Yesterday (Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016), I attended the Altoona, PA twice-yearly train show. It was very well attended by people of all age groups, and there was plenty on the dealers' tables.
I didn't see any 3RS equipment that I needed urgently, but I did spot a Marx set that I jumped at immediately. It was a Marx 333 locomotive and die-cast tender, along with the three streamlined Meteor passenger cars, all of which I'd been looking for for a long time. Neither the rolling stock nor the locomotive looked as though they'd ever been run for more than a short time, and it came with an oval of Marx 034 track and a transformer. All for $125.
As soon as I got it home, I cleaned all wheels, made sure everything was properly lubed where needed (and not lubed where oil shouldn't be) and dug around to remove any accumulated crud before putting it on my oval of 027 track. What a fine locomotive! I've often read that the 333 was Marx's finest hour, and I can agree with that. If Louis Marx & Co. had continued along these lines, they might still be competitors of Lionel to this day. The nearest Lionel equivalent I can think of would be the prewar 2026. Detail and quality of construction are comparable in every way, but the 333, unlike the 2026, is scale proportioned, so it looks much better to my eye.
Next I turned my attention to the passenger cars. First was a coat of good automotive wax, then cleaning with alcohol and Q-tips for the wheels. The dome car had some difficulties coupling, so I disassembled the die-cast truck and looked things over. Somehow, one of the blades of the scissors coupler had been bent, knocking the coupler itself loose and in the process, the coupler spring had gone its own way. Fortunately, I had several coupler springs handy, so after I bent the blade back to its correct shape with needle-nose pliers, I installed the new spring and snapped the coupler back in place. No more problems.
The lighting, however, was another story. Only the coach car's lighting was working properly. The dome car wouldn't light at all. A close examination showed that the pickup wire (Mr. Marx, couldn't you have used at least slightly heavier-gauge wire for passenger car lighting?) was broken off at the third-rail pickup. I removed the pickup assembly, carefully soldered the wire back in place, and now the dome car lit up brightly. In fact, that plastic dome looks as if it could illuminate a whole room.
Finally, there was the observation car. This was a trickier case, since although it actually would light up, it flickered sporadically, and wouldn't stay lit for more than a few seconds at a time.
The third-rail skate was clean and bright. The wire was intact. The bulb was good (I tested all these possibilities). The socket passed all tests. And still it flickered. Finally, I wondered: if the dome car's wire was broken off completely, what if the observation car's wire was internally broken at the same spot?
I cut it free, bared a few millimeters of wire and soldered it in place. Bingo! The light came on and stayed on! If I ever have any more trouble with the lights in those cars, I've resolved to install new and better wire, that will stand up to constant movement with more reliability.
Toy trains being what they are, though, my triumph was short-lived. As the illuminated train ran around my small Marx layout, it grew slower and slower. The 333 refused to go into reverse, there was a great deal of sparking from the wheels and it finally stopped moving altogether. Nothing to do but disassemble it and look for the problem.
As soon as I had it apart, it was obvious: one of the hex screws that hold the brushplate in place was very loose, almost falling out, and the brushplate was flopping around in a very unhealthy way. Before I tightened it up again, I cleaned the commutator, brushes and brush tubes with acetone, then squirted degreaser liberally into the reverse unit. And while I had the rod and valve gear off, I cleaned it of built-up oil, then polished the moving parts with Simi-Chrome metal polish. Much better. I wonder, now, if the loose brushplate was the reason this locomotive was so lightly used in the first place.
At any rate, my experience with the 333 and its passenger consist has been a positive one. This is a well-designed and good-looking locomotive that makes me wish the Marx company had gone further with this product line. It has plenty of power and runs smoothly, and is a nice addition to any postwar collection.
Although this capsule review makes tracking down and fixing the problems of this set sound quick and easy, any train collector will know that it wasn't -- what takes only minutes to write about actually required hours of irritating fiddling. But I've gone through far, far worse with my Lionel -- both scale and postwar -- and the Marx repairs were considerably faster to resolve.
I already have a 999, so what's next on the Marx layout? A smoking 333, maybe, or a 1289. But for right now, I'm turning my attention to the Whistling Illuminated Glendale Station that I also bought at Sunday's show!
Wonderful story, and a lovely find. Delighted to hear that the set now runs well, and that there are other Marx fans out there :-)
The 333 certainly had a long after-life-span thanks to K-Line! Might I suggest a triple 6 as a next purchase? They're great runners when you get past their less than prototypical looks!
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Yes try a 666, they are heavier, have smoke and pull more than a 333 will.
S.J.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
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the 333 and NYC cars are a beautiful set. and the Marx steamers smoke great. a triple 6, with a NKP tender converted to four wheel trucks look good as well.
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
I always thought that if you combined a Lionel whistle and Magnetraction with the American Flyer Choo Choo mechanism and added a Marx smoke unit you would have a spectacular locomotive!
To those who've suggested I get a 666, well, I probably would if I ever saw one. But there are only two train shows a year in this area, and the next one isn't till March. So it depends on what pops up at that time.
NW Flyer, that's a fine layout you have there. And I see that you wisely used a dark-gray backdrop when you photographed your 333 and passenger cars. Looks great.
ask and ye shall recieve. I paid $13 for mine off the bay.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=marx&_sop=10&_osacat=19145&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR5.TRC2.A0.H0.Xma
LL675, I'm glad you scored on a 666. But unfortunately, eBay is out for me.
arkady NW Flyer, that's a fine layout you have there. And I see that you wisely used a dark-gray backdrop when you photographed your 333 and passenger cars. Looks great.
Thanks for the compliment.
arkady To those who've suggested I get a 666, well, I probably would if I ever saw one. But there are only two train shows a year in this area, and the next one isn't till March. So it depends on what pops up at that time. NW Flyer, that's a fine layout you have there. And I see that you wisely used a dark-gray backdrop when you photographed your 333 and passenger cars. Looks great.
Arkady If I remember right you are near State College. Do they still have the shows at Williamsport and lewisburg? Probably not much further than Altoona for you
Banks, Proud member of the OTTS TCA 12-67310
Man, that 333 is one solid looking all-business locomotive, and the passenger cars are pretty impressive as well.
Enough to turn anyone into a Marxist.
Zdravstvuyte, Tovarishchi!
Banks Arkady If I remember right you are near State College. Do they still have the shows at Williamsport and lewisburg? Probably not much further than Altoona for you
I do live near State College, on the Altoona side. But I wasn't aware of shows in Lewisburg. Do you have a link for that?
I don't have a link but I'd be surprised if you can't find it on the CTT Website. Heck from State College you could do York in about 2 hours.
W
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