Marx Train pictures

A Marx M10005 set in red and silver:

   
                                             Trainfam

Some more pictures of the the M10005 set:

                                                Trainfam

Whenever I see or hear the name "Marx Toys" I think of my friend Will Fiore. For many years he ran an old toy shop here in NJ in the next town over from where I lived. It was one of those stores that was so thick with inventory that no many how many times you were there, you still found something you hadn't seen before. Floor to ceiling shelves chocked with tin toys, vintage trains, wind-ups, pull toys, board games...you name it.

Back in the late 80s he decided to play a hunch. He took out ads in the Erie, PA newspapers . Not the big papers, but the small local paper that they throw on everyone's front lawn.  "Wanted: Marx Toys, Cash Ready" . He hypothesized that many of the folks that worked in the factory back in the day might still be living in the area or had family there. It was a stroke of genius and before long the phone started ringing. Apparently when the factory closed that had let the employees take home much of the remaining inventory. Brand new toys never removed from the box, prototypes, factory errors, rarities,   parts and pieces. Although I was strictly a Lionel collector and not a buyer, I was lucky enough to be there to see some of it .

Will was and still is a very interesting character and I enjoyed our conversation as much as I did the toys. Some years after he closed the shop he was approached by a local film maker, a student who wanted to do a short biopic about his life. It's only 9 minutes long but has some very interesting and poignant scenes in it and is especially relevant this time of year. I think many of you will enjoy it:

Trainfam:  Great pictures of some real fine cars, they look super.  The red/silver M1000 looks great as well. I am jealous of the B&LE caboose, a car I am still hunting.  Thanks for posting.  Looked around for something to add and am somewhat limited as we are visiting relatives on the east coast and I am away from my collection.  However, I did find these views of a nice set I acquired a few years ago although its not very old.  I note that the address of the Marx plant in Gerard, Pa has a "zip" code so it must be later than 1971 which is when I believe the use of zip codes for commercial entities became mandatory.  But it is a nice set, unusual to some extent due to the inclusion of the "rocket fuel" tanker.

Here is the set box, this set originally came with a cardboard "village" - alas mine came with the envelope that once carried the village but no village.  I hope its still under someone's Christmas tree!

Here is the inside of the box, note it contained 6 telephone poles as well as a lock on and connecting wires plus the transformer.  It came with a figure 8 of track, including the crossover.

Here is a better look at the consist outside the box.  The engine is the classic 490 plastic 0-4-0 with NYC tender.  Like most Marx trains, this one runs fine (yes I like to run my collectables !)

Instruction sheet and an "order form" for buying miscellaneous Marx parts and accessories.  Look at the prices.  Steve Eastman posted that he just recieved a box of new Marx track.  Well the price list shows that a piece of straight or curved track was 20 cents!  the 90 degree crossover was $1.00  !!

Well have a good and healthy week Marx fans.  Best wishes

Don

Hi all! New guy here, and am a father of a train crazed 5 year old. We have a couple of lionchief sets we've been messing around with for past 2 years. Well this Christmas I bit the bullet and built him a small dedicated 4x8 layout, which is about 90% done. Of course he loves his new railroad empire. My dad really got into the spirit and dug out his Marx 400 engine set and gave it to us. It wouldn't budge when I first got it. Cleaned it up and lubed everything, runs great now and looks good. The state if maine boxcar has a bent axle and gets caught on switches, so will repair when I get some time. It has a certain charm to it that I really enjoy. I think the set is from maybe the 60's and probably isn't worth much, but means a lot me.

Don: What a fantastic set you have! Now I’m jealous LOL. I’m the same way about running my collectibles, no since In paying good money for something and not running it. Running some laps is what these locomotive and cars are supposed to do!

G-man 24: very interesting story! Unfortunately seems like times have changed and story’s like these don’t come around none too much. If only toy stores like this were still open then toy companies like Marx would still be around.

                                                  Trainfam

G-Man24:  marvelous film about a subject near and dear to most of us here.

From this past weekend......

