From: Erik Hjelme <hjelme@[...]>
To: "Tom Orle" <torle@[...]>
Cc: marklin mail list <marklin@[...]>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 14:18:53 +0100
Subject: [MML] My story; was Catenary
30-01-02 20:20:27, "Tom Orle" <torle@[...]> wrote:
[...] on the electrified part of the layout all points are Fleischmann and all flextrack are Roco.
Tom Orle: Why are you operating in this complicated way?? Just for aesthetics or looks??
Well you asked for it, so here is the full story. Nothing to do with aesthetics.
It all began when my father bought a Trix Express starter set i 1959. After some years he also bought a danish MY locomotive and coach with 2-rail dc wheels. Of course they derailed each time they went through a Trix Express point or crossing.
In the end the whole layout was converted to Fleischmann putting new wheels under the Tris Express cars and scrapping the two locomotives.
In the early 1970ies one of my comrades at school gave me his Märklin br 24 steam engine. This prompted me to install a solid 3rd rail througout the layout and rebuild both the br 24 and my Fleischmann engines to 3-rail dc. When new track and point were added they were Märklin-K.
When I moved to my own appartment and had to rebuild the whole layout it made sense to concentrate all Fleischmann points at the electrified section of the layout and buy Roco-rail for the expansion.
The layout remained in this state running 3-rail dc until I went digital.
As I was and am perfectly happy with this, it just kept running this way.
Tom Orle: I'm also wondering why you mix Fleischmann switches and ROCO track? ROCO makes nice switches. Is it because M* wheels have problems fitting thru the switch frogs or the guide rails?
When I tested it at my dealer pushing a Märklin car through a Roco-point by hand, it derailed. IMHO Fleischmann points are simply the best !
One station is dual 3-rail and catenary operation and the branchline is 3-rail only, forcing a locomotive change there.
Tom Orle: Hah - almost like at the Brenner station where the voltage changes from AC to DC for the Italian side. All engines have to be changed!! Very interesting operation to watch in real life. It bet it's just as much fun on your layout ;-))
Indeed, but it occationally nags me that I can't run diesel trainsets through.
On the other hand I can't afford to buy new Märklin flexrail and points. I am just about to start building my layout for the 117th time all over. If I could afford it today I would probably use K-trak throughout. The primary reason would be to run the big steam locomotives on the long mainline.