Märklin – Wikipéd

Posted on by

Märklin is a German manufacturer of miniature trains. The company was founded in Göppingen in 1859 and was then specialized in the accessories of doll houses. It was only a little later that she specializes in construction games, small steam machines, road vehicles and train to drag.

Märklin has thus become an important European railway modeling group, especially known for its trains feeding system by a third rail, specific to the brand. Several brands belong to the group, such as LGB or Trix.

In 1859, Theodor Friedrich Wilhelm Märklin was a manufacturer of small kitchens for dolls.

In 1891, the sons of the founder of the company made a first train with watchmaking with a modular track in the form of 8. It is she who will gradually impose routes of track that will become current international standards [ Ref. desired] . It was first in 1891, the 1 ( Likewise ) either 1/32 with a 45 route mm wide (now designated by I , Roman numeral). From 1895, the first electric and steam trains in spacing 1; Manufacturing of metal boats (liners, battleships …) are emerging. 1900 sees the introduction of scale 0 or 1:45 with a route of 32 mm spacing.

From 1935, the manufacturer introduced the 00 scale (1:76) which foreshadows the HO scale, the two compatible systems used a 16.5 route mm During the two rails, which has become the international standard. Rolling stock supply calls alternating current 20 volts , the inversion of the direction of walking by a momentary overvoltage of the current sent in the track.

In 1937, a full range of tracks, accessories, locomotives and wagons was available. Märklin exhibits an important network at the Nuremberg Fair.

In 1972, considering not being able to stand out from the competition with the N scale (1: 160), the company presents the Z scale (1: 220 with a route of 6.5 mm spacing).

The , Märklin files for bankruptcy at the Göppingen court [ 2 ] . Several potential buyers are declared, but the , the leaders of Märklin announce an exit from the crisis and name as CEO Stefan Löbich [ 3 ] .

  • Old initiation to electricity game (Märklin Museum)

After buying the company Hamo in 1966, Märklin will offer a “2 continuous current” version of its equipment under this name until 1995.

In the 1980s, Märklin bought its competitor Trix and harmonized the two ranges, specializing in the DC system (HO 1:87) and in the N -brand N under the Minitrix brand.

In 2006, Märklin bought the firm Lehmann Gross Bahn (LGB) in the G scale, specializing in garden trains, thus confirming his prestige [Personal interpretation?] and its position on three different scales.

The Märklin system is based on the use of a third rail inserted in the ballast with Pins exceeding the track To ensure electrical contact. The two exterior rails are electrically connected. This allows simplified wiring in particular on the reversal loops.

Three ranges of track exist:

  • The older M route M with a third rail visible continuously. These old ways are generally compatible with more recent equipment;
  • The K route, with a central rail in the form of small pins;
  • Way C for “Click” whose track is placed on a plastic ballast. This route is provided for children because it is easily monitable and removable and resistant to crushing.

The Märklin system is incompatible with the equipment of other manufacturers. The wheels being electrically connected cause short circuits on the classic tracks “2 continuous current rails”. The wheels profile is also different (standard 340). In addition, for a long time, Märklin was the only brand to use alternating current for its H0 scale trains, although in the 1960s, Fleischmann, Hag, Röwa, Roco and others produced trains for the Märklin system.

Some modelists have converted Märklin equipment for direct current routes 2 rails , and after the takeover of Hamo, Märklin began to offer continuous current locomotives, first under the Hamo brand then under the Trix brand after its takeover. Nowadays, many Märklin materials are available for direct current.

  • From left to right: old rail m, rail m (1952–1956), rail m (1956–2000), rail k, rail c

  • From left to right, ranges K, C and M.

La Mobile Station Märklin

Märklin Digital was the first digital rail equipment control system, developed jointly with Lenz and presented at the Nuremberg toy fair in 1979 (C80 decoder). It consisted of a complete decoder system inserted in the locomotives, (based on a Motorola component), control center, an interface with a computer, accessory decor, digital relays and S88 retro signaling modules.

An evolution occurred in 1993/1994, to increase the number of addressable functions (1+4), manage the direction of walking.

In 2004 Märklin announced a new generation of digital components under the name of Märklin Systems including new control plants and locomotive decoders who support two -way communications. That is to say, they can declare themselves on the controller in order to avoid digital addressing conflicts. Märklin in collaboration with ESU produced new decoders which they identify as MFX.

Märklin power plants are not originally compatible with the DCC standard but in 2008, a new version of Centrale manufactured by Märklin appeared: with color screen and protocol management Digital Command Control (since version 1.2.5 of the internal firmware), allowing to order almost all of the decoders sold on the market and thus to be compatible with competition equipment (management of 2 continuous digital rails)
The last remote control released by Märklin is the central station which can manage up to 9,999 locomotives.

In 2014, the company developed the MFX+ digital decoder which not only allows a simulation of the driving position (only with the central station), but also a simulation of coal, sand, or even diesel depending on the type locomotive.

On other Wikimedia projects:

Related articles [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

  • Märklin: Miroir de Son Temps Eric de Ville/Alain van den Abeele (ISBN  2884680152 )
  • Märklin, from the miniature train toy 1919-1954 Claude Jeanmaire (ISBN  3856491082 )
  • Rampini Paolo, Modelcars Made in Germany 1900-1990, Edizioni Paolo Rampini, 1998.