Marx Tinplate Lithograph Trains - Service and Train Run - Passenger and Freight

[@chiconian49]

Fun to watch a younger guy working on these Marx trains. It's amazing how easy they are to work on. You did everything correctly. I usually keep at least a dozen new brushes on hand for replacements. I love your blue Mercury passenger set.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks! Glad I didn’t mess it up, I’m just learning as I go. The blue set only has the one car, I’ll have to get more. It belonged to my uncle when he was a kid.

[@ferrark1]

Chuck is the master we need you around more!

[@mrsam6751]

Nothing beats the purr of a slow rolling Marx or Lionel toy train.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Agree! Making them run well enough to go slow is a lot of fun and satisfying when it actually works.

[@slvrktman7824]

Louis Marx...low cost - high quality! Cool video, thanks.

[@dagryffynhobby]

The Marx stuff is great. And definitely low cost if you look around. I’ve bought a car for $5 and then seen someone else asking for $45!

[@mr.shadestrains6033]

6️⃣0️⃣3️⃣🚂😎. 🚂❤️that thing is so kool Nice and simple the way things should be 👍👍👍👍 That’s how toys were when I was a kid simple 😎😎😎😎

[@dagryffynhobby]

Simple works for me!

[@mr.shadestrains6033]

Looks good. That thing is wonderful 👍👍👍

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks!

[@ferrark1]

Marx are great thank you

[@dagryffynhobby]

I enjoy them!

[@FLRailroaddog]

Cool Dave, thanks for sharing 👍

[@dagryffynhobby]

👍thanks for watching!

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

What is great about a train of tinplate Freight cars is that they will set up a harmonic frequency the train will start singing. It is the weirdest thing but it is also just so cool. I would get Marx t.i. N - elate from the local hobby store when I was first starting out in 3 rail as as accessory to my HO scale layout. The first time I had a train of metal tin play cars and they went down the layout and started staying I thought that was so unique. Then I find out it is endemic of the breed of trains. A trait the other toy trains to not have. I love how on the bottom of my Marx telephone poles it is stamped made in America with the company symbol a reminder when it's country made everything. That is one thing I like about my vintage 027 layout is that practically everything on it is American made.

[@MESA-East-Model-RR]

You are becoming an expert at fixing these older trains. Learning from your hard work. As others commented, it really is amazing how well made the post war engines are. They really do stand up to the test of time.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks! Don’t know about expert, but i appreciate it and if anyone is learning from what I’m doing, that’s great. They really were made to last, or at least with quality in mind. So many toys (and most other things too I guess) these days don’t even last a year let alone 50-70 years.

[@ChristopherBrown-mq1lg]

Runs and sounds great! A successful surgery 👍

[@dagryffynhobby]

It’s always nice when they work better after I “fix” them!

[@ruhlfamilyfarm8047]

Hi Dave, I received a dusty box of old Marx trains in 2019 from an old friend that was cleaning out his parent's house after they both passed away. At first I didn't realize what treasures were in that box! It turned out there was a 1935 swing peg CV locomotive, one tinplate car and a complete 490 locomotive freight set. I was not familiar with Marx but have grown to appreciate their simplicity and durability. After initial cleanup of the CV loco motor, it ran but with excessive drive wheel sparking and slippage and no pulling power whatsoever. I replaced the center pickup shoe and it seemed that the spring loaded shoe was picking up the drive wheels just enough to prevent poor rail contact, thus the sparking and wheel spinning. I measured all four drive wheel outside diameters and surmised that they were worn down quite a bit from their original diameter, which would explain the slipping and sparking. I pressed the wheels off the axles, and machined the wheel OD down enough to be fitted with "new tires" made from hard copper tubing. The ID of the copper tubing was about .003" less than the final machined diameter of the drive wheels. I heated the "new tires" and pressed them on to the machined wheels, and when they cooled they were on there for good. This solved my problem, and the old Commodore Vanderbilt runs like new! It has now seen two seasons of service around the Christmas tree and has become one of my favorite engines. It has the classic "growling sound" just like your engine and at almost 90 years old will hopefully keep going a long time into the future. All these old trains need is some love, appreciation and understanding! Thanks for posting this!

