Marx Tinplate Switch Towers

This is great, did not know there was so many flavors, Familiar with the first (tall) one.

Would look great on a layout.

RonH

those look great Steve.I'd like to find some of those, the only one I have is the second from left.

 Ron I love your signature, that's something my recently passed Uncle Jim always said.

Wonderful!

Peter

very cool

I love Marx stuff.  I have two of the switch towers; the second from the left and the second from the right.  Marx equipment is so whimsical that it can't help but put a smile on your face. 

Y'all are pulling me more and more to the shiny side!

Steve, what is the one on the right? Never seen one like before.

neither have I.

The one on the right has the voice activation switch like the tall one on the left. It is Brown and gray. Most consider them Canadian as that's where many were found.

Took years to find a so-so one, then years to find this nice one to upgrade.

I think Jim O cornered the market on them.

Steve

come on Steve, I only had two. the primo unit I got cheap from Vienna Station. All you had to do was ask.They are both in storage currently.

yes I believe the better unit was voice command. I'll look tomorrow. I was supposed to be in Santa Monica on Sunday with the Great Race but our car broke down in OKC and we headed home early, so I have a day off tomorrow to organize (notice I didn't say play with) my trains.

which one did you just get rid of?

Jim

Both of the ones I had acquired had the voice command feature. Sold the decent one to Dave H and kept the very good one. If there is a version without the voice command, the search goes on

Too bad you broke down, it would have been nice to find a way to meet you after all these years. I was born in Santa Monica.

Steve

I did not realize there were so many versions. Thanks for an informative post. My one tower can be barely seen in this photo, but it is to the right behind the signal bridge. It controls the station tracks.

I have two-the tall one on the left and the shorty, fourth over. I never considered them hard to find in this area. I have lots of Marx stuff on my layout instead of the mdern things.

Thanks for this thread Steve, I love these guys! Like you say, you can fit them anywhere.

I guess there are probably infinite variations.  I notice all yours seem to have the lithographed roofs; a few of mine are painted roofs.  My gray "Canadian" one has a painted roof as well.

Marx also seems to have used every tower it had to put under these. (Same towers used for floodlights).  The tall switch towers on the left are 13-1/2" tall.  The middle one with the red base is like yours, 12".  The shorter ones are 9-1/2" tall.

david

Steve, when we meet up it can be the first national Johnson Russell convention.

I'll have to watch for some of those.

The Greenberg Marx book lists only 2 catalog numbers for these towers: #413 is the switchman's tower without the current interrupter; #424 is the "Radio Train Control" with the interrupter - regardless of tower configuration or height!

Both the 12" and the 13-1/2" tall ones, I have only seen in Radio Control versions.

Steve, I have an extra of the tall 13-1/2" one with the black mast, wanna trade?

david