Peter

G-Man24:  THANK YOU for the video on Will Fiore!! While I can't remember ever going to his toy shop, my parents may have shopped there.  I was born in Bloomfield, very near Irvington (where the Lionel factory was located), and went to Olympic Park.  We left Bloomfield in 1949, as the NJ Turnpike went right through our living room.  Later in life in the 80's and 90's went to the McCunge and Allentown toy/train shows.  My view much more positive than that expressed in the video but it was neat to see it again

PennFlyer - welcome aboard!  Glad to hear about your 5 year old, if you can keep his interest we will have a hobbyist for years to come.  Marx as you have found, continues to run well with a very little routine maintenance. Don't despair the bent axle on your State of Maine boxcar.  Marx made these (as they are called) 6" cars for over 30 years and the wheel base, wheel size and axle size almost never changed.  Get any 6" car, no matter what the top side looks like and the wheels and axle should easily interchange with the set on your SOM box.  

Remember also that these Marx trains can run on Lionel O or O-27, MTH, Lionel Fastrack, and many other types of 3 rail track.  They sometimes have some trouble with the switches but not as much as you might think.  Marx made curved track in several different radii, cross overs, manual and electric switches, and so forth much of which you can find on e-bay for sale at modest prices.

That 400 (also the very similar 490) plastic engine was produced for many years, comes in lots of variants (including some quite rare like an olive drab Army and some red versions) .  Its rugged, easy to run, and very popular .  You can get all kinds of tenders for it should you want to change the railroad you are operating.

Here is my NYC 490 from Marx Set 4205 pulling a matching caboose and a gondola full of household products.  Marx loved to stuff these kind of things in their sets.  They were cardboard, cheap, folded flat and packed in the same box.  Marx was a genius at the toy field, his innovations and marketing genius are legendary.

Anyway, great to have you in our thread

Don

Penn Flyer: welcome to the thread! Just be careful as Marx toys are an easy void to get sucked into. I am glad to hear that you are getting your kid involved into the hobby, we need some more kids of the up and coming generations To be involved in the hobby so it’s always great to hear that kids are getting involved.

                                                    Trainfam

Here is a favorite of mine, a copper Marx 396 locomotive with its accompanying copper tender.

                                                   Trainfam

Well Marx Fan's, here is a odd ball for you.  We know that Marx made all sorts of "train" related items, some of which did not go on tracks.  So here is the "Chief" for you.  A Marx lithographed floor locomotive that has about the most elaborate color scheme (no where near any prototype I know - ) I have ever seen.

Here is the boiler front, quite a bit of "artistic license" I might say when compared to any steam loco I have ever seen.  But its 5 or 6 different colored litho, quite a print job for sure.

Here she is with her original box.  You can see from the box that when in motion she sparks and rings a bell.  Quite a show!

Ok so not a track toy but she is very close to O'gauge in size especially for a 4-6-4.  About the size of the Lionel Berkshire loco from the post war years.  this toy dates from the middle 50's somewhere very hard to date precisely.

Have a healthy and happy weekend

Don

@TrainFam posted:

Penn Flyer: welcome to the thread! Just be careful as Marx toys are an easy void to get sucked into. I am glad to hear that you are getting your kid involved into the hobby, we need some more kids of the up and coming generations To be involved in the hobby so it’s always great to hear that kids are getting involved.

                                                    Trainfam

@Don McErlean posted:

PennFlyer - welcome aboard!  Glad to hear about your 5 year old, if you can keep his interest we will have a hobbyist for years to come.  Marx as you have found, continues to run well with a very little routine maintenance. Don't despair the bent axle on your State of Maine boxcar.  Marx made these (as they are called) 6" cars for over 30 years and the wheel base, wheel size and axle size almost never changed.  Get any 6" car, no matter what the top side looks like and the wheels and axle should easily interchange with the set on your SOM box.  

Don

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! Whats funny is it was my son that got me into the hobby. I was more into RC cars & boats when I was young. I used to race nitro boats on a lake I grew up on. So never had nostalgia for model trains. However, my son got hooked from 2 yrs old with his wooden toy trains. We're fortunate to live in a town with a major steam train historical society with renovated functioning engines, which our visits there have really fueled his interests. I have continued to foster his love of trains and have really gotten into to hobby with him. The Marx train we have is 60 years old, and if he has anything to do about it, this train will run another 60 years under his care. Ironically, I have doubts our new lionchiefs will last that long...

Seaboard time

Steve

@Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Seaboard time

Steve

Those little FM's are cute as a cat's whisker!

