Mrklin Digital for Dummies Locomotive Decoders

This section starts with a general Introduction, then some words about which
decoders that are suitable for certain motors, and finally I have added examples of
how to convert a locomotive to digital.
Introduction
Decoders & Motors
Conversion Sessions
Introduction Table of Contents
On conventional (analogue) layouts, you need separate transformers in isolated
sections to get close to multi-train capabilities, as speed is controlled by changing the
output voltage on each transformer. An alternative is to use catenary (i.e., power line
in the air) which enables two trains to operate independently in one section.
This you don't need with digital. As a general principle in the new world, there is only
one section (one transformer) and always 16 Volt AC on the layout. How does this
work?
The first generation of multi-train control systems was named Mrklin "Delta", and
Mrklin "Digital" is the successor. In Mrklin Digital, you can still use the Delta type
locomotive decoders, but if you use the (more expensive) digital Mrklin 6080 (c80),
Mrklin 6090 (c90) or the latest Mrklin 6090x decoders (60902 and 60905), you can
derive additional functions (f1-f4) like controlling (on/off):
lights,
long distance light,
train uncoupling (Telex),
sound,
horn/whistle,
smoke,
brake curve
fireman shovelling coal etc. etc.!
However, 6080 and 6090 decoders only have one function, most often for turning
lights on/off. In addition, the 6090 and 6090x decoders, preferrable in combination
with 5 pole motors (instead of 3 pole motors) derive superior running features, e.g.
load compensation (e.g. same speed both up- and downhill, and in curves) and very
smooth performance. Conclusion? 6090x decoders (i.e. 60902 and 60905) are better.
In 2004, the new "Mrklin Systems" was introduced in order to replace "Mrklin
Digital". You may still use (most of) the Mrklin Digital items, such as the 6080, 6090
and 6090x loco decoders. The new generation of Mrklin Systems loco decoders are
called "mfx" (60922), and they are produced by the company ESU. The mfx decoders
have 16 functions, and their features for sound are enhanced. Using mfx, you may
set 16000 addresses (compared to 80 using 6090x) and mfx have 128 speed steps.

The mfx decoders also have some kind of feedback reporting to the control unit. The
mfx decoders (60922) are further commented below.
Due to the fixed 16 Volt AC on the layout, you can't use locomotives without decoders
on a digital layout - They will always drive on full speed. In addition, locomotives with
Digital decoders are running better and more quiet compared to those equipped with
Delta.
To enable the Digital System to find your locomotives, you have to set unique
addresses to them; Like telephone numbers:
On locomotives with Delta decoders, there are 4 dip switches with options "on"
and "off" that you can combine to derive 16 addresses. You should avoid older
Delta decoders without dip switches (i.e. 6603 decoders with the 701.13 chip).
On locomotives with Digital decoders, there are 8 dip switches that you can
combine to derive 80 addresses.
Typically, the 4 Delta dip switches correspond to the 8 Digital switches, where
Digital 1 = Delta 1
Digital 2 = off
Digital 3 = Delta 2
Digital 4 = off
Digital 5 = Delta 3
Digital 6 = off
Digital 7 = Delta 4
Digital 8 = off
e. g. Digital setting "1---5-7-" is Delta "1-34" which is adress 6. Note that the mfx
decoders (60922) do not have dip switches. Here you need to change the address
and other features (such as acceleration and deceleration) using the control unit.
Kenneth Pallund has some excellent pages if you want to learn about Delta and
Digital decoders in detail, or even try to modify the decoders... He has also provided
the address table above concerning Digital decoders.
Decoders & Motors Table of Contents
What decoders (and motors) are the different Mrklin engines equipped with? I found
and translated the following information from the Der Moba FAQ site ("DS" is
abbreviation for Direction Switch):
30xx: Analog models with relays for DS, serial number without letter.
30xxx: Analog models with Delta for DS, serial number with M.
31xx: Analog models with relay for DS, older catalog numbers were passenger
train packings with 30xx model as locomotive, serial number without letter.
32xx: Goods train packings with 30xx model as locomotive.
33xx/34xx: Analog models with relay or electronics for DS, serial numbers with

