your hands fast") 
I knew nothing about the problems, and learned the hard way..
The price for a light used 18.4 incl org box in Denmark was in june 2008 about 800 US. The official salesprice was about 3000 US $. I think that says a lot.

On the other hand I dont understand the hard tone regarding the Aristocraft Mike. Here you really get something for nothing. (at the pressent 900$ price)

Please keep the videos flow. Often they say more than words.

Best Regards

David Clement. Denmark
www.havebane.dk


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## aankus (Jan 5, 2008)

David, 
Thanks for the videos ! 
I too have a echt dampf S3/6 which I purchased on the advice of Mssr. Rod Blakeman. 
I have yet to steam her and probably will not soon due to early Winter snows. 
I also have a rake of the same Maerklin coaches that you have , and have a quick question.. 
most consists have the two Mitropa coaches together in the middle of the consist, you have one at the end in your video. 
I am just curious (not a rivet counter!) was this prototypical ? or just the 'luck of the draw'?


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## rodblakeman (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Al, 
That is my S3/6 in David's video. It's pretty well luck of the draw how the consist is put on . I think it was normal to put the sleeper towards the back of the train away from the noise of the engine and the dinner in the middle for access to all. Now I'm sure there will be some who will come back and give us a hard time re the make up of these trains  

Hope you can make it down th DH in January.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

If you look at the green S3/6 hauling a rake of ozeanblau cars, THAT one is mine....AND this one, too...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PEI3K2qoZtA

tac
http://www.ovgrs.org/


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## LarryS (May 25, 2008)

I went ahead and acquired a Marklin BR 44 locomotive. In saummary, it runs very well, but not without some work first. The risk is that Marklin does not import this locomotive into the US and so there is essentially no warranty, so be prepared to make your own repairs. 

I first ran the locomotive on air, using the water filler tube as the air port. With the throttle closed, the boiler held air perfectly; no leaks. Opening the throttle and operating the servos manually resulted in smooth forward motion, and slightly rougher, but still reasonably smooth backward motion. I then tried running the locomotive while holding a driver wheel. The torque delivery was very uneven, and when the movement was stopped, I could hear air escaping somewhere, meaning it was not supplying any force on the pistons. I also noticed that the right hand cylinder was moving under load, due to loose mounting screws. To tighten the screws, I had to dissemble the locomotive, which I did. A parts diagram from the Marklin web site was very hgelpful for this. Especially for identifying the screws hidden under plastic hatches in the running boards. With the locomotive apart, I tried moving the pistons with the valves closed and found zero leakage. Just as a precaution, I tightened down the spring holding the reversing valve together to the point where it was as tight as I rhought it could be without overloading the serevo. I then applied air to the whole cylinder/reversing valve assembly and found zero leakage. After reassembling the locomotive (using Loctite) I again tested it on air. This time, the torque was much more even, and there was no leaking air sound when I stopped the drivers. At this point I put in batteries and tested the servos. Nothing happened, and i traced the problem to a faulty transmitter. Using another (temporary) radio/receiver, I was finally ready to steam the locvomotive. 

Marklin does not supply a butane filler adapter, and recopmmends purchasing a European camping stove, taking it apart, and using certain components as a filler assembly. Luckily, I was able to fill the butane tank with an Accucraft adapter. I ran the locopmotive in 20 dergree weather. The burner lighted easily, but with an external flame. The internal lighter, although it sparked, did not light the flame (maybe I have to reposition it). The water boiled in less than five minutes, and the locomotive started on its own without pushing. I turned down the flame to where I could barely hear it with the locomotive stopped, and not at all when running. Even so, the pressure was fully up to 60 pounds, and the saftey valve was blowing he whole time. The butane tank is under the boiler and it stayed warm enough to supply butane during the entire run; I used a 70% butane/30% propane mix. Speed and direction control were excellent, the runnining was very smooth both in forward and reverse, and there were no derailments even though my ground level track was quite uneven. For a train, I used a set of five German ore hoppers (the "Long Henry" set Marklin made for this locomotive). They were pulled without any effort at all, and i will get another set of cars to make a credible looking train; but the locomotive can probably pulll at leaat 40 of these cars. By the way, theee cars are great; they cone with loads of real iron ore, are lightly weathered, and it is very easy to move the couplers in so the buffers are almost touching. 

Overal, I am very pleased with the locomotive and plan to suprerdetail it by making covers for the cylinders (they come as "naked" Regener assemblies) and maybe open up some of the holes in the frame. One final note; the leaky brass boiler thread is actually about a Regner boiler; and it appears the Marklin/Regner boiler is also brass. Regner recommends that distilled water, not deionized water be used, and evan a small amount of tap water be added to the boiler water. This helps to prevent dissolution of the zinc out of the brass. How this will hold up in the long term I cannot say.


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## rodblakeman (Jan 2, 2008)

Larry, 
Pleased to hear the BR44 runs so well, the Marklin engines are beautifully detailed as is the rolling stock. My S3/6 looks amazing, standing or running. Will you be posting any video's ?


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## LarryS (May 25, 2008)

Rod; sorry I will not be posting any videos, I only have a dial-up internet connection. 

The Marklin S3/6 iis certainally a beautiful locomotiive, especially in green. One advantage of Marklin is that there is a reasonable selection of rolling stock, which is very unusual in 1/32 scale. This should not be overlooked when choosing a locomotive because acquiring a proper train can be difficult, extremely expensive, or both. I also have an Aster BR38 that runs very well (after modifications) and that I use with the Marklin 3 axle coaches. The availability of the coaches is one reason I choose that locomotive.


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