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Will Marx Trains run on Lionel Track, if they do, o or o27, Thxs for help, Mike

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 21, 2004 9:15 AM
I have two marx 490 and a 1666.
I had the same problem going through switches.
After a lot of agrivation and taking my swiches apart and posting on the forum, I realized that it was the marx engine itself, when I sent a 2026 through the switch without a problem. I don't usually test anything with my lionels, and I just got the switches and I was testing them out. Guess I'll be looking for a beat up scout.
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Posted by daan on Monday, June 21, 2004 4:40 AM
If you don't have any other option than 027, you can always remove the ties and rebend the tracks to any other wider curve you want. After that, rebuild the track by fixing the ties back and voila, you have wider curves. The difference in legth of the tracks on the end of that railsection you can easily fix with a dremel and cutting disc.
Daan. I'm Dutch, but only by country...
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 20, 2004 11:36 PM
O27 is fine, its not too low at all. Its just the switch issues you have to overcome. See my post about that issue.

Just want to double warn you about the 27" curves. My Marx engines are all fine, also my shorter cars, like the tender and caboose seem fine, but all my other full length cars do not work on 27"curves. Since there is no tilt to the wheels, smaller radius dont sit on the wheels and start to ride up the flange.
My newer lionel set has a min curve radius of 27" so no problems there.
I originally was going to do O track, but using older lionel switches that will work with my Marx means I have to go with O27. Fine be me, not trying to win any shows here :)
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Posted by Dave Farquhar on Sunday, June 20, 2004 9:35 PM
Aside from the switches problem, vintage Marx locomotives run just fine on Lionel track. I run Marx 490 and Marx 666 locomotives on my O27 layout all the time. For that matter my track is a mixture of Lionel, Marx, and K-Line O27 tubular.
Dave Farquhar http://dfarq.homeip.net
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 20, 2004 5:47 PM


Here is a picture of a Marx CP steamer. Note the "fat" wheels!!![:)] This is why the Marx motors have such a hard time going over other brands' switches.
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Posted by lionelsoni on Sunday, June 20, 2004 4:05 PM
See this recent topic about running Marx on Lionel switches:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17464

The problem with traditional Marx locomotives is that they liked to make the spur gear on the drivers with the same diameter as the flange. The resulting "fat" flange made it impossible to get through Lionel switches.

Bob Nelson

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 20, 2004 6:03 AM
All of my Marx trains are of the "New Marx" variety--the ones made by Jim and Debby Flynn in more recent years--but I can assure you that all of those trains operate just fine on O27 track/curves/switches.
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 20, 2004 5:05 AM
excuding the 333, other Marx locos run perfectly on O27! I have done this many times. The usually 4 wheels on Marx steamers can fit on the tighttest track.
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 19, 2004 11:41 PM
My Marx 333 runs on O42, because the track it came with was actually 034. So, 027 may be too tight. I don't know much about which Marx trains are which, I can only speak about mine. Why not set up a loop of 027 and try it, then if not, use 042 .

As for the height of the track you can't go wrong with O. 027 may be too low, I'm not sure. But someone here will know!
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Will Marx Trains run on Lionel Track, if they do, o or o27, Thxs for help, Mike
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 19, 2004 11:34 PM
Will Marx trains run on Lionel track, if they do, o or o27, Thxs Mike

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