E.
33xx/33xxx/34xx/34xxx: Starting from 1994 models with Delta, serial numbers
with M.
35xx: Models with conventional high-power engine and electronics for DS, serial
number with R.
36xx/36xxx: Models with Digital decoder c80 without load compensation (few
exceptions), serial number with D. Most often equipped with Mrklin 6080 (c80)
Digital decoders.
37xx: Until 1992, analog models with transparent housing and relay for DS.
37xx/37xxx: Models with Digital decoder, DC motor and load compensation (few
exceptions), serial number with H. Most often equipped with Mrklin 6090 (for
37xx models) or 6090x (for 37xxx models) Digital decoders .
38xx/38xxx: Models with HAMO Digital decoder.
39xx: Analog model construction kits with relay for DS.
39xxx: Digital models with C-Sinus motor, serial numbers with S (also with H).
83xx: HAMO models (i.e. two rail models) with DC motor.
83xxx: Models with different equipment.
In my opinion, Delta is a good entry into the new technology. As you will see in the
Trains section, I used to have a number of Mrklin locomotives equipped with Delta
units instead of Digital decoders. However, as I have learned - and experienced - that
those engines aren't really suitable for computer operated layouts - regarding speed
control (e.g. slow motion is to fast), brake control etc. - I have sold all of them, or
upgraded the engines with Digital decoders.
If you want to install a 6090, 6090x or mfx digital decoder - which are superior - in a
locomotive, you first need to identify the motor. This is required, as using the Mrklin
6090, 6090x or mfx decoders, you need to convert the AC motor to DC (with a
permanent magnet). In general, Mrklin locomotives are equipped with the following
motors (Examples are from the Mrklin Service Pages):
C-Sinus Motors;
Example: Swiss SBB Krokodil (Mrklin 39560)
DCM Drum Commutator Motors;
Example: Swiss SBB Re 4/4II (Mrklin 3734)
LFCM Large Flat Commutator Motors (Large Flat Collector Motors);
Example: Swedish SJ Rc (Mrklin 3043)
SFCM Small Flat Commutator Motors (Sarge Flat Collector Motors);
Example: German DB VT 795 (Mrklin 3016)
Faulhaber Motors (Glockenankermotoren);
Example: Swiss SBB Roter Pfeil (Mrklin 3125)
Helmut Kern provides a very good overview of the Mrklin Locomotive History as a
source to find out what motor your locomotive is equipped with. Once you have
identified the motor, the following can be done:
C-Sinus: Already equipped with digital decoders.

DCM: The Mrklin set 60901 (mfx set 60921), which includes e.g. a 5 pole motor
and a 60902 decoder (mfx 60922 decoder), can be used for most DCM
locomotives. As an alternative, you could try to only replace the magnet with the
Mrklin 235690 permanent magnet (keeping the 3 pole motor), in combination
with a 60902 decoder (or mfx 60922 decoder).
LFCM: The Mrklin set 60904 (mfx set 60924), which includes e.g. a 5 pole
motor and a 60902 decoder (mfx 60922 decoder), can be used for most LFCM
locomotives. A list of locos that can be converted with the 60904 kit is available in
the Mrklin Technical Update. As an alternative, you could try to only replace the
magnet with the Mrklin 220560 permanent magnet (keeping the 3 pole motor),
in combination with a 60902 decoder (or mfx 60922 decoder).
SFCM: The Mrklin set 60903 (mfx set 60923), which includes e.g. a 5 pole
motor and a 60902 decoder (mfx 60922 decoder), can be used for most SFCM
locomotives. A list of locos that can be converted with the 60903 kit is available
below. As an alternative, you could try to only replace the magnet with the
Mrklin 220450 permanent magnet (keeping the 3 pole motor), in combination
with a 60902 decoder (or mfx 60922 decoder). According to several sources, it is
more difficult to convert a SFCM locomotive than a LFCM locomotive, as there
could be performance and size issues. However, the Delta, or the old 6080,
decoder solution should always work here, as you do not need to convert the AC
motor to DC then.
Faulhaber: The Mrklin 60905 decoder can be used for most locomotives. It is
similar to the 60902, but its motor output is tailored to coreless DC motors.
You will also find some new mfx items identified as 6093x. These are sets comprising
a decoder, sound module and loudspeaker. They can be used to replace your Mrklin
Digital 60902 decoder (e.g. from a 60901, 60903 or 60904 set) or your Mrklin
Systems 60922 mfx decoder (e.g. from a 60921, 60923 or 60924 set), keeping the
motor only:
60931: Steam loco sounds
60932: Diesel loco sounds
60933: Electric loco sounds
More detailed information on the loco decoder subject can be derived e.g. in
Bogobit's presentation of Mrklin Digital Decoder Types, Kenneth Pallund's Mrklin
Decoder Overview and in Michael Prieskorn's decription of Locomotives Suitable for
Change to Digital Decoder. Don't forget to spend some time on the marklin.users.net
Conversion Sessions. Kenneth Pallund has e.g. a comparison of DCM, LFCM and
SFCM motors on his Retrofitting page. Also, Antonio Martinez has some very
comprehensive pages (in Spanish, use Babel Fish to translate) on parts required,
locomotives suitable for conversions etc.

