Marx switcher questions?

[GG1 guy]

Got this in a box of stuff at a yard sale-can't find anything on it in my Marx books-anyone know what year this was made?  The body number is 1799 and is in great shape, but the single can motor is fried-anyone know a source for a replacement?  Thank you, and happy holidays.

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[GG1 guy]

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[wallyworld]

The Marx battery powered U.S Army 1799 diesel is often offered on Ebay for a nominal cost. If I had it, Id buy another to replace the non operating one. There might be a chance to use the existing one as a dummy in a AA configuration to the powered version if you buy another one that works.

I know of no source for replacement motors for battery type engines for late production Marx.

Theres a remote chance Robert Grossman has one. Just google Robert Grossman Inc- Marx Parts and send him an e-mail. He has lots of stuff in stock ( used) beyond whats on the website listed as new.

[GG1 guy]

By "battery powered" do you mean some sort of battery powered power pack?  There is no battery compartment in the locomotive.

 

[rtraincollector]

1st do you have 3 pick-up underneath if not somehow there is a battery compartment and it may not be what you would expect as I looked at one for a couple of days untill some one showed me lol. to see if your engine is really fried hook a dc transformer to it and slowly take it up to about 3 volts max. Also I did some searching and all I see is Marx 1799 DC battery opperated diesel engine no pics but that was the title

Found one that sold on ebay the guy says its a dc battery opperated engine but it has a middle pick-up so I'm confused anyway here it is for more pics for others http://www.ebay.com/itm/USED-VINTAGE-MARX-1799-DOD-US-ARMY-DIESEL-ENGINE-DC-BATTERY-TYPE-MOTOR-/131369417615?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1e963a3b8f&nma=true&si=BNV74i14Iis%252F5fBOx8bPsPJgc4Q%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

My sugestion is contact Jeff Kane at [e-mail] www.ttender.com and see what he says as he deals in marx also

[GG1 guy]

There is a standard copper third rail pickup on the bottom, as on most Marx engines.  I took the shell off, and there is one wire (red) from the pickup to the motor, and one wire (blue) from the motor to the metal frame.  There is no battery compartment or wires for a battery compartment, no reverse unit, and no headlight. There is no electrical continuity through the motor, like if there were an open armature, so I am pretty confident the motor is dead. Replacing it should be no big deal, but if I do, this should be able to run off a standard old school DC power pack, shouldn't it?

 

[rtraincollector]

if its 3 rail I would think a AC power pack like most 3 rail trains of that time period 

 

[rtraincollector]

Got chewing on this and if its a can motor wit no other electronics then it must be DC I guess I'm confused now but I guess you where right its DC 

 

[sir james I]

it probably came with a separate battery box. That would explain the center rail pickups.

[wallyworld]

Leave it to Marx as the king of variations to come up with this as I have two of them, both battery powered. When it comes to Marx, never say never.

[JamesP]

The 1799 appears to be the same basic locomotive as the Lehigh Valley 112 which was powered by a 6 volt lantern battery in a power pack. The power pack connected to the standard Marx 3 rail O27 track via a lock-on, same as the AC powered trains. I looked through my stuff, but I don't have an extra motor anywhere. You should be able to find a donor locomotive cheap, look for the LV 112 as I think they are more plentiful than your 1799. Otherwise, it is a matter of measuring the motor's dimensions and searching for a suitable replacement online. I have had older DC motors with dirty, gunky commutators & brushes that wouldn't run a bit. It might be worth squirting a bit of tuner cleaner in the motor and spinning the armature around to see if it starts working. It's already broken, won't hurt to try... Nice locomotive, good luck with the repairs! - James

[JamesP]

One more thing... you can also find the same basic locomotive with an AC motor. It is an open frame motor, looks more like a normal Marx motor. I know that some of them where used in the two - train sets, and are one-way motors. Another option if you are looking for something to run on AC instead of DC. Let us know how it turns out! - James

[lionelsoni]

Or you could easily install a bridge-rectifier module for one-direction AC running.

[servoguy]

Or you could install a bridge rectifier and a reversing unit.

[webenda]

Or, if it is a can motor, you could use a bridge rectifier and reversing switch between transformer and track connection and run both forward and reverse, but be careful with transformer control setting if it is a six volt motor. You might need some voltage dropping diodes to slow it down because some transformers do not start at zero volts.

 

To your question, "...this should be able to run off a standard old school DC power pack, shouldn't it?" It should indeed but why would you want to do that? It is too easy. (I am making fun of my response above, not you for coming up with such an obvious solution.)