Marx 333 Locomotive compatibilty

The track yes but Lionel cars have different couplers than Marx

I used to run one with a Lionel tender. Some Marx engines have wider geared drivers and would hang up on switches but I can't remember if the 333 is one of them, it went through my cross-over though.

Hello, Yes The #333 will pull a lot of HEAVY Lionel Postwar cars!!!I just put a lionel tender on it,and away it goes.I have some videos from a year ago,I think I pulled 11-12 postwar cars with it.My You Tube channel is:Lionel For Less,if you want to see it to believe it.The #333 is one of the best postwar locos out there.!!!!!!I had to have one!!!

The driver design on the 333 should be ok on Lionel switches. They don't like 027 track. Most came with 034. Early pilot trucks can be a bit problematic on tight curves, later ones were pretty good. Good, reliable loco. I tend to avoid using the die cast tender the later ones came with and prefer the tin wedge tender. The cast tender was heavy and had poor rolling wheels.

Steve

If you have the unidirectional couplers on the tender, then the coupler is comparable with Lionel's latch and box couplers.

Thank You all. I am not that familiar with Marx Trains and was concerned if it would run on Lionel track. I may have an opportunity to buy a 333/tender, and some cars, and wanted to be sure I wasn't wasting my money on them.

The gears on the 333 drivers will work fine on Lionel switches.

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

The driver design on the 333 should be ok on Lionel switches. They don't like 027 track. Most came with 034. Early pilot trucks can be a bit problematic on tight curves, later ones were pretty good. Good, reliable loco. I tend to avoid using the die cast tender the later ones came with and prefer the tin wedge tender. The cast tender was heavy and had poor rolling wheels.

Steve

Interesting. This is the first I have heard of early and late pilot trucks.

Would you have any pictures of the differences?

I had an early-version 333 growing up.  It would not negotiate Lionel 1122 / 5122 O27 switches.  Many years later I learned that Marx redesigned the drive mechanism in the mid-1950s, and the newer version is compatible with Lionel switches.  The newer-version 333 which is compatible can be identified by awnings over the cab windows and a smoke unit.

my 333 is a smoker, has the awnings on the cab windows. runs fine on my O27 track, 1024,1121, ans Marx switches. I agree on the die cast tender...lotta weight.

RoyBoy posted:

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

The driver design on the 333 should be ok on Lionel switches. They don't like 027 track. Most came with 034. Early pilot trucks can be a bit problematic on tight curves, later ones were pretty good. Good, reliable loco. I tend to avoid using the die cast tender the later ones came with and prefer the tin wedge tender. The cast tender was heavy and had poor rolling wheels.

Steve

Interesting. This is the first I have heard of early and late pilot trucks.

Would you have any pictures of the differences?

Roy, no pictures, but the biggest difference is the early ones had smaller flanges and jumped the track easily. Here is a bit of an explanation by Al Osterud.

A couple years ago, there was considerable discussion on this group about how well the 333 operated, with some members finding them impossible on O-27 curves and switches and others having no operating problems at all. Gary Anderson and I now think we have discovered why! Some of the non-smoking 333 locomotives have smaller pilot truck wheels than others. Those with the small wheels operate fine on O-34 track but very poorly on O-27. But all you have to do is swap out the front truck with one with larger wheels, and operation becomes fine. You can use a late pilot truck from a smoker (or a Wm. Crooks) on an early non-smoking 333, but not on an early 1829 plastic Hudson. The early truck has an offset mounting hole while the later trucks have the mounting hole centered between the axles. The smoking 1829 Hudson's have a notch in the steam chests to clear the wheels on the centered pilot truck. The reproduction trucks all seem to have the larger wheels.

Again Thank You. The small details are amazing. Everyday I am reminded that I don't know what I don't know.

Yes Yes and Yes, I ran one on my Lionel ZW, you will have to pull a Lionel tender behind it so you can pull Lionel Knuckle couplers as apposed to the Marx scissor couplers and/or slot and tab couplers.