In 1937, my father was given an electric version of one of these Marx Commodore Vanderbilt trains for his fourth birthday. Somehow it survived decades in my grandparents attic, before ending up in my father's basement. I ran across it about 1997. The engine was quite corroded, but the other pieces were in pretty good shape. I secretly brought it home and took it to a model railroad hobby shop where they assured me that restoring the engine was no problem. After a week they had it up and running a working nicely. Meanwhile I got some 027 track to round out the set and refurbished the original transformer. I put it all together and it ran wonderfully. I then gave it back to my father for his 64th birthday. He eventually put it on display on a shelf top where it sat until last year. Now at 89, he asked me if I wanted to take it home and I eagerly said yes. I cleaned it up a bit and it still runs well.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

What A GREAT story!! Thank you for sharing it. Sounds like that Marx has a great Family to take care of it.

OMG Thank you THANK YOU. I have been waiting 10 years for some to show me how to do this. Yes, I bought the book. WAY over my level. Thank you. Now to work.

@classicmodeltrains

9 ай бұрын

Glad I could help Joe! I though about buying the book, but ive already fixed this one with out it so....... ;-)

As always Ron , I enjoyed your Marx restoration ! Marx was once the world's largest toy company !

@classicmodeltrains

20 күн бұрын

Yes they were! Good quality and affordable

Marx guy here, those 6" tins are classics. I have two C/V engines, five C/P / 3000s and one 994 Big Boy. Marx motors are bullet proof. That shell can easily be converted to a Marx electric motor. Those early C/V were manufactured in 1934--35. The engine set looks fantastic.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Greetings! Sounds like a great collection you've got. I didnt know Marx made a Big Boy. Sounds COOL!!!

Sweet restoration!! Woo hoo! I thought “uh oh “ the spring is broken. But wow you got the thing working!😊

@classicmodeltrains

9 ай бұрын

Thank you! I almost gave up after seeing that spring. Then I figured what do I have too loose? Lets give it a go :-)

I could smell that PB blaster from here :)

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Cabin still has a lingering of it, 3 days later :-)

@gunslingerfromwish4656

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains no surprise there, we use it in the shop all the time.

Any project that involves a blow torch is a good one!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

He He! Never really thought about it, but I agree with ya!!!

Wow. She even spun her drive wheels on start up! All she needs is a cab number! Great restoration work

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. I was a bit surprised when I saw that footage in editing.

Oh wow!!! I have one and I didn’t realize it was from 1935!!!!!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

welcome to the CV owners club ;-)

nice I a amazed you still got that thing to work 😯😀👌👍👍

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yeah me too :-)

Absolutely beautiful!! Complete awesome sauce!! You da man!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks a bunch!

Thank you for posting

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

You're welcome. Thanks for watching :-)

Awesome video 🚂👍🚃

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Incredible restoration and video!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!

Received a Marx electric train for Christmas in 1941 when I was six years old. Added more track and various signals etc.,over the next several years. A friend had a nice Lionel set, but I was happy with my Marx. Cars were similar to these, but engine different.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing a cool story!

Thats just great, now I need a clock work in my life 😂. Great job, that looked like it was unfixable when you first took the shell off.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

It was a rusted pile. I just kept on working on it just to see.....maybe. Can not believe it came back around!!

Hi Ron. Great video. Second watching. I am reminded of finding various rust and broken spring issues in vintage manual typewriters. Getting the bell to work was always something to strive for. Most of my manual typewriters are spring and draw strap powered. I like that this type of non electric equipment still can be brought back from the grave of neglected machines. Congratulations in accomplishing what seemed impossible. Beautiful restoration job!!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Greetings and Thanks! Them manual typewriters were quite the mechanical marvel. I was never allowed to take one apart as a kid so I have no idea how they work. You've taught me more in that one sentence than I currently knew. Now I must go find one and DIG IN!! Thanks for commenting!! :-)

@MozanaRN

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains I follow your methods of just removing junk, debris, hair, spider remnants, basic dust contamination, etc. Cleaning and oiling is the key to bringing back machines like your clock work train mechanism. I currently have in operation more than 200 of the manual typers. I am ashamed to admit that the model train collection in operation currently is double that number. There is something to restoring a mechanism to running order that fascinates one to spend hours in this effort. Anyone can buy the latest and the greatest model from our friends in China but restoring the vintage models from the 50s and 60s and in your case even the 30s is something one can call an accomplishment. Please keep the fire stoked and continue in presenting these excellent videos. PS: Orville Wright tried to disassemble a manual typewriter and that is the farthest he got. :-)

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

@@MozanaRN I want to hang out and drink a beer with you!! I like the way you think!!

Came out great, I love it.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Right on! These things are pretty inexpensive on the Ebay, but most are not repainted. I wished I had more space at my place to keep all my "baby's". Glad it found a new home

Somewhere around the 1960's, my Pop who worked for the Santa Fe in San Bernardino, Ca. Bought me a Marx train set. For the next few years. Birthdays and Christmas I would get some sort of accessory for my layout. The 3 rail layout was mounted on "Two" 4x6 plywood sheets that folded into, with a large Oval and Figure eight inside.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Hello Lynn, I have a similar story but it's the early 80's and I had HO scale stuff. Good times!!

great job, love the engine look

@classicmodeltrains

6 ай бұрын

Thank you!

A really nice job. When you bend up the tabs, when reassembling, just twist them, do not bend them back down. This avoids breaking them off and allows reassembly more than once.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the good info!!

simply amazing process.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Many thanks

And the New York Central rides again! Awesome job, Ron! I never expected the Clockwork spring mechanism would ever work again! But you made Louie Marx shine!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

I didnt think I would get it to go either, but I kept on keeping on. Figured I could not hurt it anymore. Ended up getting it to work with some of the spring missing. I was surprised to say the least.

@franktino6676

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains And even with a repaired spring it still runs for a long time on the track pulling a consist with plenty of power!

The music in the end was a nice touch. Great video man

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it!

Astounding!

@classicmodeltrains

5 ай бұрын

Thank you :-)

Great job! Really enjoying your channel. A few years ago i bought a huge collection of marx trains from an old timer. There is just about every marx ever made. 100s and 100s of them. I was never a fan of these before that but they grew on me. Now i love em. They are fun and cheap to collect with many many to collect.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your kind words and that awesome story. Sounds like a great score. Glad they grew on ya!

Very cool you got that ressurected! Looks great to! I didn't hate the music either!! Glad your feeling better!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Jason. Found some good 80's guitar driven rock music for back ground. Paint me happy :-)

Awesome job!!!!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!!

Great Job!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Glad your feeling better Ron. Well if your doing prewar stuff, it's Classic Model Trains🚂🇨🇦🇺🇲🙋

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks. It's gunna be tough to find older stuff than this

Very cool Ron!!!!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Ray!

That's awesome man, good job. It's always cool to see antiques bought back to life.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Hey Ron was wondering what u were up too. Hope your feeling better great video...Gary

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yes, thank you

Looks great

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Great job

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you

Pretty sweet! Really enjoyed watching this engine come back to life!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Had one similar to this about 70 years ago!! The clockwinder was in the top. Have no idea who made it. I live in a little town called Lethbridghe in Victoria Australia!!

@classicmodeltrains

Ай бұрын

Hello! quite a few of your Locals watch and comment quite a bit. That clockwork sounds pretty cool!!

Love your videos!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you like them!

Very cool!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you

Great work on the restoration! The paint job makes the locomotive look good as new.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks. The paint job did come out better than expected.

Congratulations on your success. :)

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!

I just had a chance to buy a set like this at the local train show and I passed. I am now kicking myself. What a great job you did. Happy Thanksgiving!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Ive walked by many of them, not knowing about what there were / are. Hopefully I will have single handedly brought the resale value up on them (he he). Happy T-day to you and yours as well.

That's amazing! I'm always intrigued by our old school manufacturing. Bulletproof. And simple. 3 loops on a wind. That's pretty good. Great repair great find

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. I can only imagine how much further it would have went if ALL the spring was there.

@theplumber33

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains agreed!

My first toy train was a Marx windup.

@classicmodeltrains

11 ай бұрын

There beefy locomotives. I will buy and try and save every one I run into.

Always a fun time with Ron! Those wind ups are neat! Glad your feeling better and I look forward to the next video...

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

Glad to see you were able to save it. You did a great job! Thanks for sharing the video.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Very nice buddy.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

Great job Ron! I really enjoyed your efforts for that old Marx engine. I did not think that it could be fixed. The Marx trains were sold in 5 and dime stores. I am 75 years old and my first train was a Marx purchased at a Kresge's 5 and dime stores.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you David! I doubted it would run again also. The little town of Golden, Co. had a 5 & dime back in the early 80's I would haunt all the time.

That’s the “Commodore Vanderbilt” and it was supposed to be black. It also had a light bulb and New York Central plate on the front with “Commodore Vanderbilt” plates on the sides.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yup

Thank You 😊 that was excellent!! Sorry 😔 you were feeling ill it's good that your feeling better!!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Now that I've had the flu, I should be good to go for a year or so :-)

Pretty cool they were engineered to be simple and rugged

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

The engineering is pretty cool on this old gal. Built with a slide rule :-)

@philliprowe2656

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains I was concerned when I saw the main spring in pieces but you got it sorted out!

Spetacular work Ron! Congratulations!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Regis :-)

Great job, enjoyed the video, you always inform and entertain in your videos. Thanks

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Fantastic! Nice work in getting it going again.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

Really enjoyed this video. I didn't know what these trains were. Great job.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed!

This was a great video

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@jodysmith8048

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains Your welcome

Very cool. I didn’t know that Marx trains ran on Lionel O27 track. Good to know. Thank you for another entertaining video.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. Yup all "O" gauge can run on the same track. Lionel O-27 and Marx O-27 is O gauged but the scale is 3/16". Closer to American flyer "S" gauge scale.

That's awesome man. I just got into trains in general last year and started with American flyer, but... Some Marx came my way also, these videos are super super helpful. Cheers from Canada!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Very cool! Greetings from Montana!!

Thank you for bringing that engine back from the precipice... Sounds like you've both been there recently.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yup! Thanks for watching :-)

Another fascinating adventure, Ron! I never know what you're gonna come up with, but it always seems to be interesting. I'd have NEVER guessed you'd make that broken clockwork run, but you did it! And that loco paint job is superb! It looks so futuristic. Like you said, you got quite the collection of model and toy trains now, and your expertise is growing with each repair job you do. Well done! Looking forward to your next effort. Oh, and as a joke, I'd just like to say, well, you ruined the heck out of that antique loco!

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your kind words 13th.

My son bought a house and in the basement was a single Marx boxcar from the 50's. It's heavily rusted and missing a couple axles.It's the only one I own.

@classicmodeltrains

5 ай бұрын

Be careful, if you get another, they will start breeding and then you will have many ;-)

that is sweet

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Joe!

When they say "they don't make things like they used to" they're talking about toys like that little Marx train. The fancy high dollar trains they're making today are pretty and super realistic, but let's see how many of them can be cleaned up and put back on the rails 80+ years from now after sitting around for decades without use and maintenance.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

I like the way you think!!

i found a 1931 model, it was rusty and was just the cab. it was laying at the bed of the lake

@classicmodeltrains

10 ай бұрын

Probably going to be a bit hard bringing that one back

@Nothingness00018

10 ай бұрын

I've been working on it, so far the amount of rust shavings could probably fill a sand box, a dangerous one@@classicmodeltrains

The tin litho cars you're using with the wind up CV are actually from an electric set. The ones that came with the clockwork locos had sliding tab & slot couplers so that the cars could be pushed close together to reduce drag on the clockwork motor, so the engine could take off without spinning the wheels. You can usually find the cars with the sliding couplers on eBay fairly cheap. In the meantime as an expedient you could try adding a traction tire to the geared wheels by cutting a thin strip of black vinyl electrical tape. BenzTrainz has a KZread video on how to do it.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing this great information!! I did a lot of researching the google web and never surfaced that bit of knowledge. I did scare up the loco at one place and them cars at another so...I guess I didnt hit it out of the park, but hoping for a base hit :-). Thanks for watching and commenting

@terrysogaugetrains

Жыл бұрын

It was still a great video. I love the old Marx Trains.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

@@terrysogaugetrains another one is in the pipeline

Great repair job look great. I’m not a model train expert, but that spring looks like it may the same size as a lawn mower pull mechanism spring. In case you ever have to replace one.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thank you and also Thanks for the idea of the pull start spring on small gas engines. I actually went and bought a small 12' tape measure to take the spring out of that, but fortunately did not have to. Your idea is much better!!!

nice work ron you brought the old girl back to life

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks :-)

There's an old saying, "the only rare marx train is one that doesn't work". Please try out marx electric trains . Louis Marx was a brilliant toy maker, he gave us big wheels and rockem sockem robots. The windups also had a sparking smoke stack on some models. Lionel still hasn't come up with good smoking steam chests on their trains, Marx had good working ones in the 50's. I hope you buy more Marx products and realize the joy of owning and operating them. Thank you.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Greetings and thanks for commenting. I do have more Marx coming down the line. Stay tuned :-)

Wherever you go there you are Buckaroo Banzai

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yup!

I rewatched the video again, excellent presentation Ron. Glad you got it running. I would say buy the book from Amazon, it's always good to have a reference even if you use it once. To help with rust removsl on future projects, try WD40 rust remover. My uncle is an industrial mechanic and swears by this stuff to take off rust.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yup. Amazon has a couple of great repair books on these oldies. If I could plan ahead a bit better I would have had them here before I began :-)

Marx sold a large line of trains in england, and mexico they were just as primitive, but just as colorful. One set even used that same streamlined american loco.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yup, these loco's really made it around the world back in there day

I've got 2 of these logos sitting on self

@classicmodeltrains

8 ай бұрын

Right on! Are they Runners still?

You seem to be missing the lever that holds the flint which allows sparks the show up on the smoke stack. It adds a nice touch. Marx is fun.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

WHAT!!????!! Flints and sparks? I am intrigued....must find one now :-)

We need to get you a sandblaster and a powder coater

@classicmodeltrains

4 ай бұрын

pretty aggressive tools for the model railroader :-) Tiny ones would be cool

In my nephew's case, his uncle makes a fair amount of money but has no kids, so he's getting Kato trains. :D

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Right on!

I’ve seen these before but never seen one in-depth before and Is this rare? Also love the backstory quite comical! Nice job bringing that hella rusty engine back from the junk bin :)

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. I don't think these are really rare. Ebay had a few for sale. $20 or so.

@railsofontario3029

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains Ok thanks I’m no expert when it comes to O and S gauge.

Careful, Marx is a very steep slope in collecting. people say "one or two pieces" then you wind up with much, much more.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

I hear ya. There inexpensive, and plentiful. :-)

@yackbackb4

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains Very true for the most of it. It is a very easy way to get into O gauge, especially on the wallet when compared to other brands.

I never thought you would even attempt to fix that wind up motor. The ones I’ve seen usually run faster then yours. Maybe you slowed the camera down? Anyways very nice work.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

A good eye you have there. The footage was slowed down 10% to get it to last as long as the song was. I kept on working on it just to see if it could be done, and sure enough! :-)

Those are Mark's tinplate cars and locomotives form a very long time ago....

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yup. Classics for sure :-)

Have you ever been tempted to take one of the clockwork engines and install an electric motor? I think that might be cool and unique.

@classicmodeltrains

5 ай бұрын

Not really. I have some very early Marx with the electric and battery powered motors. This wind up repair was interesting to me and a great conversation piece on how our Grand Dads did model railroading back in the day.

Too late for you now! Once you get hooked on old Marx tinplate trains, you can never stop collecting them. :)

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Down the rabbit hole I go! :-)

Did the bell work during demo..

@classicmodeltrains

7 ай бұрын

I did get the bell ringing again I believe.

Back on the shelf for another ninety years or so...

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Unfortunately the truth you do speak. Shelf queen it will be. ;-) I bet your gunna wanna run it when you get here though.

For its electric trains, Marx standardized all its locomotives with a reliable open frame AC motor that enabled quality product while still keeping costs to a minimum. This simple motor had 2 affixed axles with the drivers attached. The axle of the armature had a gear affixed on one end. That gear meshed with others to drive the wheels. The early Marx locos had a single reduction gearing, the result being drive wheels geared inside the flange. These 'fat wheels' appear on Marx locomotives as late as the early 1950's. Unfortunately, the fat wheels make it impossible for the Marx locomotives to negotiate any other manufactuer's switches or crossovers. The center rail pickup shoe on a Marx motor is a copper strip. The shoe glides over the top of the middle track rail, buffeted by a spring. These inexpensive pickups remained in use during all Marx manufacturing periods. The shoe makes it difficult for some Marx trains to negotiate the 5-rail Lionel operating track and switches. Most can get through, provided they don't have a fat wheel. There is some argument that the fat wheels was intentional, as this prevented users from using Lionel track, even though the trains were designed to operate on 0-27 track.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching & commenting. Good info you shared there.

You should check out Ben's trains videos He works with a light of markx trains....

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

I will check it out.

Ron, what happened with the bell feature ? Did it ever work ? -Frank

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

Yes it was working. Guess I covered it up with the music. I never thought it thru.... Oops :-)

@franktino6676

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains Great that the Bell Feature Works too! Apparently, these are popular !! kzread.info/dash/bejne/kWipusOsmKzSdps.html

@franktino6676

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains Now Ron, you have to add sparks & flames :) kzread.info/dash/bejne/nXyf15iwmM6zcZc.html

@franktino6676

Жыл бұрын

@@classicmodeltrains And the sparking flints are .35c if yours has the grinder gear

@johnorlitta

Жыл бұрын

@@franktino6676 are they the same type of flints used with refillable lighters?

I have a quite question 1. What scale is that like those locomotives in the backround 2. Is marx trains real or marx is only just a shop

@classicmodeltrains

10 ай бұрын

The locomotives on the shelves are HO scale. Marx model trains are real and were made starting in the early 1900's until the late 80's I believe

@BIG_ONE001

10 ай бұрын

@@classicmodeltrainsokay

That's what I did put a motor in mine that I found

@classicmodeltrains

5 ай бұрын

Nice they were so interchangeable with parts back then

Hello this is my first time watching your video. I have a electric Train from the 1900's. I am looking for a buyer , Who would you suggest?

@classicmodeltrains

11 ай бұрын

I guess I would put it on eBay. Do your research on the item and know what you have so you don't get "taken"

These clockwork locos look more complicated to work on

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

They do seem like alot is going on.

Ad sums salt to the vinegar just a little bit not too much...,.

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

I will try that out on my next rust removal project

The black New York car is a dorfan brand not Marx

@classicmodeltrains

6 ай бұрын

The Tender?

@micahwfmh

6 ай бұрын

The one that is black and has New York central on it. I have the same set. Been in my family passed down from great grandfather and so on. I got it when my dad passed along with the prewar Lionel 763e and 5344 Hudson sets.

Detail is ........ amazing oh well ok sure 🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃

@classicmodeltrains

Жыл бұрын

I think for the time, and the price range it is detailed. Of course not to todays standard.