Can We Make It Run? Broken Vintage Marx Switcher Locomotive

I was sent this vintage Marx Rock-Island diesel switcher locomotive a while back and I've been meaning to get it running for a while now. This one was quite fun to work on since it only required little bits of attention in several places and it turned out to be a great runner. I'd like to thank David Z to G for sending this loco.

[@davidztog9011]

Thanks for the shoutout, Harrison. You really got that Marx running in top shape. Glad to see it finally get a much-needed overhaul. Interesting way to clean the wheels. That has to be faster than the Acela. Thanks for sharing. 👍 👍 👍

[@johnkuzma7066]

I like how the moter is geared up to the wheels making a fast locomotive even faster! May I suggest flipping the top and bottom gears so you get slower running.

[@callmebigpapa]

I have an old Varney that was converted at some point to a 2 gear setup from the previous multi-gear with a metal band setup. It moves really slow with the 2 gears so thanks your insightful comment I will flip the gear and see if that helps! Thanks for sharing!

[@TRRailfan]

I want one of these! They’re adorable and I love shunters

[@mercuryoak2]

I remember looking at one at a trainshow I weny to in February. But I didn't get it seen some online. That's awesome you got it running again. I remember when it was tested before it did run but motor sounded awful needed lubricant and ran brief. Very speedy reminded me of Sam's trains fastest locomotive im surprised sparks didn't fly off wheels. Music sounded good and relaxing like a good country road drive. ☺ Alright Bob Ross type oil and grease mixing and wheel cleaning asmr lol kidding

[@jschoenf]

A better way to prevent rust on armature stack is to ink the laminations with a Sharpie (you pick color.) It lasts forever and there's no oil flying off. BTW the motor is a Mabuchi 16d from the '60s.

[@texasmodelrailroader3572]

Interesting scheme for that little switcher.

[@williamsantangelo]

That's a definite motor conversion there Harrison go figure collect those MARX I do luv em!!!

[@nordisk1874]

Love those little porters!

[@Zebrails]

I continue to be amazed at your work on these oldie locomotives. This one looks like it's just a single power truck (which is what a real company did, albeit three axles) with that shell off. You could install an engineer and fireman (back in the day) since that's what they had and have it pull a bunch of cars (add some weight to the chassis) and while the shell is off, install lights that you bought some time ago. Please remember, Flux does contain lead and so does older solder. Be vigilant while making the electrical connections with your soldering iron. Protect your eyes (vapours) and wash your hands after you are completely finished before running the locomotives. Show the safety aspect to many of your younger viewers. John BC.

[@nathanielcruz7053]

This is nice, rock island freight trains always impress me. So this one is a good in my book.

[@blackstone1a]

This engine: * exists * Tyco Super Turbo Train: “Finally, a worthy opponent, our battle will be legendary!”

[@benh3518]

Athearn Hustler: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@rj29productions]

The old Marx stuff is super simple but super cool and fairly reliable, their o scale stuff is nearly indestructible. This one was likely newer than the ones with the full open frame motor. I have 2 of these switchers with the old motor. Great video by the way

[@MMRails]

Another enjoyable video. Nice tip on wheel cleaning. I like how it ran so fast it flew off the track. Thumb looks better by the way.

[@myvideosetc.8271]

As train shows are cancelled in my country due to the bug, this is the next best option.

[@flagman515]

Enjoy your videos. That is a great wheel cleaning tip.

[@piedmontrailfan81]

This is problably the biggest restoration you have ever done On-Camera besides the Hiawatha

[@cec_oregon]

But he barely did anything Not to discredit him but yn Also made an engine out of basicly a shell soooooooo

[@epicrailfannersproductions551]

That’s a cool train.

[@borailroadfan8964]

I'm glad it can run again. Nice video SMT.

[@trainstorm1225]

Me at night: 😴 SMT: **uploads** Me: 👁____👁

[@quintinbarnhart]

With the gearing just hanging out the back, you could experiment with different ratios: smaller on top and larger on bottom would yield a slower speed, reverse would yield a higher speed. Just a thought!

[@williamsantangelo]

Marx HO is very cool I love it

[@AlongPreservedLines]

Welcome, to rock island!

[@paulbervid1610]

Great video. Just got a blue one in an original box at start of lock down.

[@trs-no8lm]

You should change the coupler when restoring stuff. Them you can run any locomotive with any car

[@cec_oregon]

That would make it so it could run only with certain cars with certain couplers

[@Brianrockrailfan]

great video liked 🚄👍

[@northeasttraxter5815]

Me:Sees title Also me: Checks channel My answer: Yes

[@erikthepirate8068]

Well Done!

