Toy train operating and collecting

 I have an old MARX train setup. Can I use any smoke oil with this set or is there a certain type that works best with my Big Rail Work Train?

Thanks

Any of the commercially made train smoke fluid types would work. I have found, for your info, that you should only use the Suethe smoke fluid in locos with Suethe smoke units, like Williams. The Seuthe smoke units are sensitive and tend to burn out easily. K-Line also used a Seuthe unit in their repro MARX origin starter set steamer.

I use Model Power, Bachmann and Crest smoke fluids in my Lionel locos and find these fluids produce more smoke than does the Lionel fluid in the same locos.

 I used, what I assume may be a smoke fluid incompatible with a Suethe unit, in a Williams engine.  The smoke unit quit smoking after a short time.  Is there a way to rejuvenate the Suethe smoke unit?

Earl

Thanks for the replies. 

How do I find out what smoke unit and engine are in my 1666 or my 666 engines? I just got these recently and the 1666 was smoking when I first got the set working but it quit soon after. There was no fluid in it and it was probably in the box for many years before I got my hands on it. The 666 engine did not smoke at all when I got it.

Also, the more track I lay out the slower the train gets as it gets further from the transformer. Is there anything I can do about that? I must say, I'm not a big fan of the track that comes with these Big Rail MARX kits. A lot of them don't lay flat and that slows the train down too when it hits one of those sections. I guess I need to get a piece of plywood and screw the sections down maybe.....

Dodge, I can't say for certain, but knowing MARX I would strongly guess it is the same type of smoke generator in both units. One of the things that kept MARX going was streamlining of parts, which of course is a cost-cutting practice. Did you check out that web site I posted the links to? That site will help you out tremendously with all sorts of ideas. There are layout plans and some have 3D illustrations.

As far as your track and the engine slowing, this is normal and typical. This can and will happen regardless of track type. Most folks, once they decide on a permanent layout use what are called feeder wires. In other words, you have two wires attached to the same posts coming off the transformer going to the same rail: you don't want one wire from one transformer post going to the center rail and the other on the same post going to the outside rail. The dual wires off one transformer post need to go to the same rail.

You place a lockon on one side of the layout and another on the furthest point away from the transformer, and this will help with the loco slowing down when it gets on the far side of your layout. It is natural for the loco to slow some when going around tight 027 curves.

Concerning your track, it is probably well used having been pulled apart and together many times. This can weaken the crimps on the ties of any kind of tubular track. Plus it can loosen the track pins and enlarge the holes on the other side of each track piece opposite the side with the pins.

Once you decide on a layout design you like (see the thortrains site for good track plan ideas), then you would use some pliers to gently crimp the open rails (opposite the track pins) a little tighter. It'll take a little more elbow grease to push the sections together, but it will help greatly with electricity flow in the track.

Also, if your track pins are dirty or corroded, these need to be cleaned or replaced. Another hint for your track. Before you do your permanent layout, spray a rag with WD40 and wipe down the rail surfaces. Let this set overnight or for a day or two depending how good your track looks. Then wipe it down real good with a clean cloth. The WD40 will help inhibit rust and put a protective coating on the track. I've done this with old used track with good results.

In addition to the thortrains site, our host magazine, Classic Toy Trains has done some good layout building articles in the past few years. The most recent issues had a feature on building a "retro" style layout with tubular track like yours. There was another feature on a logging type layout using Lionel FasTrack in the past year, and another article a year or so ago on building an "and and over" layout using 027 track. If you can find these back issues, they'll help you out. Plus there are some Kalmbach paperbound books on building a beginners layout... these will answer many questions and give you ideas.*

For example, you can also use a hollow core door to build an easy and portable layout, You can also use construction insulation foam core board for a layout instead of plywood. There's all sorts of different approaches, all with different pros and cons.

EARL, those Seuthe units just aren't very good in my opinion. Bachmann makes a good smoke generator for around $6 (if the price hasn't gone up) which I've had a bunch for years. They're reliable and great, but I use them in buildings. They're square and I don't know how well you could get one into a locomotive... I've thought about it myself. I also have a Model Power smoke unit (which looks similar to a Seuthe unit) in a K-Line diner building. It's been there for years and works far better than any Seuthe unit did for me.

I've read where some guys have removed the Seuthe unit and sprayed WD40 inside it, let that set, drained it and then powered it up with low current to burn off the WD40. I guess the WD40 helps to clear up any gunk that has accumulated on the sensitive center pipe in the Seuthe unit. I've never tried this one, but again, I've read this in other places.

*This was an unpaid endorsement, though Bob Keller, you are always welcome to send me a train car. I prefer the starter sort, so it won't set you back a fortune! I like the Lackawanna Woodside Reefer in the recent Lionel starter car offerings... hint hint. I won't hold my breath.

 Thanks Brianel. I have not had a chance to check those sites out yet but I will. I cleaned up the pieces of track that I just got but I did not fully remove the pins and sand them up like I did on my original pieces. I think that will be my next step. Of course, now they are all mixed up and I will have to check each one again. I did not pull them out but I did grab them with Vise-Grips and twist them in the track to get a better contact and then I scuffed up the exposed section. I also used needle nose pliers and squeezed the female sections so the pins went in nice and tight. It probably was not enough though.

