Scored this today at a RC airplane swap meet of all places (selling off some of the last of my previous hobby), and I snapped it up, being 3 Rail, Marx and just plain cool as all get out. Has the box with it, and some track in amazing shape, but nothing else. Any ideas on what I've actually got here? Not really worried about collector value, though curious. It just seems to be in outstanding shape and swimming in charm...
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I forgot the number of the Loco off the top of my head, but is a Marx Canadian Pacific steamer. Nice piece, one of my favorites and an excellent runner.
It sure looks like a clean set.. Nothing special here other than nice condition.. Engine is a 495 made sometime between 1946-1952. Fairly common engine.. worth somewhere around $ 25-40.. #951 Wedge tender made from 1939-42 and 1951-1958. Worth $ 10-20. #59 Union Pacific Stock car.. not sure years made.. Worth $ 15 - $20. #552 Gondola made 1938-40 worth $ 10-$15... # 553 tank car... real common car.. not sure of years made $10 car, $ 556 Caboose, another fairly common car worth $ 10-$15. You picked up a very nice set that will run forever...
Most likely a 3987-12 set. 3987 was a common set number used in the early post war era and the contents could vary, but what you have is a perfect match for a number of them I have seen.
Steve
Awesome. I'm very pleased with it thus far. Haven't run it yet, but I will.
My first tinplate set... 
gotta start somewhere.
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Phil
That's a nice set you have.
I have a similar set & enjoy running it.
Dave
beautiful find, enjoy.
Make sure your center rail gaps are nice and smooth for extending the sliding pickups life. Outsides too. Those light cars can really bounce! Major fun!
This is where Marx track excelled. Lionel and most other track makers cut the rails from the bottom up, leaving a slight sharp upward burr. This burr would cause a bit of a bump on very light cars, but more importantly, on loco's with a sliding shoe, would wear the shoe a bit faster. Marx cut their track from the top down, leaving no burr.
Steve
never knew that Steve, seems so simple...maybe Lionel was trying to create a demand for replacement sliders?
This is a prewar version of the engine. Look at the wheels. Postwar versions had Baldwin drivers and a one piece pickup shoe.
Nice set in great shape! Good find! You now have the tinplate bug...... you will enjoy it.
I refer to my Marx CP as 'Jekyll & Hyde", as one side is perfect, and the other side is perfectly rusty. Must have been in a garage box but runs like a charm.
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