[Doug]

The small H0-scale crane has been a popular model in Märklin catalogs since 1956. The crane arm could be adjusted to different positions and with it's crank handle, the crane hook could be lifted and lowered.

With this ability to operate, albiet by hand, the play-value of many starter sets was increased. 50 years on and this traditional model has now come into its own. Digital control and Piezo-electric motors allow dreams of kids and adults to be realised. No you can shift loads on any part of your layout even where you cant usually reach by hand.

The crane can turn left and right, boom can be raised and lowered and the hook can be also raised and lowered on it's wire.

The movement speed can be controlled too via the DCC cab controler. The crane houses a DCC digital decoder and thus all the crane functions are accessed via your normal DCC controller.

Check out this video that shows the capabilities of the crane. Click on the image below.



Big pleasure for a small price. The crane car set 46715 with digital functions - EUR 99!

 

[spongebob]

Thats under £70 if you're on this side of La Manche. That looks like the sort of thing that could be modified into a useful UK spec item with a quick paint job on the logo's and some weathering. Another of the positive aspects of DCC i guess.

 

[Gary]

Marklin cranes are great. Every modeller should have one. Will there be a 2 rail version?

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Doug]

QUOTE (Gary @ 13 Apr 2006, 01:05) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Marklin cranes are great. Every modeller should have one. Will there be a 2 rail version?...

I don't see pickup as a problem. Its only a crane so it could be modified quite easily for 2-rail if it uses the 3rd rail for pickup. Its not like it has to receive the DCC signal over pointwork or any fancy trackwork. One simple pickup should work.

As spongebob says, this can easily be modified into virtually any style. I have a 1950's crane that looks quite similar - not in bright yellow, but rather a dull grey and blue.

I'll bee keen to get one of these to try out.

 

[neil_s_wood]

Alternatively you could buy the Roco one which is already DC and two rail based.

For details follow the link below

Roco Digital Gantry crane

This is marginally more expensive at 234 Euros but if you follow this link you can get it for 199 Euros from the UK or 172 Euros if you are buying from outside the EU.

Modellbahn Kramm

The link does not take you direct to the item but it is listed under Roco item number 46902

 

[Dennis David]

I wonder if there will be a 2-rail version under the Trix brand?

 

[neil_s_wood]

Unfortunately not. I have already checked. Not all Marklin items get remade in Trix DC format.

What they do have ,which is more expensive, is a static gantry crane which comes in at a steep 375 Euros. I have included a link below, unfortunately I don't seem to be able to put in a direct link so you will have to put in the product number which is 66105.

Trix Crane

This is a fantastic item at a fantastic price.

It moves by tiny motors on all axes. I believe it has lights too.

If you want more info then go to Lokshop and look the Trix catalogue 2006 on pages 136 and 137.

 

[neil_s_wood]

Here is a direct link that actually works.

Trix Gantry Crane

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Would like to scruff that up a bit into some well worn and weathered looks for my LMS layout. No prototype, just fun! I am not too sure about the three rail versus two rail conversation up thread. Can someone shed some light on that for me please?

 

[Doug]

That Trix crane looks great. It would be quite allot of fun to load and unload.

In Trix catalogue 2006 on pages 136 (see link above), it is loading coal (and ballast I presume) from a canal barge to railway hoppers. Is this accurate? Would it have suspended a 'scoop'?

Typical German 'weathering' - keep it clean.

Regarding the 3-rail conversion:
Converting a loco from 3-rail to 2-rail is slightly tricky as one usually wants all the wheels to pick up current and you have a chassis to deal with. You have to replace the axels so no current flows through them. With 3-rail trains, the outer rails (track) are one pole and the middle rail (or studs as it is often hidden these days) is the other pole.

So for this job, you will have to isolate the wheels from each other. Easier on a wagon or crane than on a loco. Then rewire the pickups from the wheels: pickup from one side to one pole of the decoder and the pickup from the other side to the other pole.

 

[mdjr78]

Is there really a DCC-decoder on board? As far as i know the Märklin digital controllers don't speak DCC, but MFX or Motorola-format. So my guess is that there isn't a DCC-decoder on board, but a MFX/motorola one.

Werner

 

[steventrain]

The 46715 3-rails is used with 6021 digital control unit or mobile station system.

No plan for trix 2-rail,maybe next year ?

 

[mdjr78]

It appears that Trix als has a remote controlled crane. Found this on a dutch forum:
http://www.beneluxrail.net/modules.php?nam...topic&p=843#843

Okay, it's slightly bigger than the Märklin one.

Werner

 

[Doug]

QUOTE (mdjr78 @ 13 Apr 2006, 09:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Is there really a DCC-decoder on board? As far as i know the Märklin digital controllers don't speak DCC, but MFX or Motorola-format. So my guess is that there isn't a DCC-decoder on board, but a MFX/motorola one.

Werner

Does Märklin still not do DCC

How can a company expect to survive with a non-compatible digital system...

Is there a large enough market still using only Motorola systems

 

[Dennis David]

Doug,

The short answer, yes. Look at all the new DCC stuff coming out in Europe, they all are Marklin compatible. Something about the 800 lb gorilla.

 

[Dennis David]

LGB has their own system as well.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE In Trix catalogue 2006 on pages 136 (see link above), it is loading coal (and ballast I presume) from a canal barge to railway hoppers. Is this accurate? Would it have suspended a 'scoop'?

According to the catalogue it is a magnet which does the lifting. However Marklin have a product which does do this. It is a coaling station with a clamshell bucket.

Follow this link and it's in the Marklin catalogue/yearbook HO 2006 page 385

Coaling station

QUOTE Does Märklin still not do DCC

How can a company expect to survive with a non-compatible digital system...

My understanding was that they were to pursue their own incompatible system to maintain brand loyalty. They seem to be able to do this due to their share of the German market. It seems to be the other producers such as Fleischmann and Roco who have to manufacture AC locos to get into the Marklin market.

QUOTE It appears that Trix als has a remote controlled crane. Found this on a dutch forum:
http://www.beneluxrail.net/modules.php?nam...topic&p=843#843

This may be an older product as I have not seen it in any of the last few years catalogues. I'd be interested to know more.

 

[mdjr78]

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 14 Apr 2006, 04:26) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>My understanding was that they were to pursue their own incompatible system to maintain brand loyalty. They seem to be able to do this due to their share of the German market. It seems to be the other producers such as Fleischmann and Roco who have to manufacture AC locos to get into the Marklin market.
And vice versa, Märklin has to produce under the Trix-brand to get on the 2-rail market.

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 14 Apr 2006, 04:26) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>This may be an older product as I have not seen it in any of the last few years catalogues. I'd be interested to know more.

It appears to be from the 2002/2003-catalogue. The catalogue-number is 33951. The crane is produced once and specially for Profi-club-members.

This crane also has a motorola-decoder on board. It can be controlled by an enclosed controller on a seperate track or by a multi-protocol digital controller (that can speak the Motorola-proticol).

Werner

 

[Andrew Stevens]

Hi Doug
Once again thanks for the info and links
Andrew S

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE It appears to be from the 2002/2003-catalogue. The catalogue-number is 33951. The crane is produced once and specially for Profi-club-members.

This seems to be a Trix Express item which is a sort of three rail DC. Can this work on a regular DC system?