MARX 416A Light Tower

Looks like you need to move the white wires to the other screw terminal that has the insulated washer. Keep the washer between the base and the white wire ring lug. As you have it wired you have no power going to the back of the bulbs.

Rich's suggestion is a good one.  I have another possibility to check as well if that doesn't work:  If I recall correctly these sockets do not have springs or other contacts inside at the very bottom in order to ensure a good connection to the nib on the bottom of the lamp.  Marx, being thrifty just relied on that nib touching the top of a solder blob way down in the bottom of the socket.  In your second photo you can see the other end of this unique blob, located at the back of each socket where the wires are attached, in your second embedded photo,

When it was rewired perhaps this solder blob wasn't made tall enough.  Look inside the socket and see if the blob is short or tall.   If short adding more solder to the top will likely fix your problem.

Mike

You are correct regarding insulating washer there is none right now. Do you use plastic washer to insulate.

Doesn’t the metal screw still make contact with light base or do you need a plastic screw and nut?

will also look at adding more solder to solder to contact point of lamp

thanks Steve

Here is a photo of a working one.

So is the connection joining the 2 wires insulated?

Does the wire from the base connect from the bottom or top also insulated to either a  CTC or transformer

thanks

Move your wires as Rich said.  The screws are correct.  The entire tower is the ground, so one screw has no insulator and completes the ground.  The insulated one is your hot wire to the button on the bottom of the bulb.  Note: I used common and hot but this is just a bulb so you can connect either lead from your transformer to either screw.

Steve here is where I buy my bulbs http://www.autolumination.com/trainbulbs.htm.