# Marklin Maxi Power Question



## mapper65 (Feb 15, 2009)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Hi guys, I was able to get what I feel was a deal that I just couldn't pass up on a Marklin Maxi engine. It's going to take me about a week to get it and the person that I bought it from is not a train person so he doesn't have the answer to this question.

I have a Digitrax system and this will be my first Marklin. Does anyone know what the power requirements for this engine are? See the link below for a video to a similar engine. I can't seem to find any conclusive information online. I saw something that said that it was AC and then I also read that it had a decoder in it. I believe that this has sound but I'm not sure if it will work (trigger) with a Digitrax DCC system. My typical setup consists of mainly DCC but I can run it on a different line if necessary.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q30w7-Y7f4I


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## ntpntpntp (Jan 14, 2008)

My Maxi loco came with a Marklin Delta decoder installed (their own non-NMRA DCC digital system, also allows running on AC). This chip won't work with your Digitrax system. They also come with a replacement plug-in plate to allow running on analogue DC. 

I made my own plug-in adaptor from copper strip-board and wired in an old Lenz HO 1 amp decoder which I had lying around. It should probably be upgraded to something more like 1.5 - 2 amps when I can get around to it, but it works ok for now. I wrote this up for G Scale Mad forum back in 2008, but the site is now defunct and I don't think the article got copied over to G Scale Central. If I can find the info I'll upload to my own web space and post a link here.


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## ntpntpntp (Jan 14, 2008)

Here you go. I've bashed in the old text and some html tags using notepad. It's not pretty but you should be able to read it. 

http://falconer-family.org.uk/marklin_54505_dcc_fitting.html 

hope it helps! 

Nick


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Do you have a Digitrax DB150 for your command/booster station?? 
If you do have an old DB150 you could status edit the decoder in the Decoder Status Codes.. 
Set it to "tri" which is the setting for a Motorola Trinary Format Mode.. 
I think that Marklin uses that format.. 
Hope this helps.. 

BulletBob


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## mapper65 (Feb 15, 2009)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Nick, thank you very much for the link to your install. This will be very very helpful. Doesn't look like a big deal being that you did the leg work already. This is very do-able. I'll have to see what's in this thing once I get it. I'll probably lose the sound being that I'll have to take their decoder out but I'm not to worried about that. I see in your pictures you have one of the Chl that came with DCC. I can always tell my the rear metal wheels. I think those are a rare breed and only came in the starter sets with the 2 first class cars.

Bob, I have a Super Chief system so what you had mentioned may also be an option for me. 

I expect that I'll get this by Monday. It's going to need a little work because it's missing one of the gold boiler straps and the headlight lens is missing. I paid $65 delivered so I don't mind this being sort of a project train.


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## adelmo (Jan 2, 2008)

I believe the ESU Loksound XL 3.5 decoder can read the Marklin Delta AC. 

Check http://www.esu.eu/en for product details. 

Alan


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## Axel Tillmann (Jan 10, 2008)

Maerklin used to use Motorola but now uses a non published proprietary version. Depending on the age of that Maxi setting the station to Motorola will have no effect.


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## ntpntpntp (Jan 14, 2008)

Posted By mapper65 on 04 Jan 2012 08:24 PM 
Nick, thank you very much for the link to your install..... I see in your pictures you have one of the Chloe's that came with DCC. I can always tell my the rear metal wheels. I think those are a rare breed and only came in the starter sets with the 2 first class cars.



You're most welcome.





Actually no, my Chloe is a regular DC model to which I've fitted an LGB small loco decoder and also a pair of LGB Feldbahn metal wheels to replace the horrible plastic ones. Also I've fitted roller pickups to those trailing wheels, using pickups donated from one of the little Bachmann Davenport gas-mechanicals which someone had converted to battery power. It makes a lot of difference to slow running over large radius pointwork. i wrote up this conversion here


http://www.gscalecentral.co.uk/f/tm.aspx?m=130453





Nick


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## ntpntpntp (Jan 14, 2008)

Posted By adelmo on 04 Jan 2012 08:57 PM 
I believe the ESU Loksound XL 3.5 decoder can read the Marklin Delta AC. 

Check http://www.esu.eu/en for product details. 

Alan Maybe, but that's no help in running a MAXI loco on NMRA DCC eg. Digitrax as per the original post.


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## adelmo (Jan 2, 2008)

Ntpntpntp: If you install the ESU Loksound XL 3.5 you can run on AC/DC/DCC NMRA/Marklin. Plus you have great sound features. Review the ESU product details. 

Alan


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## mapper65 (Feb 15, 2009)

Hi guys, I received this engine today, a few day earlier than expected. This model appears to be a little more basic and it doesn't have sound. I think this is going to be much easier than expected. There is a motor only decoder in it with just 4 connections. 

The decoder is wired as follows: 

Red - Track Right 
Brown - Track Left 
Green - Motor Right 
Yellow - Motor Left 

The smoke unit is powered directly from track power and the headlight also appears to be connected the same way. This thing is really easy to take apart so I should be able to clip the wires going to the bulb and tie them directly into the decoder. 

Nick, have you had any issues with the smoke unit running it directly from track power. Just curious how much time you've put on the smoke unit since you did the conversion. 

I would image in less than an hour I can have this up and running. I have enough engines with sound so I don't really feel that having sound in this one will be necessary.


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## ntpntpntp (Jan 14, 2008)

@mapper65: No problems with the smoke unit on track power so far, as I wrote in my install notes it smokes extremely well so it's possible I'm running it over voltage! I don't run the smoke all the time, maybe just the one filling per runnning session for a bit of fun! 

@adelmo: Yes, I use ESU decoders myself (though not sound just yet). I mis-interpreted the purpose of your post regarding ability to read the Delta protocol, you were just commenting that it CAN do this if the user is running a Delta command station. I wonder how many folk running Delta (which is even more limited than MTS 1 I think) would bother to fit ESU sound decoders?


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## TY (Apr 8, 2009)

*Marklin G Scale Wheels*

Hi,

I bought 2 Marklin Maxi wagons on eBay and they came with, what look like, LGB plastic wheel sets on them.

Does anyone here, in your experience, know if Marklin ever used plastic wheels on their g scale trains?

Thanks for your time


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