# Marx 490



## T-Man

Recent cleaning project for a friend. The 490 was made from 1962 to 1975. AN 0-4-0 configuratin it is nothing fancy. This unit did not have a reverse function. Came with a plastic body. Notice the slot behind the rear wheel.









The motor does not come appart but there is a hole the size of an eraser to clean the top of the armature plate.It's to the right of the brushes.









I like the wheel style. Also it has a seesaw engine attachment. You unsnap both side from behind the rear wheels and pull the engine out.








For fun I installed a light.








For comparison I matched it up to the Lionel 1062








The weak spot for the engine is the two copper wipers to the axles since the motor sides are non conducting.








Also to note the center pickup is shorter than the 50's versions. It did not like my 45 degree crossing.


----------



## T-Man

*Adding Light*

A 14 volt bulb had no brightness. I went with a 502 bulb
from the hardware store. It's 5.1 volts and .15 amps. I tested it with a 1watt 100 ohm resistor and again no brightness. So I went with a 33 ohm resistor 1/2 watt. It worked. The bulb is used in a 6 volt battery lantern.








THe light socket is from Radio Shack. I like it since it has a mount.The nut and screw are 4-40. I get them from Fastenal by the 100.


----------



## imatt88

T-Man,

This answers my question. The copper wipers are the problem.

Thanks, Ian


----------



## T-Man

I don't have any specifics on the wipers. I just have those pictures. 






A 490, with plastic sides got it.


----------



## imatt88

Better pics than my camera takes.

My 490 is set up exactly the same.

Any recommendations on bending the copper wipers? Mine don't touch the axle shafts. Just bend them?

Dumb question, but I'm assuming that both wipers have to touch both shafts?


----------



## T-Man

One picture, shows only one touching. I have no idea what the other is used forand without the engine no way to figure it out..


----------



## imatt88

T-man,

As of today, 26 May, the 490 still won't run. 

I really don't know why it doesn't work


----------



## tjcruiser

The wipers are pickups to the wheel axles, right? Maybe there's two (one on each wheel) such that if one wheel were to hit a dead spot going through a switch turnout (in way of a frog or similar), then the other wheel can continue to complete the circuit.

Just a guess ...

TJ


----------



## T-Man

*No run at all?*

Get two power leads fron the transformer and touch the coil wire on the left and touch the bottom brush. The current flow through these should make it work. The circuit is the ledt coil wire to the coil out to the top brush down through the armature out to the bottom brush. Piece of cake.


----------

