Excuse this question from a newby: I am rebuilding an old Marklin Z set and have a good selection of track etc. ... BUT: I lost all the rolling stock. Not wanting to spend hundreds to get back into the hobby, I want to get a steam engine and a few antique style cars. Locally in New York City the prices for new are astronomical. I looked on eBay and there appear to be 'new' for about half NYC prices. However, much of the Loco's seem to be 3 pole. Am I OK to get older 3 pole in favor of 5 pole? Another question: are there some good places to get better price, or promotional price, Z rolling stock?
Definetly get a 5-pole! Alot smoother running and the newer ones have the darkened wheels and drivers so they look better too! A couple bucks more, but worth it.
What are you looking for? American or European? Perhaps I can help you with some NA running stock if that is what you are looking for. Got some good deals. ljsnyder@charter.net
Welcome to Trainboard! The Marklin stuff is commanding higher prices these days, so deals are harder to find, and stocks are lower. Many items are back ordered without expected arrival dates. 3 pole locos are more balky and fidgety than 5 pole, and I would avoid them, unless you don't mind running them real fast.
Marklin z 1972-2000 3 pole motors 2000-2009 5 pole motors 3 pole motor is very robust, that is why it had 28 years in-service before replacement by the 5 pole. When you discover you bought a 3-pole loc with HOS, (Hardened Oil Syndrome - a term coined by Brian Redman) you get a can of super lube DRY teflon lubricant, you shoot into the motor and gears for about 30 seconds (watching the drippings color change from yellow to clear: don't worry, the super lube dry lubricant fluid that deposits the teflon quickly vaporizes, it won't harm paint, plastic or insulate electrical connectors, but it dissolves the old lubricant to allow it to flow out and it deposits a thin film of teflon to allow you to get the loc running before you lubricate (without running dry bearings!) and then you take a small screwdriver and insert between the motor windings and turn the armature until it turns freely. put it on track, goose it back and forth until the armature starts turning freely by the electricity, and away you go! Now after the loc starts running freely, sparingly lube the gears with a drop of labelle 108, the armature/brushes with a drop of Atlas conducting lube, put the shell back on and you will have a long-life loco. Five pole question marks.. A fellow selling a five pole loc on ebay stated that he noted that the loco would sometimes hesitate, slow down a bit, need the four finger helper engine assist and then it would run ok; a reply to a posting (when I asked for assistance with a similar problem like the ebay fellows, stated (by minzemaennchen) : So, the jury is still out (for me) on the long term service-life of the five pole motor. Long before the five pole, folks were adding Relco Track cleaners to their layouts and finding the three pole motors behaved wonderfully at snail speeds. I am certainly buying stock made since 2000 with the five pole motor, but the ease with which I've resurrected HOS 3 polers and their run-like-a-scalded-dog performance once properly lubed, means that I am not swapping out 3 pole motors just to get the 5 pole replacement, and I buy the 3 pole versions with no hesitation, since they have enjoyed a 37 year trouble-free life-span to date. Other wisdom you may read here: a general opinion is that the 3 driving axle Pacifics run better than the 4 driving axle mikados in the American-style locos produced by Marklin. And while you probably don't want to wait, a Japanese firm Tenshodo is making several versions of the Japanese RR's D51 Mikados and advertising them pre-sale rders for $94 new. They expect to ship December 09. You can order them right now on the internet You won't have any trouble identifying the Japanese Mikes, they have hump-back sand/steam domes, pretty cool.
No Teflon-Lube on rotor or power-pickups, this will create some contact problems. Best always to disassemble and dig out hairs and all solid dirt in the gear department and behind the wheels. After this some bath in isopropanol, or spray from it will wash away very quick the old oil. Also steam oil in ultrasonic bath has the same effect. After this VERY SMALL oil on moving parts, even a micro-drop on both motor bearings. Light good quality oil.
