Marklin Dance Car

Tip: - Control of the 4998 Märklin Dance Car using Gold TC7.0E2 

Date: 14-02-2011 Created, Modified: 21-02-2011 icons changed 

Hi All, 

I seem to be on a roll at the moment getting all my function items working with TrainController and this 

document is another record of how I configured TrainController for easy control of my 4998 �ärklin 

Dance Car and the important points required to successfully run it using function buttons in a Train 

Window. 

Systems Tested: - Uhlenbrock Intellibox and ESU ECoS 

Dance Car Music Selection Demonstration 

Time Duration: - 10:26min. 

Video on YouTube 

Dance Car Control 

The diagram left shows it in RUN 

mode set at the default position to 

play Latin Rock. 

The Block “Dance Car” must be Reserved by Car “(20fx) Dance Car” for all Macros and On/Off 

switches to work. 

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~rossstew/rms/marklin.html 1



Function Button Icons 

The first four icons in the top row of the „Train Window‟ represent all the function Buttons required to 

control the Dance Car and are also shown as Icons (not the same) that are in the „On position‟ for the 

ECoS Command Station. 

F1 = Coach Lights Off and Coach Lights On 

F2 = Dancing Couples Off and Dancing Couples On 

F3 = Music Play Off and Music Play On 

F4 = Music Selection Off and Music Selection On 

Function Button Select Tune Icons 

All function icons with a Blue background are for selecting the designated tune. All the timing in the 

macros may have to be finetuned to suit individual system requirements. 

(Icon Off position) 

1=Latin Rock, 2=Boogie, 3=Tango, 4=Waltz, 5=Rock „n‟ Roll and 6=Aura Lee 

(Icon On position for a brief moment) 

Switch remains on until next selection, red Flagman triggers the correct macro. 




Function Button Select Icons continued 

Play All 1-6 Off Play All 1-6 On (for a brief moment) 

Defaults/Power Reset Off Defaults/Power Reset On (for a brief moment) 

The supplied file “dance_car_files.zip” (61Kb) contains the following files 

rms_dance_car_120211.yrr 

rms_dance_car_120211.yrs 

rms_dance_car_120211.yrw 

dance_car.yrl 

dance_car.yra 

Warning: - All files have been created using Gold TC software version 7.0E2 

Testing your Märklin Dance Car is done at your own risk. 

Installing Dance Car Files 

To have a look at the Märklin Dance Car operating, unzip “dance_car_files.zip” and do the following. 

1) Place rms_dance_car_120211.yrr, rms_dance_car_120211.yrs and rms_dance_car_120211.yrw 

under the TrainController directory. 

2) Make a directory called “function_items” under the TrainAnimator directory and place 

dance_car.yra under the function_items directory. 

3) Place dance_car.yrl under TrainController\Locomotive Data directory. 

Dance Car Testing 

1. Start TrainController and select your digital system. The rms_dance_car_120211.yrr file was 

created using an ECoS. 

2. Go into Edit Mode, Under the General Tab add the correct graphic from Function Items directory 

then under Connection Tab change the Dance Car address (default is 20) to suit the decoder address 

that your Dance Car has and you are now nearly ready to start testing. 

3. The Block “Dance Car” must be Reserved by Engine “(20Fx) Dance Car” for the macros and 

switches to work. 

4. Click the function button in the Train Window, the coach lights will turn on, click again to 

switch the lights off. 

4) Click the function button in the Train Window to test the Dancing Couples, click again to turn 

the Dancing Couples off. 

5) Click the function button in the Train Window, music should be heard, click again to turn the 

music off. 




Dance Car Testing continued 

6) Click the function button in the Train Window, all tunes should play in a cycle 1-6 and repeat 

until the function button is clicked again. 

a) Note: - If the last tune played isn‟t Latin Rock you will manually have to select Latin 

Rock by first clicking then . Click on/off as many times as 

required to get to the default tune Latin Rock, then click and , finally 

b) Note 7) is another way to reset the music selection. 

7) Stop/halt the system you are using, restart the system then click the function button in the Train 

Window, a defaults/power reset should happen setting the default tune to Latin Rock. Test by then 

clicking and make sure the default tune plays. 

8) The blue macro icons shown select and play the tune as indicated when 

you hold your cursor over the icon. Click you selection and the correct tune should play. Wait some 

time before making another selection. 

Bonus Time 

If you have successfully tested and run the 4998 Märklin Dance Car as listed above and would like to 

enter the information into “your_layout.yrr” I have outlined some procedures below. 

Warning: - 

Copying “rms_dance_car_120211.yrr” will take an experienced user 2.5 hours or more to complete. I 

know this because I copied the Märklin Dance Car information to a test.yrr to prove that it could be 

done and tested control of my Dance Car. 

Because this is an advanced topic the procedures below are an outline only of what you will have to do. 

TIP: - 

Copying data from one *.yrr file to another *.yrr file 

To do this process you must start another TrainController (you will have two TrainController‟s running) 

and resize both windows so they are side by side. 

“rms_dance_car_120211.yrr” should be open in the left side TrainController and “your_layout.yrr” is 

open in the right TrainController. 

In the left TrainController window select the items required in a window then hit Ctrl + C to copy items. 

In the right TrainController LMC (left mouse click) the location you want to place the items and Hit 

Ctrl + V to paste items. Do another LMC away from any other item in the right TrainController to finally 

place the items in your_layout.yrr 




Copy Procedure Outline 

1. Create a new Switchboard in „your_layout.yrr‟ named “Function Items”. 

2. Delete your Engine or Car named “Dance Car” (see point 3 for reasons). 

3. Import the Engine named “dance_car.yrl” (supplied file) into „your_layout.yrr‟. This provides all 

icons required. 

4. Create a Car and name it “Dance Car” with the same functions as “Engine Dance Car” supplied 

see note 3. 

5. Copy all switchboard switches, Flagmen, and text. 

6. Using the Block Editor delete all Flagman for Block „Dance Car‟. 

7. Check all switch properties and make any required changes. 

8. Fix Flagman to required switches and check all properties. 

9. Using New Explorer windows, copy all macros. Please note you won‟t get the complete macros 

but it is a good start to avoid typing errors. 

10. With the macros existing fix the Flagman operations. 

11. Now edit all macros and complete all Conditions making sure you set all Flagman and Switches 

correctly. This task will take some time, so be sure to get it 100% with the supplied examples. 

12. Edit the Car „Dance Car‟ (see note 4) and fix list operations (accessories and macro‟s). 

13. Using the Block Editor reinsert the required Flagman for Block „Dance Car‟. 

14. Attach Car „Dance Car‟ to the Block „Dance Car‟ 

15. Commence „Dance Car‟ testing. 

16. Enjoy controlling your Märklin Dance Car with ease. 

As always enjoy your model trains.

Marklin Dance Car

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?