How many schemes was the FM offered in? Three? (KCS, Monon, Seaboard?)

Andre

@laming posted:

Those little FM's are cute as a cat's whisker!

How many schemes was the FM offered in? Three? (KCS, Monon, Seaboard?)

Andre

Yes, just those 3. The Seaboard B unit is the rarest of them.

Steve

Marx tow truck bringing a Marx friction car into the shop for a little service.

Dean

PW53inVa, Dean, I love the Marx lithograph sheet metal buildings and the color it adds to your train layout, so cool. Your service station is really at home there doing lots of business. Also, looking back towards your shelves are two Lionel Diesels that adds to the picture. (Sante Fe/Wabash) Yes, Marx has its place in the history of our hobby, which lets us modelers be more creative. Great picture. Happy Railroading Everyone

You know, this hobby means more to us than most folks would ever comprehend, it’s relaxing, calming, at the same time Exciting, Invigorating, full filling, and simply a silent Psychiatrist. It just makes sense. JERRY C., way above on this thread has a really great Video, a Marx related flick, and he says it all, it’s a fun game, the shows one attends, the variety of collectibles one acquires, it’s all Fun. Now, he may be a sort of serious fellow, working for the IRS, (little humor) but this hobby is Universally Friendly, even a car salesman can enjoy the love of model trains, and things.  I sincerely enjoyed his video, I think everyone here on the forum would gain something Good from watching it. Thank You Jerry C. , I know Don McErlean will get a kick out of watching it, and Steve “Papa” Eastman would likewise. Yes, Marx is Fun. Happy Railroading Everyone

Dean let me join leapinlarry in thanking you for posting the classic and really neat litho Marx gas station and tow truck. Really great scene. Is that really inside an 0-27 loop?  (Color of ties sort of id’s track as 0-27). My inner loop is same dia so I may be hunting that bldg(LOL).

Thanks again

Don

LeapinLarry - thank you for your kind words and I agree with you that the video posted by Jerry C earlier in this thread is great.  These old trains bring back memories from times long ago.

Don - thank you too for your kind words and that is a 027 figure 8 loop around the little Marx like service station. The station is made by T. Cohn/Superior. If you are interested in this service station , there is one on the bay right now that did'nt sell and has been re-listed.  Happy Hunting.

Marx made the toy tin litho friction tow truck and yellow car in the early/mid 60s to go with their service stations.  It is really amazing all the neat things that Marx made.

Dean

Putnam Division, Peter, I meant to compliment you on the picture you posted with the beautiful Santa Fe train on a possible show layout, so nice. That’s a nice display type sceniced layout. Also, I hope retirement is working well for you and that you are working on your home layout. Also, Don McErlean, the Monster you posted above of the huge Marx steamer is awesome, I’ve actually seen one of those in person and it’s really Cool. The Chief is a great name for that beautifully colored lithographed floor toy. Wow. Dean, thank you for the compliment, your train room looks like a safe haven for fun. Laming, show us some pictures of your layout and I enjoy reading your comments. Marx World seems to be surviving. Happy Railroading Everyone

Busy morning at the Freight Terminal

Let's see your Marx.

Dean

Not much to report, but finally got a pack of replacement bulbs for my dad's Marx. Which of course warranted a run session for the 400. She's running beautifully.

Marx Fans today I am posting a gift from my family from the Holidays.  I think is is both unusual not just for its content but for its condition.  It is Marx set 4345 from (about) the middle 50's and it is a Marx "combination" set that included TWO trains, both a freight and a passenger consist with one locomotive.  This set still had the "packing slip" included in the box and the cars candidly don't look like they have ever rolled on track.

Here is the side of box showing the set number, 4345.

Here is the top of the box

Here is the inside showing the instruction sheet and the packing slip.  Note that each car has its own cardboard "slip" although I am certain that the white "peanuts" were added for additional protection after the set was purchased by its original owner.

Here is the type 400, 0-4-0 loco with the NYC type 1951 tender

Here is the freight consist.  The # 4488 B&A boxcar in Red White & Blue, the # 241708 B&O Gondola in yellow / black, the 20102 NYC Red & Gray Caboose.

Here is really the "cream of the crop", the 2071 NYC coach (X2) and the 2072 NYC observation, both in the new (for 1954) silver lithography to represent the new type of lightweight passenger cars then being introduced on the real railroads.

