This Lima engine is interesting. Presumably when it was made it was on 2 rail 12V DC operation. I have e-mailed the webmaster of the Lima HO site to confirm this. Normally this would be easy to convert to 3 rail operation by adding a skid to pick up the current and use the non insulated wheels to return the current. Or by using the “magic blob” to allow both sets of wheels to return the current. BUT Marklin runs on 0-16V AC with a 24V pulse to reverse the direction of travel.
All clear – if not try the Marklin users site and look under operations related where there is a learned discourse on converting DC locos to run on AC and vice versa. So I presume that this loco has somehow been converted to run on 0-16V AC as it works perfectly using my old Marklin controller. BUT a DC motor won’t run on AC although a AC motor will run on DC. So I remain confused. I am not going to take it to bits just to check it out. All of my Marklin loco are old and have mechanical reversers which are not very reliable after 30 odd years but this must have been fitted with an electronic version and it works very well.
It now runs on a very old Hornby Dublo layout, amazing how things turn out.