Marx transformer question

[Anonymous]

Did Marx make a 50 watt tranformer with a blue face (plate) I believe that is the color transformer I used to have. Any details on this model number or when it was built.. What set did it belong to. I remeber a black steamer, black coal car and a red cabose.

Thanks,


Billy

[Dave Farquhar]

I've seen black faceplates on 50W Marx transformers but not blue ones. It wouldn't surprise me if they did make one though.

As far as sets, Marx made a whole bunch of black steamers and most of their cabooses were red. I would suggest watching Ebay and looking at the sets that come up there and see if you recognize something similar to what you had. Marx made a whole bunch of different variants, in order to meet a retailer's price point. If a retailer wanted a really cheap train set, Marx would comply and just remove details until they could afford to sell the set for that price. For more expensive sets, Marx had wider-radius track and a couple of different locomotives with a lot more detail so that someone could sell something that looked almost as good as a costlier American Flyer or Lionel set but undercut the price.

[thor CNJ]

Marx made small transformers with blue. They included them in variosu sets. With Marx, there is a bit of mystery in what went with what. Being a touymaker who didn't consider they trains collectible, they often put i nthe box whateverwas available. The 50 watt trannie was for better sets. The cheapest sets got 20 to 25 watt trannies. I am no expert of particular sets, but I know that the 50 was meant for the moree expensive sets with better locomotives and cars.

[Dave Farquhar]

I found out the hard way that a locomotive with a headlight pulling 5-6 cars on a layout with two Lionel 1121 switches puts a lot of strain on a Marx 50-watt transformer. For now I'm running that layout off an 80-watt Lionel transformer; I'm going to keep an eye out for a 100-watt American Flyer transformer to run that layout. American Flyer transformers cost less than Lionel because they don't have the whistle controller, but you can get them in higher wattages than Marx, which makes them attractive for a Marx layout (or a Lionel if you don't have a whistling tender).

[ben10ben]

Dave,
If you buy an American Flyer 100 watt transformer, let me suggest the early 8b model rather than the later 4b.

The 8b has a metal case, green pilot light, red circuit breaker light, and a circuit breaker reset button that can be used as a reverse button.

The 4b has the stylized plastic case typical of later AF transformers, but lacks the lights and button. I believe that it is also more expensive than the 8b.

If you really want a good transformer, the 15b and 16b both offer the stylized case, as well as the indicator lights and dead man's control. I forget the price, but I don't think that they're a whole lot more expensive than the 4b and 8b. They also have a few more watts.

[lionelsoni]

A Marx transformer won't put out enough voltage to run some Lionel locomotives at a decent speed, even if the power rating is adequate, although I used them with my 2243 50 years ago. My 50-watt transformer claims only 13 volts.

Dave, you can always add an external whistle control. I don't think Lionel made anything as cool as the American Flyer 30B.

[thor CNJ]

Marx made a 150 watt transformer, but they are hard to find at a reasonable price. My solution - the old reliable Lionel V transformer. Nice, reliable, easy to repair and maintain. The price is right, too.