[@dagryffynhobby]

That’s absolutely fantastic, what a repair! Wish I had the tools/knowledge to do stuff like that. I’m sure I have some wheels, especially MPC era that aren’t quite round, it would be nice to be able to machine them down and make them true. Or make custom tires! That’s too cool. I got into Marx because my mom had an old wind up set from when she was little. I got the set, then added a couple cars, then found an engine with a motor, then I was really hooked. They really are great.

[@ruhlfamilyfarm8047]

@@dagryffynhobby Hi Dave, you can do this wheel repair with some simple tools. I spun the wheels in a drill press and used a new, sharp flat file to remove material from the wheel. You need a precision caliper to periodically measure the wheel diameter as you are removing material, until you get the OD of the wheel down to about about .004" larger than the ID of the copper "tire" to get a good heat shrink fit. To true up the wheel, the file can be clamped in an XY vise clamped to the table of your drill press. The file can be moved under control toward the spinning wheel to take off the high spots. I'll send you photos of the process to give the old Commodore Vanderbilt a set of new shoes! My next challenge is to gear down a Lionel Erie 2032 Alco for very slow speed operation!

[@dagryffynhobby]

@@ruhlfamilyfarm8047 wow that’s fantastic. Another reason I need to get a drill press! I really don’t know how I’ve gotten so far without one! Thanks for the tips!

[@mypugsdad5366]

It is amazing to me that considering how much Marx trains cost when new how much value and fun time they gave the consumer. I have quit a few Marx my self and for someone that like's to run toy trains, they are perfect. Easy to repair, inexpensive to buy and a lot fun value too. Thanks for the video. I was amazed that small engine pulled 15 cars not bad at all. thanks,

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks for watching. I agree, the return on investment in these trains is phenomenal, small price and a whole lot of fun!

[@tomrogers5516]

Thanks for the clean up and train of the red 'Commodore Vanderbilt' passenger and freight consists, Dave. It's a treat to them running around the layout! Would like to see the blue 'Mercury' train in action someday!

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks! The red engine is the only one I have that isn’t wind up. All the others are clockwork engines. Sometimes I’ll swap the motor to the others though. I need to motorize the blue one and get more cars!

[@dagryffynhobby]

I ran the blue one in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4bUoayKqLeop68

[@Jokers_Trains]

Another great video Dave. Thanks

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thank you. And congrats on hitting 1k!

[@Jokers_Trains]

@@dagryffynhobby thanks Dave

[@seanstraindepot]

You are like the Postwar "Train Whisperer"! Amazing that little engine pulls all those cars. How do you guys know about all this postwar stuff!

[@dagryffynhobby]

Haha, thanks the cars are very light but I did get some wheel slippage pulling the longest train. I have to learn about and work on the old stuff, I don’t understand the new ones!

[@NixCrossing]

Oh wow 🤩

[@johne.p.massey6188]

good tutorial on the repair. Awesome run. Love those trains. See you in the next one.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks John!

[@JDWorkshop-wn9tt]

The old Marx trains are great! Nice tutorial on a clean and, lube on those. I like that you include nice running footage of these trains. I like to hear the motor noise, track noise, etc. It takes me back in time. Also the layout looks like a vast rocky landscape. Just great! 👍

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thank you👍 The sound of these trains is one of the things I really love about them, totally different than the Lionel trains I run. There are a lot of rocky areas on the layout, but some will be toned down or covered when I finally get to some landscaping

[@Nathan5Chime]

I see why you picked up some of the Marx cars at the York Meet. They look good running on your layout. I see the long viaduct in the background.

[@dagryffynhobby]

I regret not buying more Marx cars! Not a lot but maybe five more, that would have been great. Next time I guess.

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Marx is so old. I remember they used to do wind up train sets before they switched to electric.

[@dagryffynhobby]

It ain’t new! The blue one sitting on the track is a wind up and I have two other black wind up engines.

