Making a double locomotive of two Märklin 3148, NSB Di5, with drum commutator motor
Updated 29.01.2009
Märklin 3148
NSB (Norwegian State Railway) bought 17 second hand DB 260 and 261 diesel
shunters in 1985 and 1987, to replace the Di2. They were built in 1956 to
1960 by MaK, Henschel, Deutz, Esslingen and Krupp. Already approx. 30 years old,
they got a rather short time in service for NSB. The last one was dismantled in 1998.
The locomotives bought in 1985 got numbers 5 862 to 5 867, while the 1987 ones
became 5 868 to 5 877. Number 5 868 was used for spare parts It was
never in regular traffic.
NSB Di5, Märklin 3148, connected with a current conducting coupling bar
NSB Di5 technical data:
| NSB versions built by | MaK, Henschel, Deutz, Esslingen, Krupp |
|---|---|
| Total number built for DB | 942 by eight different manufacturers |
| Number bought by NSB | 17 |
| Built year | 1956 - 1960 |
| Max. speed | 30/60 km/h |
| Engine | MTU GTO6 (870-876 MTU GTO6A) |
| Engine power | 659 ps, 485 kW |
| Total length | 10,5 m |
| Weight | 53,4 tons (870-876 47,4 tons) |
| Axel arrangement | C |
I do not know if the NSB Di5 ever went as double heading. But I think this
looks like an interesting combination, so I just had to make it.
The 3148 is based on the old Märklin V60, later 260. That means small flat
commutator motor (SFCM) and normal couplings. The 3148 did not have Telex.
I started the conversion before the conversion set 60903 was available, so the
only option was 60901, which does not fit in the 3148 chassis.
I wanted as short distance between the locomotives as possible, and with the drum commutator
motor as the only option, the choice was quite simple. I needed two newer
locomotives. I got a 34641 for my birthday in 2000 and bought myself a
37649 some days later.
The front locomotive:
The Rear locomotive:
Reversed wire connections:
The red wheels will be painted in a very dark NSB gray later on.
So, basically these are two locomotives connected only by means of the current
conducting coupling. The two decoders, fed from one pick-up shoe, are set
to the same address and adjusted so the two locomotives runs as close to synchronous
as possible. Only the front light bulbs are installed.
I have been thinking of running both locomotives with one decoder (like I do in the 3346
double DB 236), but that requires five wires between the two locomotives.
That is difficult with the guided close coupler pockets.
Light connection:
Extra parts required:
The double 3148 decoder functions:
Wiring diagram:
The parts "left over" from this conversion led to two
"new" locomotives.
One 3148 chassis got the Telex warning light
board and the body from 34641 and has Telex and a Delta 66031 decoder.
The other 3148 got the body from 37649, but has per today no motor and decoder.
It has got close couplers, so it's possible to use it as an unpowered dummy
locomotive. Maybe I will install a pick-up shoe, an old 6080 decoder and
lamps in it. The decoder will be used to turn the light on and off.
Both these locomotives may some day be upgraded with the 60903/60923 motor. We will see.
Some tests were made in Germany with a double V60, but the tests were stopped when the
V90 arrived.
This locomotive, 37649, already had the correct motor and decoder, so only the rear
Telex was removed and a close coupler pocket was installed in it's place.
The front coupler hook was replace with the yellow one left over from 34641. The
pick-up shoe is under this locomotive.
One "arm" was cut off one of the Y-shaped contact tongues from the current
conducting coupler set 7319. The "arm" was installed inside the rear
coupler pocket of the front locomotive from the inside. The end of the tongue
was bent up in a small "L" on the outside of the pocket, to prevent it
from sliding in when the "tow bar" was inserted in the pocket.
A red wire was soldered to the inner part of the tongue.
The rear upper light guide was removed from the 37649 body. It has a
different shape than the one in the 3148 body, to avoid conflict with the
different motor magnet. The light guide from 3148 was installed in
the 37649 body.
I removed everything from the 34641, except for the front Telex coupler and bulb
holders. A close coupler pocket was installed in end 2. This was a
new locomotive, so all the moving parts, like gears, wheels, axels and rods
worked perfectly.
A 60901 conversion set was installed, the decoder in a 258820 holder. The screw
from the removed pick-up shoe was used for the decoder holder.
The green and blue wires to the motor was swapped, compared to the front locomotive.
So was the light in the front end. This must be connected to the yellow
wire, which is for the rear lamp.
The red wire from the decoder was soldered to a current conducting
"tow bar", from the Märklin current conducting coupler set 7319, via
the rear bulb socket, which now serves as a distributing point.
Also here the rear upper light guide was swapped with the one in the other 3148 body.
Because the lights are connected also to f2, two 1N4148
diodes are required on each decoders. See wiring diagram.
Part number
Qty.
Description
Front
locomotive392730
1
Guide for coupler pocket, from 3464
292740
1
Coupler pocket, from 3464
7319
1
Contact tongue (Y-shaped) from the set
Rear
locomotive60901
1
Digital high propulsion conversion set
258820
1
Decoder holder
392730
1
Guide for coupler pocket, from 3464
392740
1
Coupler pocket, from 3464
7319
1
Current conducting coupler rod from the set
Functions
f0-f
Front light end 1, front locomotive, changing with direction
f0-r
Front light end 1, rear locomotive, changing with direction
f1
Front Telex couplers on both locomotives
f2
Front light in both end 1 on, regardless of driving direction
f4
Acceleration and braking delay cancelled
