A Redo of Marx Basic Black

That is a nice, colorful paint scheme for the little 401 Marx.  The battery locomotives can be found with and without siderods from the factory... a common thing for Marx to do on the low end train sets.  I have some of the battery powered Marx too; it is surprising how well they run and how long the batteries last.  I look forward to seeing what you do with the tankcar!

Marx = FUN!

electroliner, I also have the battery powered version minus side rods.  I'll be interested to see how you add them.

Here is a shot of my own metal 0-4-0 (actually a simulated 4-4-2) converted to a 2-4-0 and repainted.  Unpainted similar example shown for comparison.  Please pardon the derailment.

The easy way to add them is to pull the rear drivers and siderods off a donor riser gear windup motor, then press the drivers into place (along with the rods) on the battery locomotive.  401 windups with rods are plentiful and cheap!

Thank you for the tip, WindupGuy.

Nice.

Good looking loco.

TrainsRMe

That is one meticulously done repaint that really stands out. It probably heads up first class varnish ( my guess) I have the original version and it is a good puller and built like an indestructable tank. It must have taken quite a few masks to do the scheme. I just got the latest Micromark catalog and they have flexible masking tape they sell for doing curved masks. Ill have to check that out. Did you use an airbrush?

Electroliner, I thank you for your kind comments.  You are right about the engine as factory issued, and every time I run either it or the repaint, its smell puts me back on the carpet as a 10-year old.

This was actually a pretty easy job.  The red striping is a press-on decal from Robert Grossman.  The black was a rattle can and the gray is Humbrol enamel brushed on.  The photo doesn't show it, but the cab is painted dark green inside.  The tape used was just Scotch tape I believe.  That Micro Mark bendable tape does sound interesting.

CP 2816 was one of my favorite engines at Steamtown.  When it was traded to CP Rail, I felt so badly that I memorialized it this way.

This engine pulls whatever I feel like, often the 3/16 scale freight series.  I did up a 4-wheel tender as well, so it frequently pulls the red 4-wheel coaches.  

Oldpa did this nifty number for his grand-daughter:

Marx repaint

I have an overabundance of basic black engines myself ... you guys are motivating me to try something different ...

This one is akin to heresy, but when I got it, it was missing the headlight, the cowcatcher and the cab was shattered in five pieces. The cowcatcher and bell was purloined from Lionel's version as reproduction parts.. The cab was rebuilt with plastic shapes, then plastic putty was applied....so..I thought none of this is very original so I decided to gild the rose..luckily someone made reproduction decals..a lot of brush work went into this one. No basic black here.

Well, I always thought that the factory version was kinda drab for the style of engine.  you've taken what sounds like was essentially a pile of parts and made it pop.  I applaud your efforts.

Here is one I did a few years ago. The loco was modified with a straight stack, the tender got a coal load & 3/16 scale trucks. I made this to go with the New Marx Tarantula RR 4 car set.

Steve

Electroliner,

Here's a couple of pics of an O Gauge layout that was on display...of all places...at an aviation museum!  They're supposed to be German trains.  Would they be considered tinplate?  Have you ever seen any like these?  Matt

Matt,

Someone may disagree but they are tinplate and theres no room for doubt in my mind about it. The matter of who made them and a definitive identification would best be served by those who collect Euro tinplate. They are more likely to be made by Marklin. The Germans had a thing about painting the wheels on the real thing..red. The layout could be a mixed bag of differing manufacturers.  The only vintage engine I have from across the pond is a prewar ( 1920's Jouef) French made tinplate steeplecab.  

Bruce