[@timstrainroom8007]

Very cool. I don’t have Ant tin plate Marx but I do have several of the Lionel Pre War pieces. I may have to look into some of these. Thanks for the video. I love how you put out more than one a week. !awakes me happy! LOL. Take care and enjoy the weekend. Tim

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks Tim! Definitely look into some Marx, i try to stay at about $5 a car, keeps the cost and investment down. I’d love to get some prewar tin Lionel pieces, they are on my list of wants! Glad you appreciate the two videos a week, I hope I can keep it up!

[@DavesTrainsAndAutomobiles]

Awesome video Dave.... I love maintenance work that's what I do.. And you definitely have your work cut out for you.... thanks for sharing 👍

[@dagryffynhobby]

Maintenance and repair is half the fun of the old trains, so satisfying to make them run bettrr

[@shanestrains2849]

Love the Snap On pocket driver. Must've come with the toolbox 😁😁

[@dagryffynhobby]

If I remember correctly it was a holiday gift from the snap on man!

[@johnsaxon7029]

Cool Vid Dave, I only have 2 Marx sets, They put a smile on my face when I run them. Thanks for the Vid.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks John, they put a big smile on my face as well. You can’t be unhappy when you see them run!

[@billharrold6038]

Love the marx trains! You got the red one running really good, long train at low speeds. Those trains are so fun to watch, a little change of paste from the usual.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thank you. I don’t run them often, but when I need something different and a little more fun, I pull out the Marx!

[@plunkervillerr1529]

I have two Marx C/V engines , one with that protruding head light and the other not. Witch is older ? I custom painted both and dubbed one the Silver Fox , red and siler gray an eye ketches. I took a damaged NYC tender straightened it out and painted as a box car and labeled as a local supermarket chain called Market Basket . It`s a one of a kind .

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Good for you.

[@TomzTrainzandAccessories]

Hey Dave, it’s nice to see some Marx trains get some KZbin time. I have some Marx myself, Prewar and Postwar, and it’s fun to see the old Marx trains running around. They have a certain sound that says Marx. Yes Lionel had tinplate cars as well, but the Marx is in a league all in its own. I plan on running mine around the tree this year and I’ll take some videos to share as well. Great job!!

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thank you 👍 Marx around the tree! Great idea, I’ve never done that. They are unique and a very interesting piece of the history of the hobby.

[@thomasking2021]

Dave, try a wire wheel on a dremel to clean the crud off loco wheels. Works great. Marx are truly bullet proof. Nicely done vid.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thank you. That’s a good idea. I need to use my dremel more often.

[@carltesh9612]

My first train set was a Marx, mid sixties

[@dagryffynhobby]

Nice. They are just classics!

[@Vinyl_guy]

i have some 30s american flyer cars that would look amazing with a red commodore vanderbilt

[@dagryffynhobby]

Love those old American flyers trains!

[@barronvonpitbull4544]

Great video! My dad's train! To cool! Orange crane car?

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks!

[@tinytowntrainstv]

I'm beginning to think you could fix these in your sleep, Dave. Literally! lol You are as much as any channel on YT, the train fix-it guy. Cool running session with some classic litho cars in tow! Thanks. T4

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks T4, I appreciate it. I don’t know about my sleep though, might end up with some interesting results! 😆

[@tinytowntrainstv]

@@dagryffynhobby I don't know why people are that way, but an "epic fail" video once in awhile is a good way to get a lot attention. So, doing something while half asleep should get the job done just fine! lol T4

[@dagryffynhobby]

@@tinytowntrainstv good point. I’ll see what I can do 😆

[@Greatdome99]

Worn brushes? Turn them upside down. The little spring slot on the other end is of no real consequence. The brushes wore that way because they were not held in place very well (sloppy tolerances).

[@dagryffynhobby]

I really should get into the habit of just replacing the brushes on my engines, makes such a difference.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

Isn't it ironic that even so-called cheap toy trains of the era last forever and are serviceable forever unlike today's technology electronically laid in locomotives.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Love the old simple metal toys

[@johnblair8146]

Where's the 91% Isopropyl Alcohol?!?!?!

[@dagryffynhobby]

Off screen!

[@francispotter5300]

Thanks love my American made Marx's 😎👍👍Doug