Spur 0 - Märklin » Marklin V3120

I acquired this O gauge Marklin V3120 back in 2019, but until last week never had it running. It is a "weak current" 4 volt loco with a very lightly built permanent magnet motor. What I hadn't noticed before was that one of the brush arms was not really sitting on the commutator, plus it was lightly rubbing against the side of the armature coils. Evidently this brush arm had worn through (thus becoming shorter), and the previous owner had moved it towards the commutator by just using the rear screw hole as the front one. I added a new "mid way" screw hole in the brush arm to let it set in a more optimal position. After this adjustment the motor started working. The primitive commutator is very worn, and the loco needs about 8 volts DC to run, and gets warm pretty quickly. But it's certainly nice to see it working. If anyone has some extra Marklin (fixed) pantographs of the style appropriate for this type of O gauage loco, please let me know. I need one for this engine and my V3030.

A question for the Marklin experts out there- where do the 4V 'weak current' motors fall in the evolution? These came before the 20V motors? And does anyone know what years this V3120 was produced? I don't see it in my Marklin catalog book.

Hi John

it is always nice to hear from you!

I am by no means an expert.

In general, low voltage trains predate all other types of electrical trains. Apart from static electricity, which allowed only educational effects, batteries were the only source of energy available until the arrival of generator sets.

Your V3120 is later than the 20Volt V13020 (since 1926) and was sold between 1928 and 33?
In the customer catalogue from 1928 it is written, that the prefered solution is the 20 Volt system and the low voltage trains are meant only for regions without power grid and hence a very limited product range is available:



The permanent magnets lose their properties over the years and it is advised to remagnetize them. The high current and with it, the high temperatures are otherwise damaging the coils.
It is suggested to check with the classic car scene, in those circles magnetizers should be available.
An other solution is to add a strong Neodyme magnet to boost the magnetic field.

The panthograph is a common available spare part, you should get it from the usual spare parts vendors.
If you need help with it, maybe somebody from Germany is able to assist.

Domenik

Hallo,

die bekannten Detailkataloge zeigen nur einen "Auszug aus der reichen Kollektion".

Die V 3120 erscheint in der Gesamtpreisliste 1927 noch ohne Nennung einer Katalogreferenz. Sie ist zuletzt in der Gesamtpreisliste 1933/34 aufgeführt.

1935 kommt als Ersatz die RV 3120 heraus. Diese ist bis 1938 nur in den Gesamtpreislisten zu finden.


Viele Grüße,

Bodo