#d1r%ddathd21.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (12/11/85)
Stephan Preis Phone: 0049-6151-16-3939 Technische Hochschule Darmstadt (Working hours, only) Hochschulrechenzentrum/Beratung AB Petersenstrasse 30 Node name of our Site: DDATHD21 6100 Darmstadt My Userid: #d1r WEST GERMANY Beware of the number sign - it's part of my userid. (imagine you have ASA-Control-sequences) My father is owner of a Marklin H0 and a Marklin I model-railway + " " and I like playing with the models, too. I've to make some remarks on the model-railway discussion: Marklin has three different model-sizes: + " I H0 Z Tracksize in mm 45 16.5 6.5 Power-supply 16 VAC 16 VAC 8 VDC Model-size 1:32 1:87(1:100) 1:220 The H0-size-trains get their voltage by a third "rail", which is no real rail, but a center dot line. The tracks are available in two qualities: plastic-tracks and metal-tracks. The plastic tracks are more expensive and they are more like the original. The center dots are naerly invisible. Metal-tracks are cheaper and ugly. Both qualities support various track figures. You can make an 8 or a turn without getting a short circuit. The center dots are cleaned by any skid passing the track. Every skid contacts many of the center dots, so that the contact is very save. Changing the direction requires a 25 V pulse to the engines. This is very usefull in many cases. Some long railroad cars are shortend (1:100) because of the small radii. I agree with Juergen A. Reimann that ROCO-models are looking more natural. Some ROCO-model-engines - they are manufactured in Austria - are available in a Marklin-compatible version. The cars from ROCO can be used in Marklin trains without changes (at least the cars we use). We build up our Track-size "I" tracks in summer in the garden. This must be done very carefully, because the trains are running off the rails, if the tracks are not relocated correct. Other track-size "I" systems are not so sensitive in this point, but I think in "I" Marklins models are the best in naturalness. + " In track-size "Z" I have no experience. I know the models from catalog only. Greeting --- Stephan Preis My address from ARPA-net is: <#d1r%ddathd21.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA>