Has anybody taken AF cars and put Marx couplers on theme? Or the reverse?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
K-Line in it's final years was selling cars using the old Marx dies with S Gauge trucks.
Rusty
After the demise of Gilbert American Flyer it was not uncommon for hobbyists hungry for different roads to install complete AF trucks on the lovely Marx 3/16 tinplate line. But
I don't know of anyone doing just couplers. Anyone?
I should have said coupler/trucks!
At one time I had about a half dozen Flyer freights on Marx 3/16 truck/coupler assemblies. One of the TTOS SP guys does the opposite. He has a lot of Marx tin on S trucks.
Steve
Here are some Marx I've converted to S gauge. The tin boxcars and gondalas fit in well. I have more waiting for conversion. I may have picked up one of the box cars pictured here from Steve at our TTOS meet.
Rich
Attachments
Images (2)
Rich - You don't happen to have any surplus Marx trucks from your coversions, do you? I would be interested in a few pair of the small, (scale, Type B) not the larger Type D or G, in good useable condition.
One thing I like to do is mount this type onto the 7" cars.
I have placed KL bodies on marx frames to extend that line!
Trains, I'll send you an email about the Marx trucks you need.
Rich
I used to run Flyer 3/16ths O gauge engines like the 572 Challenger with a long string of Marx 3/16ths cars running behind (I even installed a small Lionel diecast whistle assembly into a Marx NYC Pacemaker boxcar). The looks I got when running that combo were awesome - folks didn't know what the Marx cars were, and wondered how I managed to get a Flyer S gauge engine 3 railed. 
MTN
That sounds like fun
Yep - I like peculiar brands like Thomas (their metal 4-4-0 from the 50s stands out from Lionel's), AMT and KMT (being a native Hoosier, I love the AMT stuff made in Auburn, and the Franklin, TN continuation of the line), and the Flyer 3/16ths O gauge prewar engines. Marxists would get an eyeful when the string of cars I ran behind my 572 Challenger or 561 Pennsy K-5 included a couple Marx PRR stockcars, C&O flatcars, and a red frame/ends PFE reefer found in a $1 junk box at a local show.
The 572 was actually based on the UP FEF 4-8-4's?
Yep - the prewar Flyer engines included the UP "Challenger" (not a 4-6-6-4 as the name implies, but the FEF 4-8-4), NYC Hudson, Pennsy Pacific and Atlantic (same shell as the K-5 with a 4 driver chassis - strange looking beast to say the least), B&O streamlined Pacific, Reading 4-4-2, and NKP 0-8-0, which is the toughest to find intact as the shells, chassis, frame, and drivers for the engine are all highly susceptible to zinc pest (or the dreaded Dorfan's Disease as I've dubbed it). The NKP engine is impossible to find in running condition as the frame is never straight - a postwar S frame can be used with washers as spacers for the drive wheels. A friend of mine has done such a mod, and it took several donor O gauge engines and an S gauge chassis to get enough wheels to keep the appearance of the prewar engine - repro drivers are for show only, and are not suited for running. The NKP was the last engine to be put into production, so there are far fewer out in the wild. There are also beautiful diecast heavyweight passenger cars, and a string of diecast freight cars that suffer from zinc problems as well.
All the engines have parts affected by zinc rot, so working on the engines can be bad for your blood pressure - an engine can look solid, but backing out screws can sometimes lead to chunks of the shell crumbling before your eyes. Engine shells are suspect, tender frames for the Challenger are often wavy and missing steps, tender shells bow in and out, tender truck sideframes are frequently bowed or completely missing, pilot and trailing truck wheels are often crumbly messes. You need a large stash of parts to keep them running. Repro parts are available for most diecast items,and having a stash of donors is necessary as well. Aside from engine chassis and drivers, most of the O gauge parts are interchangeable with the postwar S gauge 2 rail engines. Some valve gear linkage needs a dogleg bend to make it spaced far enough outward to allow for the wider O gauge driver spacing. If you're mechanically inclined they're certainly handsome looking models, but you've got to be willing to gamble that things won't disintegrate when taking apart/putting back together.
I have three of the engines 3/16ths on O scale track. So far the only issue has been with the trailing truck wheels and I replaced some of them. Others wheels that were not too bad I soaked in thin superglue so they crumble no more. I have one die cast hopper from a kit that is in perfect condition, Too bad it was a kit as the paint job on it isn't good.
What a way cool idea and concept. I would have never thought of Marx \Flyer and it was staring me right in the face. Great thread. I am absorbing all the great information here.
My board is down, so pix are a no go here. The Flyer/Marx combo is very handsome...
I know the metal Marx was 3/16, so it mades sense to ask!
The Marx tin cars look nicer to me than the stamped/sheet metal 3/16ths O gauge cars that Flyer made before the war. The diecast Flyer cars are another story, but they're tough to find in clean/undamaged shape, and they greatly reduce the length of train you can pull. The Marx litho tin 3/16ths cars are really well done, and with proper lube allow the Flyer engines to pull a long freight.
I use oil with Teflon on my O stuff. Drop of oil, and spin axle. If it spins well, then it can roll almost as well as the newer trucks!
I converted a Marx Gondola to Flyer using spare Flyer trucks and couplers. Looks good!
Just joined today. Enjoyed reading the answers to this thread. Won't bore you with a detailed response, but I too run AF 3/16" O locos with Marx freights. Rather than changing couplers, I just swapped the tender trucks complete. Started with the Pennsy, as that was a five-minute job. Goal is to have two tenders for each loco, though - since they are diecast - changing the Northern and Hudson will be a bit of a challenge. Much as I really like the Marx freights, I do not like their Pullmans - too boxy/O-27ish.
I have one AF tank car I use on an O27 layout, which isn't obviously undersized with some of the typical postwar O27 items. I used O-gauge plastic trucks (Atlas?) which look better on it than the larger postwar Lionel trucks.
