Anyone own the Marklin railbus/track cleaner #8802? I am curious what the wheel base is. Thanks for any help, Scott
Indeed, it doesn't. Makes a terrible noise, too. I would recommend Marklin 86501 for cleaning track. Might pass for a US style car when seen from afar... Btw, Frank has a little video on "Schienenreinigungswagen". Matt
Them, Thanks for the additional measurements. Matt, I was thinking of converting it into an early US doodlebug, specifically a Brill one based on a White chassis. Scott
http://www.zscale.org/articles/cleaning.html "Indeed, (the 8802) it doesn't (work)." As a cleaner of 30+ year old NOCH layouts, the 8802 is my go-to guy. It replaces going under bridges/overpass(es) and through narrow canyon walls with a sliver of a hobby knife edge pushed along by my Phat fingers on the rails to remove decades-old oxidation from the rails. And OMG fuggedaboud trying to push a razor blade through a NOCH tunnel! You put a high wattage 67021 power feed on the rails, Warp 10, and place an 8802 on the rails...at first, nuttin honey. then you move the 8802 slowly back and forth, a spark, and then a turning of the 8802 grinding wheels....inch by inch you repeat the process, more and more track renews conductivity... and then, you've got a sputtering 8802 grind-blasting the track all around. Use a wooden chopstick to gently push the 8802 through the tunnel. when you get to a real rough spot, push down or pull up on the 8802 to really get those big wheels a rollin and a grinding while holding the 8802 in place. And then the 8802 gets smoother running around the track. time for Marklin miracle part 2, the 86501 Jorger track cleaning gondola. Hook it up to the 8802's single harpoon, and then let them both run around the track to dislodge and then pickup all the dusty bits. Stop occasionally and brush the Jorger track cleaning pad with your fingernail or a stiff brush, and put it back on. Shift to a no-wheelbase marklin steamer and see if it runs smooth all way round. if not repeat the process with the 8802. When the track is smooth enough for a BR89 with only one set of power pickup fingers working to run all the way around the track without mother hand and her five daughter-pushers, the 8802 work is done. Now get a makeup foam pad on a stick and butter the N0-0X-ID "A special" conductivity paste THINLY around all the track. let it dry and bob's ur uncle: a continuous loop of electrically-charged track on which to enjoy your trains. Does the 8802 work? oh my my, oh H*LL yeah! Keep it that way? run the 8802 and 86501, clean the track by wiping with electrical cleaner-degreaser spray on a chamois/microfiber; and best of all, add a RELCO/Gaugemaster electric track cleaner. NOTE: USE a REAL 16v AC power source as recommended by Gaugemaster; not the 10V AC out from a Marklin transformer, to power the Gaugemaster. If you touch the track when the Gaugemaster is on and the track bites you like a dead bee, you got the AC power needed to BURN the crud off the track. Awesome. Gaugemaster is NOT FOR USE WITH DCC power'ed layouts!
Well Scott, basically any of the many that came out since the early seventies. They're pretty much the same on the outside and in terms of wheelbase etc. However, the newest releases featuring can motor are nice, offer more detailing on the outside (like lining of windows, better decals, etc.; probably not relevant to your project...), lighting inside and detailed interior (blue seats etc.) Could be 88166 or the one of the sets with trailer car (88167, 88168). The can motor is still a bit noisy but runs nicely and probably quieter when digitized. I run one with PWM and it runs very smooth and fairly quiet. Then again, one of the old ones like 8816 might make a good choice if you won't be using the shell and if bought for a fair price. Btw, I concur with Sumgai in that when track is really dirty, a combition of 8802 and 86501 could be a good choice, particularly for hard to reach areas. Hmmm... 8802 a the go-to-gai ? Matt
Here's some photos to get an idea: Admittedly, the packaging was a lot more cute in the seventies Old and new... The changes are mainly underneath.. Cheers, Matt
I had a customer who took his 88167 and added some "doodlebug" artwork to it to bring it closer to being a Doodlebug.
This could be a nice base for a kitbash: Newly announced Class VT 88.9 railbus by Marklin (https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/88820) Matt