According to Insider News 3/2003 (German Edition, translated by Costas, a friend on

marklin.users.net forum), the following locos can be retroffited to Digital by using the
new 60903 Decoder Kit.
Table 1
S-Bahn: 3017, 3128
BR515: 3028
BR81: 3032, 30321
E41, E10, E40, Serie BB9200: 3034, 3037, 3937, 3038, 3039, 3040
EA800: 3044
Schienen-Zeppelin: 3077
DHG500: 3078, 3088, 3144
DHG700: 3088
Table 2
BR89: 3000
BR795: 3013, 3016
Tenderlok: 3029
Serie GS 800: 3030, 3170, 2670, 2870
V60: 3064, 3065, 3131, 3141, 3149
KLVM: 3087, 3090
Again according to Marklin Insider 3/2003:
"The locomotives in Table 1 can be reequipped without special expenditure of
Maerklin digital specialist dealers."
"Table 2 contains all models, which can be converted only at additional expenditure
of an authorized repair shop or of the Maerklin Repair Service.
Conversion Sessions Table of Contents
Is it difficult to convert a locomotive to digital? In my opinion, you only need some
basic skills in soldering, and I can assure you that I'm not very good in this practice.
How about warranty? Well, Mrklin is stating that the "conversion should be
performed by authorized and trained Mrklin Digital dealers...", but how fun is that?
This is also an opportunity to save some money, and in addition, I live more than 100
km from the nearest dealer. Finally, even if I am a happy amateur, I have never
managed do destroy a decoder. This one of the reasons why I stick with Mrklin
decoders. However, people who are interested in fine-tuning of sound decoders
and/or mixed Mrklin-Motorola / DCC protocols - which you can read more about this
in the Control Unit section - have my deepest respect. The locomotive decoders are
not my core interest in this hobby, I get the fine-tuning I (so far) require from the PC
Software. (I also have a source that provides me the Mrklin 60902 at a very
competitive price!). Below, you will find two examples on how to install a digital
decoder in a locomotive. You will find several examples on how to convert Mrklin
locomotives, by following the links recommended earlier. This is why I choose to give
you two examples of Roco conversions. A nice feature with Roco, and most other

brands that provides Mrklin compatible three rail models, is that the motor always is
a DC motor. (Mrklin and HAG are the only exceptions I know.) Therefore, you only
need to install a Mrklin 60902 decoder (or similar), i.e. no conversion of the motor is
required.
Conversion of a SBB Be 4/6: Using a Mrklin 60902 decoder.
Conversion of a SBB Ae 6/6: Using an Uhlenbrock 76500 decoder.
Conversion of a SBB Be 4/6
In this example, we will convert a Roco 43926 which was produced in the early
1980:s, i.e. the Swiss SBB Be 4/6 12320, using a Mrklin 60902 decoder. You may
click on the pictures, for larger view.

