2-rail DC to 3-rail AC Conversion Tutorial: Running a Piko DC model locomotive on Marklin digital

A general guide on how to convert a traditional DC H0 scale model locomotive (digital or analog) to the 3-rail "AC" Marklin digital system. Includes an example conversion of a European PKP ET22 Piko locomotive to AC. With this method, you can greatly expand the range of locomotives for your Marklin system, since the range of different railroads in Marklin's own catalog is somewhat limited. To go from AC back to DC, simply reverse these steps!

Parts used:
Piko 96342 locomotive (DC digital)
Piko 56110 AC pickup shoe
ESU 41010 service tray
Marklin 60216 Central Station 3+

Alternative pickup shoe: Roco 40501

Not mentioned in the video: because of different track geometry, some models may need different wheels to properly run through Marklin switches (this particular model runs fine with the standard wheels, so no swap was needed).

Caution: This video assumes operation on AC digital, which is actually not AC at all. If you wish to run a converted model on Marklin's "true" analog AC, first verify that your decoder support this. The Piko decoder shown in this video does support analog AC operation.

Introduction: (0:00)
General Strategy & Tips: (0:57)
Tools and Parts: (2:37)
Conversion Overview: (3:36)
Soldering Ground Wires: (5:28)
Installing Pickup Shoe: (6:23)
Testing with Multimeter: (16:39)
Digital Formats: (17:49)
Testing on the Track: (18:20)
Finished Product: (20:13)

Correction: (18:18) - Central Station 2 and 3 support DCC