Been given an old electric train set.?

Question

Dont know how old it is but the pickup is on a third center rail by two rollers under the loco,Can anyone please supply info,made in Germany with the name Deisel on the cab of the loco.All the carriges are metal not plastic.

Thank you.

Answer 1

It is probably Märklin which used 16v AC with centre pick-up instead of the usual 12v DC, but you don't say what gauge it is. Another possibility is early Trix, which used 12v. 3 rail.

Best send a description to a model rail enthusiasts' mag. or club and ask them, also for an approximate value, they'll be happy to advise you. If the train is old and in good condition and in original box it could be worth a bob or two.

Edit: don't modify any of the models or you will detract from their value. Like Stephen D says it's probably 1950s tinplate which is rare now and much sought by collectors.

Answer 2

I'm not a modeler person either. But, there were so many variations made, at so many time periods. I'm afraid it'll take some research to really find the correct production time.  Something you could do right now is to look on E-bay to find similar models with info and price values.

Answer 3

Francis-

There are only a few companies that used the 3 rail system.

Lionel, Marklin and Trix.

Just about everyone else used a DC Two Rail System.

I could give you a little more information if you knew the scale of the train set.

Scales:

G, O, HO, TT, N, or Z

I included TT because if the set is European, TT is their version of HO Scale.  HO Scale and O scale are the most common and if the set is Marklin or Trix, I would venture a guess this is the case.

There is one last company, called ROCO which was also a German Company.

If you contact Model Railroader Magazine with a detailed description of your set up, they should be able to get you pointed in the right direction.

Had to add something here in regard to "The Tank".  He sounds sort of like a "Rivet Counter".  Did my research on the TT thing.  Its the european answer to HO Scale regardless of his statement.  Yes it does stand for Table Top, and .5mm does not mean that its different than HO Scale, because the rolling stock works on HO Scale track!

However, as I stated, look up Model Railroader and have a chat with Terry.  He will get you pointed in the right direction.  

One thing Tank is correct about.  Be very careful about your repairs and restoration attempts.  This can ruin the collectors value of your aquisition.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

gosh you will have lots of fun my uncle could have helped you sadly he passed away in Gent last year I will email his daughter maybe she can help may take a while Francis7 but I will get back to you if I get some info?

Answer 5

Do not attempt to clean or re-shape any of this stuff. It's probably worth a lot of money. Third rail supplies (from a centre rail, or studs) was popular with German manufacturers such as Marklin. If you search hard around the working parts of the engine you may find a maker's plate. It may be on the track itself too.

Tecaman saber is wrong about TT. It stands for "Table Top" and is 3mm/foot, HO is 3.5mm/foot, OO is 4mm/foot. The TT scale was introduced in the 1960s before N guage became really popular. The Triang company attempted to popularise it but TT is effectively defunct now.

N used to be known in the UK in the early 1960s as OOO guage (2mm/foot) and was considered to be a joke until the technology to make realistic rolling stock and decent motors came along.

Answer 6

I am a model railroad person, but I am not sure about this one.  You might want to see if Yahoo has a hobby section.

Answer 7

You have a tin plate train, my friend. Hold on to it! Since you say it was made in Germany I believe you have an old Fleishmann set. Tin plate trains were made well into the middle 1950's.  Did you get tracks and a transformer for it as well? This link refers to their new lines in HO and N. It might help clear up your mystery.http://www.fleischmann.co.uk/