The Be 4/6 and the Mrklin 60902 decoder

This example will show a very "quick" conversion. The only functions I will use, is the
possibility to turn light on/off. Of course, lights will be direction sensitive (which wasn't
the case before conversion), however not according to the Swiss standard of having
three lights turned on in the front, one light turned on in the rear. I will skip the light in
the rear, as there is only one light bulb at each end of the locomotive. The Swiss
standard would require two light bulbs at each end.

The opened Be 4/6 before conversion

Above, you can see the opened Be 4/6, and in the right end, an electronic unit that
(1) converts AC to DC and (2) provides the direction switch functions. This electronic
unit should now be completely removed. The unit is connected with two black wires
(for track power and ground return) and two brown wires (to the motor, which is

hidden below the brown card). Note that the motor setup, with a drive shaft etc., is
completely different from Mrklin motors.

All wires are soldered

Above, you will see that all required wires from the decoder have been soldered
according to the following schema:
Red: Track Power
Brown: Ground Return
Blue: Motor Connection
Green: Motor Connection
Grey: Front Headlight
Yellow: Rear Headlight
Before soldering the headlight wires, do some testing on the layout. Else, you could
end up with lights in the rear only... The remaining wires are for functions I don't use
(yet). I could have used the orange wire for the light bulbs ground return, however
this would imply some drilling on the locomotive, as the light bulb ground return
currently is transferred via the locomotive itself.

The decoder assembled in the Be 4/6

Removing the electronic unit derived enough space for assembling the Mrklin 60902
decoder. In this locomotive, it wasn't required to fix the decoder e.g. with glue. The
60902 is assembled in a case, it will not be damaged if it moves a little. Testing the
locomotive (after setting a digital address with the dip switches), the engine was
immediately working. After adjusting the maximum speed (with the left pot) and the
acceleration/braking delay (with the right pot), the locomotive is operating surprisingly

smooth (almost like a Mrklin 37xxx locomotive would). Including the orange wire (as
mentioned above) would have totally eliminated the flickering lights, however, on this
engine the lights are not flickering as much as I have seen on other engines.
Conversion of a SBB Ae 6/6
In this example, we will convert a Roco 43863 which was produced between 1997
and 2000, i.e. the Swiss SBB Ae 6/6 11423. You may click on the pictures, for larger
view.

The Ae 6/6 and the Uhlenbrock 76500 decoder before conversion

The available space for a decoder in this Ae 6/6 is very small. There is a "box" under
the engine, which contains an electronic unit which enables the locomotive to switch
direction. As we can remove this unit using a digital decoder, we derive 25 x 13 x 7
mm free space. The Mrklin 60902 is 36 x 21 x 9 mm (0.8A motor output). Restricted
by space, there are a few Mrklin-Motorola compatible alternatives, e.g.:
The Viessmann 5246 which is 24.6 x 14 x 2.9 mm (1.1A)
The Kuehn N025 which is 11.4 x 8.8 x 3.3 mm (0.7A)
The Uhlenbrock 76500 (76520 with NEM plug) which is 22 x 12 x 5 mm (1.1A)
All decoders above have load compensation features, and require DC motors.
Recommended by some people, I selected the Uhlenbrock 76500.

The circuit board before conversion

The circuit board contains electronics for managing the two light bulbs to be turned
on/off depending on the engine direction. This is not needed with a digital decoder.
The Swiss lights logics, i.e. having three lights turned on in the front, one light turned
on in the rear, is managed by plastic light conductors under the engine roof. Before
installing the decoder, the two diodes have to be removed (see above picture). Also
the unit under the engine, that provides the direction switch functions, must be
removed.

The decoder in place under the engine

All wires are soldered

Above, you will see that all required wires from the decoder have been soldered
according to the following schema (which of course differs from the Mrklin 60902):
Red: Track Power
Black: Ground Return
Grey: Motor Connection
Orange: Motor Connection
White: Front Headlight
Yellow: Rear Headlight
Blue: Headlight Return
On the picture, you can also see that two circuits are cut. In addition, there is a third
circuit under the circuit board that has to be cut.
Testing the locomotive (default address = 3), the engine operates even smoother
than the Be 4/6 converted in the previous session (like any Mrklin 37xxx locomotive
would). Of course this is a newer model, and the fact that it is running on 8 wheels
helps a lot...