Analogue VS Digital in the Model Railroading world and Marklin World

Analogue VS Digital

In the Marklin world there are two groups of model railroaders, there is the Analogue Group and the Digital Group. In terms of Analogue in the model railroading world is that it allows the person who plays with the model trains on the layout to manually drive the train, manually switch the track and manually control the signals, a typical analogue layout would consist of the following:

A Transformer:

Turnout control:

Signal Control box:

Turnout Mechanism:

Signals (light):

Signals (Semaphore):

Feeder track its essential to supply the tracks with power to run the trains:

The Marklin Digital Group

One of the first Digital component to be released in the model railroading world, Marklin Digital was presented at the 1979 at the Nurnberg Toyfair show. Marklin's Digital range started off with the 6020 which is known as the Central Unit and 6021 which is known as the Control Unit.

Schematic of the Legacy Marklin Digital Component:

Marklin did also produce a Delta range which is a cheaper version of digital for people who could not afford the normal Digital controllers:





In the early 90s Marklin made two type of locomotives, there were Analogue locomotives and Digital locomotives, the Analogue locomotives only contained a motor and no address or digital chip fitted in, there is also the Digital or Delta locomotives, these locomotives had a digital chip fitted and also a address that could be put into the Digital controller I.E. 6021 and etc to run the locomotive. Nowadays the locomotives that Marklin make are fully digitalised and they either have sound, a digital chip fitted in and also a address and some locomotives that have the MFX function, the Central Station 2 will automatically recognize it.

In the Central Station range, there are at least 2 Central stations, there is the Central Station 1 (60212) which appeared around early 2004.

The second Central Station came out around 2009 and there were major improvements to the design:

In a digital operation for a Marklin layout, it also involves decoders, for example in a switching track it would normally have a Turnout Mechanism and a Turnout Decoder that is connected to the Turnout Mechanism.

Also in a Digital Operation, decoders are involved as well, the function of these decoders are used for switching, powering lights and signals as well:

This is a K83 Decoder:

This is a K84 Decoder:

This is a S88 Decoder:

Marklin also has a Decoder that is suited to work on the turntable:

At the beginning of 2014, Marklin has announced that the K83,K84 and S88 Decoder will be replaced by the M83,M84 and M88 Decoders, this is what they look like

M83 Decoder:

M84 Decoder:

M88 Decoder:

There are also Pros and cons about Digital and Analogue operation:

Pros:

You can manually select the locomotive you want to drive
You can contain up to 4 switches from one switch box connected to the transformer
You can manually control your signals

Cons:

Your locomotive will not be able use sound in a analogue operation

Pros about Digital Operation:

You can run over 4 or 10 locomotives in one control station and you can start a consist as well or even double head locomotives

Your locomotives are automatically recognized by the Central Station 1 or 2

Your locomotives will be able to have sound on while its running

You can run your layout on manual or automatic mode

You can allow your computer to run the layout via the Central Station 1 or 2

Cons about Digital Operation:

The Decoders can have problems and will need to be swapped if its faulty or it fails to work

The Decoders can short easily

The Switch decoders can be easily faulty if not kept in a dry environment

Brands in the Model Railway world

Marklin is by far one of the oldest model train makers in the world, the company was founded in 1859 in Goppingen.They started off as doll makers and by the early 1900s, Marklin started manufacturing Model trains in the early 1900s and have been continuing to do so, Marklin mainly makes French, German, Dutch and some Czech, Norwegian and some export models too. In 1979 Marklin was the first toy company to release Digital Technology in the model railroading world.

A Diagram of the Marklin Digital Architecture

Walthers

Founded in 1932, this company mainly makes Model Trains as well but they are based in the US, they mainly distribute model trains from other model train manufacturers including Tomix and Kato and Marklin, they also specialize in Layout accessories, DCC (Digital Command Control) and etc

Trix

Trix (owned by Marklin) is a 2-Rail manufacturer (DC) but some of the models that are manufactured by Marklin are very similar to the Marklin models. Trix also has a Fine Arts range which produces model trains but it can be very costly.

Fleischmann

Fleischmann is a model train manufacturer in Germany but the products they manufacture is very different to Marklin. Fleischmann makes DC models while Marklin makes AC models. Sometimes Fleischmann does make AC models but they are very limited in the range.