Märklin 7072 Control Box for turnouts.

Märklin has manufactured a series of different control boxes for train operations in Z-Scale.  For the first three decades of Z-Scale manufacture, these boxes were in blue cases, and were the same boxes used in the Märklin H0 and Gauge 1 product lines and used the traditional 2.6mm plug and socket system.

At some point in the late 1990’s or early 2000’s, Märklin discontinued the 2.6mm plugs and sockets and replaced them with the system used today.

The two plug & socket systems are not interchangeable. The 2.6mm plugs will not work with the white-case control boxes and the current plugs will not work with the blue-case boxes.  That said, these control boxes fall into three function types.

Turnout Control Boxes

• 7072
• 72720

These control boxes have red and green buttons which are used to momentarily operate solenoid devices such as track switches, uncouplers and relays.  Their internal schematic looks like this:

On/Off Control Boxes

• 7211
• 70739
• 7273
• 72730

These control boxes are used to control devices, accessory lights or track segments using green and yellow buttons.  The 7211 boxes have four electrically isolated control switches.

Their internal schematic looks like this:

On/Off Control Boxes w/Distribution

• 7210
• 7272
• 72720
• 72740
• 72749

These boxes are also used to control devices, accessory lights or track segments, but they also can be used to distribute power from a central source.  The 7210 series boxes have four control switches that draw power from a common power source. These boxes are especially useful for controlling building lights and similar accessories. They can also be used to distribute track power to four different sidings from the transformer.

Their internal schematic looks like this: