Disgusting, Seized 1950s Marx F3 Locomotive - Can We Make it Run?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 พ.ค. 2021
- I picked this locomotive up in an eBay lot several months ago. It was already clear then that this thing was not in good condition however it wasn't until I decided to work on it, I discovered just how bad it was. The entire drive system was sized and coated in old, dried lubricant. The shell was full of all sorts disgusting debris and covered in dust and stained with rust.
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That rock island paint scheme is amazing
I love it
It is probably old enough that the Rock locomotives were still in their original paint, too!
The Rock is no longer a paperweight. Back to life, back to reality. That was one grungy locomotive. You worked your magic once again, Harry. 😁 Might need some new traction tires to keep her from wobbling down the track.
Thanks for sharing. 👍👍👍
Harrison... you have SMT as a rescue mission for abused locos... great job mate...🤓👍🇺🇸
Thanks
SMT, although it may not seem like you should do it now, but investing in an ultrasonic cleaner may be of aid to your work. Not only can certain solutions help with paint stripping, it can also help with cleaning parts from the motors of old corroded engines like this one. From what I know, its quite a great investment and can do quite some good cleaning with the solution of choice being reusable for quite a few more times, highly recommended because of ease of use and efficiency.
I really should since it would probably do a better job than I do.
@@SMTMainline Have you thought of 'selling' or winning off your collection of locomotives? I'm sure you have vast amount of wonderful locomotives collecting dust that might need a new home? Scotty Kilmer has a contest for 'best, kind, helpful comment or clean comment' wins his tools, or right price contribution? Just a crazy idea... I don't know the laws in Canada to US on contests/selling ect or even donating? Perhaps have cleaning/service instructions tools used to service locomotives?
I'm a long time (since 1985) Lionel collector/operator but I have to say Marx trains were almost bullet-proof! I was not surprised to see that little Rock Island come back to life. I've been a subscriber for a while now and I'm very impressed with your expertise. Good work!
They combine simple design with decent quality parts.
So, the Nokia of trains?
I’m an HO collector love it
i am always amazed at how you manage to give so many old electric trains a new lease on life; you do a great job!
Congratulations on this repair, it looked terrible at the start but you’ve won it over. Great work and a super result
I love that paint scheme! Keep up the great work!
So glad you got it Fixed ,Rock Island is my Favourite Railroad
It was a mighty fine line...
Incredible job getting this beautiful locomotive running again! This was one of the most thorough restorations you’ve done in a while!
Thank you!
@@SMTMainline I think it was quite cool that you got something that probably went through a flood working again and that is one tough motor to go through that and still run in that kind of condition!
@@patrickellison4234 Thanks, this was one of the rougher ones I’ve worked on.
@@SMTMainline your welcome.
Haven't finished watching yet, but already have my line for SMT: "Disgusting, and I'm... loving it". Apologies to the Get Smart show.
Nice job. Good to see this engine saved. Love these old F units. 👍
I have this exact locomotive packed away in the attic with its original set, including the box.
I haven't tried to run it in probably 50 years but I sure do remember that noise and smell from my childhood.
Thanks to your video, I'm inspired to break it out and, hopefully, regenerating those childhood memories. Thanks!
I have a friend that is into antiques and old model trains!
His storage unit got flooded out and he gave me some old train stuff!
The 2 Bachmann transformers still worked ok!
2 of the engines were destroyed and unremarkable! The 1 engine I was able to get running was a blue box athearn GP7!
It actually had fine dried mud in it! I took it apart and cleaned it the best I could and is now one of my main layout engines!
'Mouse remnants" sounds great with a Canadian accent....
This looks like a miracle, great job!
I just love finding old engine's, it doesn't matter where or whatever condition they are in. Taking care giving love and care, in order to bring life back into them once again if at all possible. To bring back a few more years back into something someone thought would never run again. People will discard them, throw away in the trash. If I can't I make dummies out of them. Or as scenery as engine's being repaired, of being scraped. Anything to make good use of them. Thanks again for the repair video. Always enjoyable to watch them countless times.
SMT Mainline I found a lionel 2-4-2 locomotive back in the late 1970's in a ditch covered in mud under water, I pulled it out of the mud and took it home, I got the water hose and sprayed it down and washed all the mud out of it, while the locomotive was wet I put oil on all the motor parts and gears and let it dry fo about a week in around 80 degree weather, I then oiled the parts and put grease on the gears and put her on the track and turned on the power and she was a runner! I don't know how long it was in the mud in this ditch but I think the mud helped keep the motor safe...
Great job Harrison......one of your best efforts to date 👍
Got that same sense of excitement when that motor turned (about 9:25)! A great piece of work and, as you said, a testimony to cleaning and lubricating. These older machines are so worth the effort. Cheers
The real trick to keeping anything running for a long time, is what I was taught several decades ago growing up is not just maintenance but more preventive maintenance. Doing things on a regular schedule before you start having major issues popping up unexpectedly. Lubrication, is a must anything mechanical.
The build quality for this loco's drive-system seems pretty choice. Great job.
Yeah, they aren't the most detailed but these were well made, affordable locomotives.
Thank you for bringing this old f-unit back to life and putting it back in-service. Neat paint scheme.
Fixer uppers can be fun! Thanks for sharing another experience Harrison!
You are the number 1 train surgeon 👍
I got a video from you in my recommended list and have been watching quite a few of your videos after that by now. It brought back some nice memories about my own little train set I had as a kid (Talking 40 years ago here). As I am European the big brands were (probably still are) Märklin and Fleischmann. I had a Märklin set. Being an a-technicall and poor idiot I never continued with it. I did somehow pick up my love for trains a few years ago when I bought Train Simulator 20xx with a bunch of DLC (American/Canadian routes are my fav) and more recently TSW/TSW2. I must admit it is oddly satisfying seeing you present a train that is basically a write off and restore it to a running condition. Hats off to you sir, magnificent job. Subbed, great content.
Nice job, Harrison.
Wow good job working on this locomotive. I would say what you probably thinking was in the shell of the locomotive is what you seen. I remember when I got my Tyco Chattanooga it was very dirty and had a bad smell to it musty basement etc . its truly amazing that marx locomotive works .
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Thanks for your support!
That’s impressive. You do great work.
it always gives me great enjoyment when you restore those old messed up HO trains......thanks much !
Due to your videos I have been repairing some of Dad's 60's&70's N scale locos. Tonight's success story is a rivarossi c liner. Needed to rest replace motor with newer can motor but it now runs well enough I will put a decoder in it. Have a second one to restore and a big boy to restore next thanks for the inspiration
Authentic weathering
It was my pleasure to watch this vintage MARX F 3 engine. Good job & runner!
Excellenmt work, SMT!
Great work! I enjoyed that very much!
Serenity Harrison!!!!! I am wondering if one of the LaBelle lubricants 107 would work as well. I have the type "107" in my inventory.
that natural weathering looks sweet
In the SMT shop manual this is in the Rescue chapter. Nice pull making it live again.🚂🚃🚃🇨🇦
Haha, thanks
Like a phoenix from the ashes!!! Well done. That was nasty !! Who knows what was all over that locomotive.
Now this could be just me, but....I might have taken that motor and drive train and left it in an alcohol bath for an hour or two, then blown it dry with compressed air (we computer geeks ALWAYS have a can or two of that around), THEN libruicated it. But what you did obviously worked as well.
Rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush for me....works great....
I agree....that thing needed an alcohol bath....or turpentine......that thing was groady as hell....
@@dancalmpeaceful3903 Turpentine might soften or even melt the plastic. The same with denatured alcohol. Even worse...acetone.
@@antonbruce1241 You're probably right about that. Anyway you look at it, I would have taken it apart and soaked it in something. That thing was beyond disgusting....
I was handed down my grandmothers Marx set it's the Great Northern F3 still in it's original box with everything, hasn't ran in over 30 years and I thought of this video to try and get it back to it's former glory
Nice clean up!!
Great loco and good job !
I got one of these from my cousin when I was like 10... that was 37 years ago... had a flame orange plastic body. I used to run it with the body off because the drive was so noisy it sounded like a V8 dragster at idle... with those traction bands at the time even as crude as it was, it would pull more cars than anything else on our layout... and that was a lot of cars since it was a whole room in the basement!
Very nice job of cleaning that mess!
Love to see these old locomotives run
I'd recommend running that one clockwise around your layout, at least until you can re-decal the right side. Well done on the unseizing.
Super cool!
You have acquired a lot of Rock Island stuff I've noticed. Fun fact, the Rock Island is my favorite fallen flag.
I grew up with the Rock Island, in fact the 1873 robbery by the James Gang occured just west of my hometown!
Great to see that thing run again. Did u notice one of the wheels on the plastic side had a big chunk missing out of it?
I couldn't get my Marx F3 Rock Island to run with the original motor so I carved up the shell and got it to fit a old Bachmann F7 chassie and motor in it and it works. Wish I could have fixed the original motor but I couldn't. Also I have the same controller you have :) it's a great DC controller
as cleveland brown would say “oh that’s nasty”
I agree with him, haha
@@JayPlateFaceVideos not the football team also how’d that 11-0 run end out
@@JayPlateFaceVideos 1. not a browns fan
2. i said not the football team clearly you’ve never watched family guy or the cleveland show
On aircraft we use ACF50 to clean contacts. I put it in a pill bottle and it lasts forever, just a dip of a Qtip in it and it takes the crud off the commutator and it leaves a safe film the doesn’t effect operation, but won’t allow corrosion in the future.
Bro love the way you worked an that locomotive
That was a nasty one. Good work.
“Dear Mr. Mainline,
We analyzed that gunk you sent us and the results are alarming. We found traces of ____(reply with a suggestion!) _____ and ____ remnants of a burnt Blockbuster membership card _____.
Sincerely,
RCMP”
I never get tired of watching these restorations. Great job as always. I would have thrown it out or... given it away to some TH-camr who fixes wrecked locos. ;)
Observing all your effort, I remember in the 60's there was a solvent that you could operate the whole power unit in. Amazing the amount of gunk that would come out into the liquid. You would let it dry, and lube after cleaning. Such a product would save you so much effort. I think they found it had carcinogenic properties, as I have not seen in in years. We would wash the shells with dish soap, careful not to damage pain and details. Those wheel profiles are definitely pre-RP-25 contour, requiring code 100 track, but it was years after North American manufacturers adopted the NMRA standard that the Europeans followed suit. The KM unit you did recently probably has deep flanges too, As a Marx collector, I need to add more Marx HO
Thank you for making this video, I have the exact same model, but it doesn’t work, this will be very helpful
I just watched this. FYI if you get your hands on an old Revell HO engine, you’ll find it uses the same drive. I don’t understand why you aren’t working for a train store repairing trains. It’s a shame you can’t turn what appears to be a real talent into a good paying job or even opening your own facility. I’m impressed!!!
Non of the local shops can afford to hire extra repair staff. I technically do work for one however it's only for store credit which isn't much. I also do local repairs but shipping stuff is a nightmare.
@@SMTMainline That’s a real shame. I live in Chattanooga Tennessee and the nearest train store is 2 hours away , so I’m up a creek without a paddle
Great job, that took a lot of cleaning.
Its a shame you couldn't take apart the trucks for a really good cleaning, but the work you did made everything alot better
I had an N Gauge locomotive that would regularly pick up dust off the layout and I had to tape over the gear holes. I ended up using Scotch tape and then trimming it, and it worked.
Now, just give it a rear coupler and re decal that RI lettering on the right side & she'll be a nicely weathered engine.
Nice work on getting this old Marx back in running condition. I have one comment that might help you with your soldering. Make sure to clean the tips and tin them as well. If you find that your gun is not getting hot enough try loosening the nuts where the tips are and re tighten them. Your soldering is dull meaning there could be cold soldering connections. Causing problems later on. I am 74 years old and have repaired many electronic devices and many are caused simply from cold solder connections. You might want to invest in a good soldering station instead of a high heat gun. Just saying.
Hey, SMT... I notice you have bare wires connected to your transformer... have you considered using alligator clips? They're really helpful in most situations.
i"ve mentioned that to him in the past.....
@@dancalmpeaceful3903 Maybe he doesn't like the idea of clipping alligators???
@@antonbruce1241 I only do it when I've been drinking....ha!
14VDC on one's nipples CAN be stimulating- not to mention the inherent pain factor...
Nice F3 locomotive, Rock Island, good job in repair the F3, and run in the HO scale layout.
Where is you 🐱 ?.
Scooby Doo is a good dog.
Scooby Dum is a nice dog.
Scrappy Doo my pup.
Oddly enough, the one I had only had a front coupler too!
Amazing! Again. 👍
I would love to see it on your next live.
i know there are many youtube tutorials on how to deep clean the body, and the results are mind blowing!
This is making me want to get into the hobby
I have a unpowered B unit to this engine that’s in great condition! I use it as a track cleaner funny thing about it lol! Theirs a gap under it I slides a track cleaner brush on it and it works quite well
To add what HJ Miller has said, a medium ultrasonic cleaner in th UK is about £30, from ebay, mine has improved my loco cleaning very well, i use a truck cleaning fluid, diluted 10 /1 with water, cheap and efective
SMT - The Robert Grossman Company sells parts for Marx trains - both O gauge & HO scale. They have a catalog on their website.
Great job rehabbing a super clogged and disgustingly dirty unit.
Maybe you can get a nice set of decals for the Rock Island and put those on the loco? You MIGHT be able to get those from Microscale... And of course, SMT has it all put back together and she's quite the runner!
It would be nice to fix up the cosmetic condition.
@@SMTMainline That crack in the shell is not gonna be easy. Although "crack in the shell" does sound like it's from a gourmet drug house....
Awesome engine! Its pre-weathered to Rock Island condition!
Yeah, some of them got to looking pretty sketchy before they made it back to Silvis...
Marx HO is very rare. I’ve only seen five or six of those units in my life. I’m 65. I did own one of those exact units about forty years ago. It ran smoothly at higher speeds. No real low speed on mine.
Wow that F3 looks done lol!!
Neat harrison i bet your efforts have been payed off bud!
They sure did!
Great job on an engine that could well be 60+ years old to begin with.
Don't stress the lettering loss...Bankruptcy looms ahead for the mighty Rock!😢
That's a good point. In the words of Johnny Cash: "Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
Well, if you ride it, you got to ride it like you find it"
Ótimo vídeo!
When started to turn I was thinking you yelling It's Alive !
What I think with this engine is that it was probably discovered in some old junk box - in possibly an estate sale and the person who purchased the contents of that aged box discovered this engine inside, amongst others. Instead of looking at it and saying, realistically, it has a broken and cracked front end of the body, all faded paint, obvious rust....I'll just toss it in the trash....the instead thought was, "I'll just spend the listing fees, put it on eBay and I'm sure someone will want to buy it".... and for real, someone did. Thank God for eBay, eh?
Cool It Works Great Job!!!!!
And finally
That conductive or contact lube has more uses then you'd think .
At times I have trouble getting my phone to charge and I take the smallest drop and WAAA LAAAA
charged .
Just a little bit of something to think about .
Invest in a ultrasonic cleaner. Drop the whole truck in and watch the dirt come out from the nooks and crannies. Use mid soap then lube as usual.
with my experience with marx being mainly all i run on my o gauge tracks they usually dont take too much to get em goin after a prolonged set up period they tend to be pretty forgiving.
Marx will run when all others Fail....Good to see itup and going again Great job. Oh and by the way if you ever want to get rid of it, I call first Dibbs on it. Another Great video...Thanks for sharing. "Happy Rails". GMan
brilliant
The patina looks great, I would dust it off and dull coat it.
Cool! I live in Rock Island Oklahoma..Along the old Frisco main. On 6th video today.
Well I guess we have something in common .
I just came into a 1960's TYCO F 7 A Santa Fe in Blue .
I've been thinking about your work and rerunning some of your vids .
I haven't seen one of these since it was brand new in a double set " Train and Slot Cars " TYCO was supposed to be the greatest thing ever back then .
Now a days it's more like " How ever did they get these things to work " .
Or
Where's MY Lionel set at least it's Real .
I also about 2 or 3 weeks ago saw on YT the exact set but under a different name .
What is your opinion on using fine soft dremel tools for cleaning wheels and other places for better Electric conductivity?
It's not bad considering Marx was low-end, cheap dimestore toys at that point. Ever see Marx track? The rails are stamped steel and the regular sections have fiber ties.
It looks like you could swap the front coupler to the rear by prying the covers off one at a time. If it was one of their freight cars, parts aren't hard to come by - Model Power found this tooling somewhere and produced them for a good 10-20 years. But the locomotives got new drives.
My favorite Marx engine is one of their GP9s - in addition to these having a wider hood on the short end to contain the motor, they had some fantasy in the paint department, so there is one which is yellow and grey with a red stripe and looks all the world like it's a Union Pacific engine... but is lettered AT&SF on the hood.
There's also a Monon version which is somehow red with a grey band instead of the other way around. Even that one is kind of silly because Monon had no geeps and when they did get hood units they were black and gold. But they did have grey F3's with a red stripe....
Those traction tires need to be replaced
Oil and grease do not clean with alcohol. Alcohol is polar solvent, so it can only be used on polar pollutants. wd40 removes oil and grease perfectly, then you can blow it or wipe it off. You can also use contact cleaner spray, to lubricate and clean electrical parts without any shorts. I am also surprised that you did not start by cleaning, usually this allows you to assess the situation much better. Finally, when soldering on old points, always remove old solder and use fresh solder and flux, to avoid cold joints. I would also replace the light bulb with a LED.
amazing
The Rock Island Line is the road to ride, but if you want to ride it, you've got to buy your ticket at the station.
This loco needs an automotive parts washer to get it clean!