A friend who is a superb professional musician (trumpet and cornet) but not a model railroad expert was given this Marx engine and asked me about it. I showed it to a number of collectors in Raleigh, but none have been able to identify it, and this piece does not appear in any of the Marx books we have access to.
Though the wheels move freely, the engine does not operate.
Does anyone know its history, please?
Thanks,
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It looks like a 397 that came in plain black but was decaled to match its NYC tender. It's a CP outline steamer.
You mean like this one?
Oil it and shine the wheel treads and shoes, maybe peak at the armature plate. Maybe shake it a bunch to loosen dirt & dust on the R-unit contacts too (Marx term for e-unit)
My favorite Marx was literally buried in earth for decades. A soaking in the sink and washing the mud out along with the above and it's been running for another quarter century. It is as bullet proof as any Lionel or AF imo.
(you can try jumper wires to bypass the r-unit and test too)
The all black CP style is not the easiest variation to come by. It is missing front and trailing trucks.
Steve
Thanks, fellows!
Now the owner just wants it to operate, or to find a replacement.
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