I just tuned up a 60 year old Marx train set that was recently given to me. It was completely seized from the old grease and oil drying up, so I put some transmission fluid (ATF) into all the bearings, turned things back and forth by hand as well as I could to work the oil in, added a bit more, and then let the motor work it in. A few minutes later, it ran like new! Marx motors were made to take a beating, but make sure to give it some fresh oil for the bearings and grease for the gears before you run it, even if it's only taking a few laps around the Christmas tree.As for the power cord, if you can open up the transformer, it's easy to replace if you have a soldering iron. Get a cheap 2-conductor extension cord from a hardware store (the ones that cost $2 or $3 will do), clip off the socket end of the cord, spread the 2 wires away from each other for a few inches and strip about 1/4" to 3/8" of sheath off the ends of the wires. Tin the bare wires with some fresh solder, take out the old power cord by heating up the solder joints, then connect the new cord to the same points with a little fresh solder. Close the transformer back up and it's all good to go!
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Check out these videos ((1) Can We Make It Run? Broken Vintage Marx Switcher Locomotive - YouTube) ((1) Disgusting, Seized 1950s Marx F3 Locomotive - Can We Make it Run? - Bing video) ((1) This HO Marx Loco Doesn't Run - Will it Ever Run Again? - YouTube) One thing - you want to run your train on some sort of roadbed above the floor, not putting the track directly on the floor or carpet. If you do the later, dog, cat and human hairs, dirt and grime and assorted debris will find itself a way into the motor, gears and bearings and jam them. Better an ounce of prevention than a pound of cure. Harrison also mentions lubricating the locomotive - the virtual standard among model rails is Labelle (Model Train Lubes – Labelle-Lubricants)
Thanks Dave! I'll take an in depth look at it this weekend.
We work with what we have, and while that is less than some it is more than others
I'd say give it a go but with one exception: run the trains but if you still have the original "power pack," I'd not risk plugging that in. Some of those old electric appliances used gutta-percha for the cord and plug and that stuff tends to disintigrate. A good used Model Rectifier or Tyco power pack can be had cheap.
Most of the Marx HO trains were knockoffs of other brands' stuff, for example their F3 diesel had many points in common with Varney's - maybe Varney made it for them? The motor is surprisingly robust. The Marx F3 shell (if that is what you have) is easy to remove and you could at least verify that there is not old carpet fuzz gumming up the gears and such. A very small amount of plastic compatible oil on those gears and it may well be good to go.
Obviously Marx trains (O-27 as well as HO) were made as toys and the fact that you still see them at swap meets means they were pretty durable toys.
But respect its age. I bet it will run again but I wouldn't have it run for hours under that Christmas tree.
Dave Nelson
Well this is my first post as a member here, so don't beat me up too bad.
I've been around MRR off and on for 30 years, but I was given my grandfathers Marx trainset still in the box from I'm guessing the mid 60's. I believe he got it from Western Auto, as he was a Western Auto franchise owner until around 1968.
I'm hesitant to try and tear it down to do any maintence on it, as I don't plan on running it on a layout but maybe around the Christmas tree(thats what he had it for). I have gotten out of setting up a layout for the time being and have been concentrated on "N" and "HO" mining diaromas and working on a 1:87 scale workup of our family mine from the 1915-1925.
Long story short, I live in a somewhat remote part of N. Texas now and I don't really have anyone "close" to see about getting it all checked out and going safely. Heck, I'd even be willing to send it to Darth Santa Fe for one of his videos(if he even sees this).
Thanks everyone for your help!
One more thing, has anyone else had issues with a blank screen popping up when you try to upload a profile picture?