First run on my new layout, Hoge & Marx Trains

The layout was made from two hollow doors covered with Hoasote and sits on 4 sawhorses from Harbor Freight. Two sawhorses will hold over 300 pounds, so layout is quite sturdy. The layout will also slide over the sawhorses, so I can get behind it. Layout contains one -10 ft , 0-31 oval, one 9 ft, 0-27 oval with a 5-1/2 ft siding, one 9 ft long 0-31 elevated dogbone, and one 7 ft reversing trolley track. Layout measures 3-1/2 ft x 10 ft. I spent last night running 'Big Bertha,' my Hoge 900 (The Premadonna) on the outside 0-31 loop and making some adjustments to handle her girth and overhang on corners. My other trains all run fine on the layout. I am now using Marx remote controlled switches rather than Lionel, so my prewar Marx have no problems running on them. Transformers are one Lionel ZW and one Lionel CW-80, mounted on a board to a steel cart with wheels which rolls under the layout.
This is not an original design. I saw a similar design for a prewar Lionel layout on You Tube and adapted it for my own taste.
Trains run were Hoge 900, Marx Mercury articulated passenger, Marx Canadian Pacific Freight, and one custom modified (by myself) Micky & Minnie handcar, using MTH shell and motor with figures from Hallmark Christmas ornament.
Thanks,
Chuck

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Hoge
• Marx
• trains.

[chiconian49]

Many thanks. I'm very much enjoying your videos. My trains are 50/50 Lionel and Marx. I am quite found of Marx prewar tinplate and postwar Lionel.

[grizzleybearz282004]

is that the prewar mickey and minnie hand car from the 1930s?? buddy i am jealous lol

[chiconian49]

@grizzleybearz282004

Grizz., that one I made. I used a MTH handcar with a broken step and added two figures from a Mickey & Minnie handcar from a Hallmark Christmas ornament. I removed the remaining 3 steps from the handcar with a Dremel and then removed it's original figures. I painted the handcar red and with some modification, attached the mice. The handcar is half the size of the huge Lionel and Pride Lines version and much closer to O scale and unlike the original, it reverses.

[walt407]

i love this layou and your video! I been bidding on these Hoge sets but haven't been able to get one yet. Thanks for sharing and God Bless! walt407

[chiconian49]

@walt407 Walt, I lucked out on the Hoge for sure. It was in pretty rough condition when I got it, however was only missing the front center roller. It took me several days of my spare time to clean it up and get it running correctly. The chrome was pretty rusty. I cleaned it up with Turtle Wax car chrome cleaner, then applied a coat of car wax. I decided to leave the original blue paint. The hardest part was trueing up the frames which were twisted, causing the train to derail on curves.

[bluecomet390]

Terrific layout and trains. Shows what can be done with a little imagination in a smaller space. Congrats.

[chiconian49]

@bluecomet390 Many thanks my friend.

Chuck

[howarth004]

Micky and Minnie...exellent

[janisjade1]

Nicely done sir!

[grizzleybearz282004]

@chiconian49 wow i would have never guesed that you got good hands my friend great work in the video it looks like the real deal there i got one mickey and minnie christmas hand car from 1996 my 5 year old buged me to get it i paid less then $30 for it it was like new and most likely was new did didnt look to have any run time marks but like you said it didnt back up now do thay have to hit one of those bummpers to go the other way?? or are thay one way runers?