[@jl-it4rs]

Yup it's going too run

[@jacojasso9901]

Soon smt will have so much 0-4-0 diesels he will have to make a video on how much 0-4-0 diesels he has.

[@GForceRush777]

Amazing

[@gymsreviews8155]

What is the pen thing you used on the motor? Lol great video 👍 keep up the good work and looking forward to seeing your next video. 😎

[@TRRailfan]

Very cool but that’s a diesel so the wheel arrangement would be “B”, not “0-4-0”

[@dbtech7914]

A little bit of oil on those windings is a good idea to neutralize the rust. Good runner, I thought it was a Life-Like?

[@crsrdash-840b5]

We should nickname him 'Rock Speed'.

[@shockstrains5077]

Holy crap almost to 15k

[@ohyesitist1165]

I'm a good 13 seconds after video came out

[@52SuperC]

Sweeeet loco smt love it

[@rickym.3416]

SMT is like the model train NRE

[@Graulas]

I got a Marx too!

[@JerryDoesThings_1604]

Yes

[@ShenandoahRailfan]

We got a small boi here

[@MicahsModelTrains]

Epic

[@joezuccardo3245]

Hello SMT, that doesn't look like a Marx motor, Marx made this engine back in the 60's They also made a New Haven and in plain red green and blue with just road numbers on them. Hope this info helps Thanks. Hello again SMT I have a correction to make After watching this I took apart and checked some Marx 4 wheel engines including one still new in the box, it looks like Marx did use this motor in some of these little switchers.

[@butchadriatic1504]

Id guess the motor shown here is a later version with an Asian sourced can motor to cut costs. Mine uses an open sheetmetal frame type, brushes you can dress easy, etc..

[@joezuccardo3245]

@@butchadriatic1504 I have a Rock Island, It's still new in a plastic box with a cardboard insert, When I find it I will check what kind of motor is in it, as for the blue, green and New Haven engines I know they have the Marx motor. I know in later years Marx did import parts to cut costs, Thanks

[@piedmontrailfan81]

the way you say "flux" is so funny

[@Leatherface123.]

Fast boi said I’m back

[@clearcreek69]

I"m all too familiar with snapped plastic using my fingers rather than a small screwdriver to put a life like F3 back together. I don't have a track cleaner yet, but I have Q-tips for wheel cleaning so better than nothing.

[@Randomplushchannel01]

I have one of those switchers, but it’s a Santa Fe.

[@Benthetrainkid]

This could be a later Marx model with a can motor

[@EnderSwordGaming]

SECONED

[@justinc4424]

Check out nj international vintage n-ho-o block signals and crossing signals it can be operated by using nj international track clips

[@heyitshenry1383]

Did you add a new bridge with cars across your valley?

[@fairportrails107]

I just realized that is the same motor in the life like whistle dinner I am guessing life like bought a little bit of Marx tooling like model power and k line did

[@rozeenajamil]

Wow I've never been this early

[@DualTracksCN3999]

How do you have your tester wire leads set up? Are they hooked up to a battery or some other device? The reason I ask this is because I'd like to use that wheel cleaning/testing motor method. There really aren't any wheel cleaning methods I've seen on KZbin that really work for older model trains where some wheels might pick up electricity and some might not. As for that rust removing tool, that's amazing. I've never seen anything like it before! What's it called? Mixing grease and oil was smart. Straight light oil has too little viscosity while grease will have too much. Over all, that nice little engine runs again. Good work.

[@BlaxlandRidge3]

The motor truck is literally Marx's F unit blomberg truck just adapted to the shell lol Also where can I get the fiberglass pen thing? looks like a very useful tool.

[@erikthetrainfan7768]

yeah it is a loco truck I think triang did that with some of their locos

[@joezuccardo3245]

BlaxlandRidge3 Yes Marx used their F unit truck on this, Marx also used this truck on their GP9, their Hudson tender and their passenger cars

[@davidstrainsandlego]

A Marx engine, that's something different

[@mistermadmachine6311]

😮

[@paducahandlouisvillerailro1694]

I custom built a nkp 4-8-2 no 767

[@angryrailfan5711]

I have a 1930s O Scale Marx which is a speed freak and is broke so should get it fixed

[@Petemonster62]

Angry Railfan - Look at some of Benz Trainz videos.

