Märklin Reversing Units (aka Relays) - Tips and Tricks (part 2) - Little Helpers

This mini series is all about Märklin reversing units (aka reversing relay, "Umschaltrelais", "Umschalter", reverser, etc). Where they come from, where they go wrong and how to fix them.
Reversing units are rock solid and best left alone. In 99.9% of cases they just work.
This episode covers the remaining 0.1% of cases with adjustments, issues and fixes I regularly come across. This approach is obviously heavily dependent on my circumstances: I mostly buy used items in very good condition, so my “frequent” might be somewhat different from someone else’s. But I think I cover enough ground to get out of the majority of potential issues...
I hope you enjoy the video. If you do, please help the channel in reaching a wider audience by subscribing or hitting the like button. Super thanks are also available if you'd like to do a bit more for the channel.
Thanks for watching.
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:30 About springs
04:17 Why springs might need adjusting
06:55 Adjustment procedure
10:15 Common symptoms - the sudden stop
11:28 Common symptoms - the long jump
15:22 Spring adjustment on wheeled units
17:00 Eliminating the jump?
18:43 Common issues and fixes
19:25 Cable management
20:00 Field winding wire break
21:54 About field winding wire
23:40 Common issues - Wheeled units
26:46 Electronic units
28:30 Useful resources
29:35 Spares
31:13 Conclusion
Channel email: [e-mail]
Subscription: / @the3rdrail
The trademarks mentioned in this video are the property of their respective owners and are used for description purposes.
Märklin Reversing Units - Part 1
🔗 • Märklin Reversing Unit...
SBB Arrows:
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Sources:
www.maerklin.de
www.Wikipedia.org
Marklin factory scenes:
From the 1963 Märklin documentary "Berühmt und begehrt"
#Märklin #mgleis #analog #wartung #tmrguk #mobaanalog Märklin layout Märklin trains #Spielbahn 3rd rail Umschalter Fahrtrichtungsumschalter Relay Relais relé

[@MrBrenren]

Once again your explanations and video encourage me to attempt the work required on my old models. I can clearly lay virtually all my servicing techniques at your door - they've never let me down yet! Thanks so much for taking the time (and continuing to do so) in sharing your expertise and learnings wit us all!

[@The3rdRail]

You are too kind, glad this was helpful.

[@reconphil]

Very excellent & informative video. Clearly & orderly explained. I look forward to the next video.

[@The3rdRail]

Awesome, thank you!

[@lindaoffenbach]

If we could click the like button 10x we most certainly would. Extremely helpful this. Well, tbh, we are one of the Märklinists having tried to eliminate the jump. It seems that weight is a factor as well. E.g., no matter what we tried, the little 3029 and 3000 will always jump a bit, although the latter hardly but the 3029 remains very jumpy. The 3038 and BR 103 not at all whatsoever. And then on the NS 1200 we can't perfect it either but behaves like the 3000; just a little twitch but nothing annoying. We just have to live with it or replace the unit with an electronic one, or with a decoder such as a ESU LokPilot 5. Since we operate a mix of analogue and DCC protocol, as well as mfx+ we have thought about replacing all the old reversing units but we have kept a section purely vintage with quite some locos now in true original state. We even have sections which can change to analogue DC equipped with the LokPilot 5 which can handle AC and DC..., but all-in-all, original vintage analogue 3-rail just has its charm. Cheerio. Thank you once a again. Very helpful !

[@The3rdRail]

Well, that is very kind, thanks! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing. Have a good weekend!

[@MMK96]

Excellent second part - well done! ... had to laugh at the infamous »blue-suicide-transformers« ; )

[@The3rdRail]

😀😀

[@paulcook2888]

Another excellent and very useful video. Thank you. Glad you mentioned the importance of being very careful when going near the screw of the rotating drum type reversers. I wasn't careful enough the first time and broke the wire off losing the end of it in the process. Eventually I rewound the coil - 2,000 turns I think it was - I counted them off and counted them back on again!! I had to go and have a lie down afterwards but at least it worked. Finding spare reversers in the UK is a bit harder - it's frustrating as somewhere there will be lots lying around in cupboards somewhere!

[@The3rdRail]

Thanks a lot. Yep, the ground wire is a classic... I usually get my reversers on forums, the tricky bit is to find someone ready to do the paperwork needed for the parcel though... I won't mention the dreaded "B" word....

[@kleinerfisch13]

Danke, Sehr gute Tipps und Tricks, vor allem das zeigen, wo die Fehler sein könnten, 🙂

[@The3rdRail]

Thanks!

[@davidjones4312]

Thanks again very well explained and I now know where to start looking for a particular problem I have.

[@The3rdRail]

Most welcome!

[@mountainmanpedro]

All my reversing issues were caused by my curious 12 year old self performing "maintenance," which I fortunately learned to undo. The only real issue came when we moved from Germany to the US and changed transformers and power systems, which I could then quickly resolve. Lovely video. I refer to your others to refresh before servicing my locos.

[@The3rdRail]

Thanks a lot, happy to read this was enjoyable, enjoy your locos!

[@michelcottier6370]

Fascinating stuff! Thanks for this very interesting video.

[@The3rdRail]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@raymondleggs5508]

Also helpful for old JEP, Electrotren, Mabar, Paya and Lionel 3 rail trains as they all have something very similar inside.

[@The3rdRail]

Thanks for sharing this

[@hz7984]

Once again, excellent!

[@The3rdRail]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@CM-he8ni]

Great second installment, great video of the Marklin ladies😁(where did you find that gem?) Also chuckled at the “blue angel of death “ transformer. Luckily I swooped them with the white ones! Very informative 😊

[@The3rdRail]

Thanks! the gem comes from a documentary, title in the description. you'll find it on youtube. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@roguico]

¡Gracias!

[@The3rdRail]

that's too kind, many thanks!

[@greathorton]

Thanks

[@The3rdRail]

👍

[@stephanedelaval6525]

Great !

[@The3rdRail]

Thanks a lot!

[@fernlenker]

Thank You verry much! verry well explained! wich lokomotve was the last one, where is the light over the relay for? greetings from germany

[@The3rdRail]

thanks! The last one is a 3028, "Akkutriebwagen". The bulb is for the interior lighting.

[@fernlenker]

@@The3rdRail Thank you for that fast answer at this Time =) Ah yes found some pictures. i like your style you explain, thank you for that good work! it let me dream of doing that things too, i had to get the garden right, chasing Brombeeren piking every where out... so i look some märklin after working on that and looking for a plache for a little oval to build here =)) greetings Stefan

[@raymondleggs5508]

"Suicide transformer" Aka stored in attic or basement for years transformer

[@The3rdRail]

Among other things

[@kleinerfisch13]

Achtung Trafo Märklin electronic 6600 nicht mit Digital Decodern (Märklin Digital Decodern, kann man auch Analog fahren) nutzen, und keine Märklin Lok ab Jahr 1996 und keine Lok´s vom Anderen Hersteller, !!!

[@The3rdRail]

re 6600, yes, this was mentioned in the video -> Digital is not the topic of the video, but yes, no digital locomotives from 1985 (!) onwards and no Delta/Universal electronic locomotives from the 1990s onwards. 1990s analogue loco are fine. The problem is the reversing pulse on the 6699 and 6600 that can be too high for decoders. See video about 6600 for the warning 😉