Marx tender with sound ?

 It's the Marx electonic variation of the sound of steam tender.  As the wheel rotates there should be breaks in the sound of the static.  It's not bad for a simulated chuff on a toy train.

Thanks. Any idea of a number or when it was produced.

It was either 1969 or '70. They beat Lionel to the first electronic sound system!

lionel had a similar one the mighty sound of steam after marx it was basically the same except it was triggered by the smoke unit. 

CTT, January 1998, had an article on this by Clarence Theis and Jim Flynn.  Excerpts:

Marx' name for this feature was "Sound-O-Power".  "In all likelihood,Sound-O-Power first appeared in 1969", they state.  Apparently it was made at least thru 1973 and today is rather rare.  Lionel's "Mighty Sound of Steam" systems, debuting in 1971, were very similar in design. 

As long as the components are sound proper operation depends on good grounds between the trucks and the frame. It's basically a white noise generator with the static broken by the segments on the center wheel. Actually sounds good for the period technology.

Jim McC.

I still have mine  got new in 1978  will have to make a video 

Here is a video of the first Lionel Sound of steam and the MARX Sound O Power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caHazA0949Q

Marx big rail work train sound o power

Alan, of course you realize that the freight cars in your video are not from the original Marx set.

yes i no in the end of the video i said that i put lionel trucks On the tender.. and  did the same  to great northern box car.     The log car and caboose are in the box they came in

I don't like the Marx trucks     I can still run them i put a set Marx trucks  on a lionel log car that i don't like  i can use them  but i don't

Thank you everyone for the info. I have three books on Marx trains. One has a photo of the Wards set and mentions the SF set. In the tender section it only says "with Sound-o-power". I can't believe there is no more info on somehting like this.

  Ed

What a clever effect. That train looks nice!

I bought the engine (a grey 1666) and the Santa Fe Sound O Power with caboose at a train show a few years ago. Mine needed a bit of cleaning on the wheels and the center rail "wheel" to make it work well.

I run it occasionally on our modular club's layout. It's a good conversation starter, especially if it's pulling 6" tin.

J White

I also like mine, which I was fortunate to find new 5 years ago.  It runs swell, and makes a whole lotta noise.  I think it's quite a good sound effect for the time it was made.