Märklin Miniclub Caboose

I can't say for sure, since I don't have one, but judging by the photos I've seen, and if you want to use MTL trucks, you will have to move the new trucks farther out towards the car ends. It appears that the Marklin trucks sit too far towards the center.

If this is indeed the case, then I suppose using the truck-mounted couplers would be the easiest; but I'm only guessing.

Another option would be to replace the couplers with the MTL adapter set they offer; but then again, the position of the trucks would still be way off...

Let us know what you come up with; the Marklin car is nice looking, and a good option to the centered cupola of the MTL caboose.

Mark in Oregon

There are quite a few ways to deal with this car.

1. Build a transition car replacing one truck with an MTL Märklin coupler truck. The caboose would always run behind that car.

2. Replace the coupler. Using a chisel blade scrape off the head of the hot melt pins holding the bottom plate to the coupler box. Remove the bottom (trying to save the remains of the pins on the box) and replace with MTL 905(?) couplers.

3. Replace the trucks. This will require filling the existing bolster holes and drilling smaller holes in a new position. MTL 970(?) trucks.

4. Get a Zealtory conversion kit: www.zscalemonster.com/zelatory/ #013. The kit provides a new spine for the car that snaps into the Märklin holes and has holes the proper size and position for the MTL bolster pins. The process will require you to body mount the couplers. I've used this for an SP conversion and was happy with the results. I've also been satisfied with their tender conversion kit.

That's about all I can think of. I think I've got the right MTL part numbers.

Mark

Thanks Mark but :
- I don't like solution #1 because it will always "link" the caboose to one kind of train (I will run 2 freight trains, the first one with boxcars and the second one with hoppers).
- And as far as I understood what "rshimada" said, solution #2 does not work properly.
- Solution #3 looks for me a little bit like a "makeshift job".
- And the system with the conversion kit #4 adds too much costs to the car.

Sorry, I notice that my question is running out of control (especially for the costs of solution #4). I saw the caboose on eBay and thought it was a bargain, but finally I believe that the simplest way will be to overlook that it exists and be satisfied with my two MTL-cabooses (I own the NYC and the Reading version) ... Thanks for Your answers !

PS : MTL #905 is a pre-assembled body mounted coupler, the drop-in model (used by" rshimada" ? ) is #902.

Thanks rvn2001, it was my initial idea ... But meanwhile I saw that the total cost (only for the caboose itself) is about 54$ (there are customs fees, too), I think this is too expensive for a USED item ! The price for a MTL caboose was a little bit more than one halfth of this amount ... NEW !

I found another one in Germany (it seems that it "appeared" recently on eBay), no customs fees, total 37€, in "collector" quality ; so I will probably order it ...

I have one MTL hybrid that enabled me to run behind any loco. Yes, that means this car will be placed somewhere in my consist every time, but it works.

Today I got my Märklin caboose. I put it on a piece of track together with a MTL car : I agree with "rshimada", using drop-in couplers would put them about 1 mm lower than the standard MTL-couplers (I don't think that there is a "shift" in height built into the replacement couplers, they look absolutely "flat" on pictures). So, two solutions : the solution of "rvn2001", direct replacement with couplers fixed under the platforms, or the "Zelatory" solution. But all the way I must unmount the original trucks, without using "brute force" ; how should I do, without destroying the "pivots" : simply pull them down (using a lever) or must I unmount the shell ? And, if so, how ?
Thanks for Your tips ...