Here i s a somewhat closer look at those NYC passenger cars.

I can tell you that I was thrilled by this gift. What a Christmas!!  When we get back home in Texas next week this one is going to be rolling on my layout for sure!!

Best Wishes

Don

Wow Don, what a nice set to receive! The condition is great and rather unique having two consists. Imagine being a kid in the day and getting this set. Really like the passenger cars, particularly the observation car with the rail detailing, congrats.

Don - Very good looking set and a fantastic gift.  Those silver NYC passenger cars are real lookers. Maybe when you get home you can share a video of them running on your layout. Leave it to Marx to offer a set with one engine and the option to run as either a freight train or passenger train.

Thanks for sharing.

Dean

@laming posted:

Those little FM's are cute as a cat's whisker!

How many schemes was the FM offered in? Three? (KCS, Monon, Seaboard?)

Andre

I am working on getting a matching caboose for my Monon and KCS A-B sets. 

Marx Fans: PennFlyer and PW53in VA  thank you for your kind comments on my new set, Glad that folks liked the pictures.  PW53inVa, I have not yet been successful with taking and posting video's, my New Year's resolution for 2021 is to try and solve that problem.  Once that happens I will certainly post video's of my Marx "on the move"!.

Thanks again for your comments and likes

Don

Here's one for everyone but especially for Andre since he expressed such an interest in the small Marx litho diesels.

@Robert S. Butler posted:

Here's one for everyone but especially for Andre since he expressed such an interest in the small Marx litho diesels.

Those are in excellent shape! Really shows off the color and amazing litho work Marx produced. Thank you for sharing! I've saved that picture to my "Marx" photo folder!

Andre

You're welcome Andre.  By the way, the posted picture is larger than the pixel size I usually submit. I did it that way in case you wanted to use the picture for a temporary screen saver/background.

Thanks Robert like Laming  your picture is going into my Marx file. I love these little guys but so far only have the Monon versions. No Seaboard or KSC yet

Regards

Don

Hi everyone trainfam here,

A while back I bought a Marx Canadian Pacific locomotive that was in good shape. Nice lithography and paint is in good shape, HOWEVER, the motor was a little bit damaged. One side rod was missing and the motor was having a hard time turning over. When I first got the locomotive I was involved in some other projects so the locomotive sat for a little while. Flash forward a few weeks and I decided to take a gander at the motor to see what the problem could have been. Well low and behold the motors issued lied in the gear department of the motor. Seems as if someone really enjoyed running this little guy and thus the teeth of the gears on the commutator and the main gear (can’t remember the name of the gear) got worn down to almost nothing. Take a look:

well as far as I know there are no such thing as dentures or dental implants for gears so that meant new gears would be needed. Not to worry as a have accumulated some good gears and other parts from other broken down locomotives and just part lots. That all being said with new gears and a new commutator in place tonight I was able to reassemble the motor and thankfully it runs fantastic. Tomorrow I will post a video of the locomotive running.

                                                     Trainfam

Hi everyone trainfam here,

here’s the video I made of my Marx CP after I replaced the gears and put on a new side rod. Take a look:

                                                   Trainfam

FEF

Steve

Steve:  The clockwork "Rapid Transit" is one of the holy grail's of Marx collections (no I have never found one in any sort of condition).  It goes perfectly with the "cookie" tin houses.  Great picture.  Thanks for posting!
Best Wishes

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Steve:  The clockwork "Rapid Transit" is one of the holy grail's of Marx collections (no I have never found one in any sort of condition).  It goes perfectly with the "cookie" tin houses.  Great picture.  Thanks for posting!
Best Wishes

Don

I picked this one because it displays Ok, but is rough enough I won’t feel guilty if I ever decide to stuff a motor in it.

Steve

Well, it looks pretty good to me although you do have an exceptionally top notch condition standard for almost all of what you post.  Me, I am sort of in the middle.  I try and shy away from basket cases as I don't have the skills to restore them but I usually can't afford "perfect".  Sometimes I admit, I will go with an item for display that has at least one really good side but I can hide the other...not a great plan but you know..."lemons  and lemonade " 

Best wishes

Don

The Marx world seems to be quiet lately.

Steve

Here’s a looong Seaboard consists.

and a nice Hudson freight.