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 Hints and Tips
 For Marx® Train Operators

Limiting Coupler Movement
of Sliding Tab-and-Slot Couplers


Marx® sliding couplers were designed for economy and efficiency in windup trainsets. Their sliding action helped the light clockwork engines to start the train because the engine need start only one car at a time when the couplers are slid inward.

But for the electric train operator, the couplers have no advantage, and are a serious nuisance when they slide inward and must be manually pulled out to couple to the next car.
  It is easy to modify couplers so that they stay in the normal extended position by using epoxy putty. Epoxy putty is available as a two part ribbon or cylinder from the hardware or auto-parts store. Mix equal parts of the two colors together by pressing and kneading until the color is uniform. The putty will bond aggressively with most surfaces and harden in a short time. For this job, you want epoxy putty, not conventional two-part liquid epoxy

How to Do It
Clean off the dust and rust on the coupler. Scratching the area with a hobby knife blade, coarse sandpaper, or motor tool will increase the epoxy's grip.

Press a small blob of mixed putty onto the coupler just ahead of the retaining tab. Be careful not to let epoxy bond to the retaining tab. Moistening your finger or tool before pressing will help the epoxy release from it.

If you wish to retain the original appearance of the car, you can put the epoxy on the top surface of the coupler so that it will be hidden from view. You will need to improvise a bent tool to press the putty into the coupler surface.

Note - This process may reduce the value of a collectible car and the effectiveness of clockwork locomotives.
It is intended for use only on common cars in operation with electric locomotives.

Hop the Fast Freight to other Hints and Tips
 Loco Front Couplers     •   Caboose Couplers  •  Restoring Sheetmetal Curves
Filling Slots and Holes   •    Metallic Buffing Paste   •   Motortool Tips  •   Limiting Coupler Slide 
Painting Tips   •   Tabs    •   Identifying Marx Trains    •  The Hints and Tips Page

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All text, photos, and artwork are COPYRIGHT©2003 by David Helber.
They may not be used without written permission.
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"Marx" is a registered trademark of Marx Toys, Inc. and Marx Trains.
FauxToys has no connection with either company, except that the owner likes their products.