Q on electrical hookup

[S&G Rute of the Silver River]

I have a tintrain of somesort on three rail and don't know how to wire it up correctly. The thing is much older than I am and I don't want to be the one destroying it.

[csxt30]

Did your train come with a transformer ?  Also, if it did, does it have a plate or markings on it ? It should have terminals on it in the rear & one will go to the center rail & one to the outside rail. Let us know what you have !!

Thanks, John 

[S&G Rute of the Silver River]

 Lets see what we got........            .there is an old tyco transformer (899B deznation:Hoby transformer) with two wires out. There is also a cord with an odd plug arangemnt on one end. Other than that it has a box of bare wire naildown connectors. (this stuff came with an old tinplate train).

[chuck]

Older tinplate toys were usually made with "universal" motors that could run on AC or DC.  They were made this way to accomodate AC opertation or wet cell/dry cell operation for folks that didn't have electricity delivered to the house.  Most HO packs can't but out enough current to run an open frame motor.  Can you provide some additional info on the loco as well as the power supply.

BTW, most tinplate/toy trains were made to run on three rail track.  Flip loco over and see if there is a pickup roller or shoe (metal strip) in the center of the loco?  Also, what is the wheel spacing measured from rim to rim.  This will help determine the gauge of loco (e.g. O, Standard, S).

[S&G Rute of the Silver River]

Its a three rail (same track as lionel) Louis Marx Toy Co. 2-4-2 from 1940-41. Has the shoe under it.

[chuck]

Power pack is an HO unit with a very small output, 6VA.  A small toy train transformer is more like 8 to 10 times this value.