I don't really want the train to fly around the track. I have just seen several YouTube videos where the person has a large track layout and the train still seems to be moving at a very good pace. Mine slows down around the turns which is a good thing so I don't have to keep picking it up when it hits the floor... LOL

Thanks again

If you use extra feeders, be sure to use wire heavy enough to be a better conductor than the track itself.  I recommend 14 AWG at least.  It is easy to find stranded or solid or in cables at any home-improvement store.

 I posted a suggestion a few weeks ago about how to join tubular track and make a good connection.  I have done this with very good success on a carpet layout I have in two bedrooms of my townhouse.  I bend the center rail to one side to provide some spring tension on the pins.  This makes a better connection than just trying to crimp the holes as it puts force on both ends of the pin.  You can have a tight connection in the hole, but the pin may not be making good contact in the track section it is installed in.  This approach is also quicker and easier than trying to crimp the holes.  Also, taking the track sections apart is easy and they can be reassembled without any crimping at all.  The only restriction is that you can't use this approach with most switches or crossovers.  My layout is quite large, and a lot of the track is old and somewhat rusty.  I did clean the worst of the pins with a wire wheel.

 Alright. Well I guess I was kind of on the right track when I tried hooking up an additional transformer on the other end of the track. As I'm sure you all know, this does not work. I'll try those suggestions to at least keep the train moving at the same speed the whole way around the track...

I like this train but I'm trying not to get to involved in it or I will have another very expensive hobby on my hands. I already have one which is my 04 Dodge Ram Diesel truck. Hence my name, Dodgezilla.... ;)

Dodge, it CAN be an expensive hobby BUT it doesn't have to be. It can be done on a budget and I know because I have done it on one. Keep your tastes simple, watch for used items and be creative and make some things yourself.

In a toss up between the two, I'd bet your Dodge truck hobby takes more money than will these simply 027 type MARX trains.

MARX Trains have items that are collectible, but not with the prices you see on some other types of older trains. And there are inexpensive Lionel items out there too. And used Plasticville building kits, etc. An old tossed out artificial Christmas tree can yield a forrest full of pine trees for a train layout with a hacksaw and some heavy scissors.

Like many hobbies today, more and more comes ready-to-go and made for you. Partly I guess because people are busier than ever so it seems. But sometimes I suspect we all expect too much and make ourselvers busier than we need be. But there was a time not too long ago when with a hobby like trains, you made things yourself. For example, you could buy a box of unpainted plastic people and you'd paint them yourself. Now they come painted for you, which is nice. But it takes some of the personal element out of the hobby, plus you pay more for painted figures usually.

Anyways, it's a great family hobby - something you can do with your kids. You don't have to make a big deal out of it. Just enjoy it. That's why I take the time to write... I like to see people getting into having the fun, especially with kids involved. And I know about some of this stuff - as do many others here - so we happily share our mistakes and successes to your benefit.

 I guess I need to figure out what I want this thing to look like in the end. Right now it is just a plain old track laid out on top of my Ping-Pong table. My kids aren't even interested in it like this. Initially they think it's cool when the train starts going but 30 seconds later I look around and I am all alone.. LOL Now, if I had a set like some of you guys do with trees, mountains, and tunnels etc... then I think they would be more excited about it. I even thought about looking for a setup someone may be selling but, as you said, that kind of takes the fun out of it and I would really rather do this with my kids to give them something to remember and be proud of. I'm just not the artsy-craftsy kind of guy. I don't know. We'll see...

 Brianel, I finally checked those links out. Good reading and I got some more tips.

I also ended up running an extra set of feed wires and now the train stays pretty much the same speed all the way around the track. It does slow in the turns a bit but that's expected. 

I tried to stop by a hobby shop today for the smoke oil but I guess the economy shut them down.  I may just go the e-bay route and buy it there.

 Well, I finally ordered some smoke oil since I could not seem to find any locally. (I didn't look too hard though.) The guy I got my set from found a buyer for his couple hundred train sets but not before I got a few more MARX sets from him including a 666 loco w/ a smoker. The motor squeals pretty bad as it tries to make it's way around the track though and I think it may just be bad. I got one loco with a traction tire and MAN does that thing fly! Got to be really careful with that one. I also got one of the ARMY train sets but it too is pretty fast and hit a curve and flew off the table and broke a wheel. :( Is there a trick to pulling the wheels off the axles? I have another 666 loco that does not function right and was going to use it for parts.

I spent half the night last night with a scotchbrite pad cleaning up sections of track so I could make myself a pretty large layout. I have this all setup on my large ping pong table but I want it larger since I have so much track. What are you guys setting yours up on? I thought about the floor but my 4 year old will probably destroy it in no time. My next thought was to add some plywood to the top of the ping pong table. I plan on running more than one train in my setup.

Sorry for so many questions. Just trying to get a permanent setup so I can start accessorizing....

Mike

 BTW, I forgot to post that I have not received the smoke oil yet so I don't know if the smokers work or not. The new 666 I got with the smoker was smoking for a couple minutes when I first put it on the track (Just like the other one did) so I'm hopeful that both will work.