[@michaelquinones-lx6ks]

That Marx switcher is a later model

[@antonbruce1241]

why not replace that noisy motor with one of the new "Ebay" motors you just got? You CAN clip off the extras shaft length and make it fit. And maybe even knuckle couplers????

[@douglasallen511]

And also a micro sound decoder plus front and rear lights.

[@canadian_aviation]

What is the Cheapest SD40-2 i can find cause my only Santa fe super chief busted

[@localrat2796]

Drinks cough syrup 😈

[@axlealex3352]

Hey smt, I just got this new engine from ebay and when I put it on the track with my other engines, it goes the opposite direction then all the others, do you have any idea as to what could be wrong?

[@robby062]

Amateur Railfan, the wire leads to the motor are reversed.

[@secretagent4204]

Hey smt can you please do a video on the engine I sent you awhile back

[@RailfanAndrew]

What controller do you use

[@devonbranstetter9261]

Can you run the big boy again

[@williamkaczmarek3996]

Oil is a dirt magnet. Be careful with it.

[@santafewarbonnetproductions]

i have a Marx switcher like that but its new haven EDIT: it dose not run tho and i live by rock island

[@CPKCRAILROAD]

I bought a Marx ho scale Hudson and tinder and 4 cars off eBay

[@liam04294]

How many of these do you have????

[@cec_oregon]

Isnt the chassis for this just the chassis for a big deisel locmotives bogie?

[@SMTMainline]

I think they did reuse it to reduce costs.

[@BlakesTrainsandMore4014]

1 view 1like 5+ COMMENTS sounds right

[@yankeeclipperyt]

I have a Marx new haven f unit and i cannot for the life of me figure out how to get it to run. if you could do this but with like the f units i would very much appreciate it!

[@DualTracksCN3999]

Does it just sit there on the track and do nothing?

[@yankeeclipperyt]

@@DualTracksCN3999 it kinda sits there and a little power gets to it but not enough to make it go. when i test it with leads its fine and every other train goes without fault so i really don't know what to do

[@DualTracksCN3999]

@@yankeeclipperyt I'm positive you haven't cleaned the wheels on it. I plan on using the method for wheel cleaning demonstrated in this video, but I myself have no idea how to set the leads for it up. You said you've tried that. From one vintage model train repairer to another: how do you get that whole leads thing set up? Are they connected to a battery or something?

[@yankeeclipperyt]

@@DualTracksCN3999 i used a file and then fine grit sandpaper

[@DualTracksCN3999]

@@yankeeclipperyt Is any of it actually coming off, though? If it is, it might be a bad solder joint.

[@kindcake]

Hi smt

[@thayersubdivisionproductio9233]

Hey smt how many times have you been on facebook

[@canadaw.e6461]

whelp, KZbin's drunk, since there apparently is only one view...

[@jaredt1356]

Why is your solder wire so big

[@butchadriatic1504]

Not a problem if you have enough heat, and that solder gun did. Too cool an iron is a slow pita when you have the experience to use hot&fast. Too cool an iron may be why you think you "have to" have small dia. solder wire. You might want to try a hotter one. Too cool and not clean enough are the biggest fails. Flux can only strip X-amount of crap off for you too. It's a helper with limits, not a save all. For a few bucksmore even spend for adj temp. control or even displayed regulated temps if you have board work in mind too. Control gives you skills faster too, imo.

[@evanj2400]

Hi

[@caseycharlieandadam]

I have one from my grandpa and that is not a stock motor

[@Browncow5200]

E

[@butchadriatic1504]

Guy breaks scale light speed with a RI engine and nobody makes the standard joke about Rock Island slogan of being the "Route of the Rockets" 🚀 ? (help, im a rock). I have a set with this loco. One of the cars is white with red text and 🚀 graphics. A rocket fuel tank car; what else ;-)

[@fabreeze8972]

do you speak french

[@Jonathanrailfanning123]

Hy

[@revierez1463]

First to watch

[@Dannydevito05]

It is sooooooo smallllllll

[@michaelmohrmann]

Hey Harrison... I really don't want to be one to complain, but the music was rather distracting.

[@SMTMainline]

I agree. this was one of my older videos and I didn't realize at the time how annoying the music was. Sorry about that.

[@mrk893]

ever thought of a intro sequence?

[@DowneastProductions211]

HII second

[@gschroeder7753]

First

[@gschroeder7753]

Mean

[@gschroeder7753]

Bruh what!

[@cristianhiga2070]

Nobody care it!