Found that photo of the 4 wheel Marx hopper I put on MPC trucks, and apparently it was next to one of the Lionel ones as well when I took the photo. Think it went to a forum member along with 4-5 of the little Lionel hoppers. Some patching was done with pipe glue and scraps of an MPC boxcar I had turned into a single door car. When I’m feeling a little better I’ll dig some of the Marx I have in the collection currently out
Most of my Marx is the later plastic, but I do have some tinplate too.
The four Marx streamers of the apocalypse (or at least of my collection):
New Marx Prototype PRR 4-4-4 Electric
I was able to pull out some more Marx today. The picture below is of the finest example of a number 0416 light tower that I have ever seen. It is in mint condition with original box, packing insert, and what I believe to be the original lightbulbs. Overall the accessory is in excellent condition and I was very lucky to have purchased it.
Trainfam
TrainFam: I would agree, i have not seen much if any Marx that is that "pristine" ad original. Normally I count it as a victory if even the box shows up and of course much of Marx (6" cars especially) were sold at Woolworth's for 25Cents and where just gathered up on a section of the counter and had no box. What a great find! milnyc - great display in front of the bill boards, liked the Juke boxes in the background too! What do they play, country or rock and roll? Robert S. Butler - that is about the strangest 4-4-4 I have ever seen although it resembles "old rivets" one of the early PRR electics (before Lowery got the job of designing the streamlining).
Well, I'll be switched. Growing up, I thought all my equipment was Lionel, but based on the picture of the light tower above, it seems a Marx piece somehow found its way into my acquisitions. Now, I will have to learn a little bit more about Marx. As if I didn't still have enough other stuff to learn about.
Chuck
OK I messed up and posted the above response too soon. Here is a set that I have that dates from about 1965, in fact it was in the 1965 catalog. It is set 4353 and as you will see contained an unusual tank car (Rocket Fuel) that was normally associated with the Cape Canaveral Sets but with Marx what is unusual is normal!!
Here is the top of the box and it (sort of) illustrates the "village" that was originally packed with the set. It was all cardboard and had to be assembled (of course) and alas is long gone at this point.
Here are the contents packed in the box, including track and transformer.
Here is the envelope that (at one time) contained the village. Note the big "34" which was the fact that the village contained 34 pieces. This number of pieces was common marketing at the time, and you often saw advertisements especially at places like Sears and Montgomery Wards about an "X-Piece" train set. To boost the number of pieces I have a few sets where seemingly at the 11th hr a half dozen telephone poles were thrown in the box.
More paper work that is part of the set. The instructions and an order form. Wow it would be great if I could order today, especially at those prices !! I note you cannot read the numbers but you can see that most of them are only 2 figures...!
Here is a close up of the trains. They are nearly new even if not all that rare. The set still has the lock on and a set of wires although they may not be original. Hey they are 65 years old and still run with their original transformer.
Thanks for posting on our Marx thread guys.
Don McErlean
PRR1950 posted:Well, I'll be switched. Growing up, I thought all my equipment was Lionel, but based on the picture of the light tower above, it seems a Marx piece somehow found its way into my acquisitions. Now, I will have to learn a little bit more about Marx. As if I didn't still have enough other stuff to learn about.
Chuck
Chuck...Welcome to the Marx fan club. You know growing up in the late 40's and 50's many a kid (I know it included me) found a Marx item under the tree instead of a Lionel one. Marx's prices were considerably below those of Lionel and the quality was excellent, in fact from a durability perspective equal or better. They sometimes didn't have the detail or the "heft" of Lionel and the operating cars lacked the complex mechanisms (sometimes being hand operated - but I can remember that increased play value). Things like light towers and beacons would be an easy substitute. Now, go get yourself one of the many many steam powered freight sets - Marx motors almost always run- and enjoy the show ! "Welcome Aboard" as we used to say in the Navy !
Don McErlean
Don McErlean posted:OK I messed up and posted the above response too soon. Here is a set that I have that dates from about 1965, in fact it was in the 1965 catalog. It is set 4353 and as you will see contained an unusual tank car (Rocket Fuel) that was normally associated with the Cape Canaveral Sets but with Marx what is unusual is normal!!
Here is the top of the box and it (sort of) illustrates the "village" that was originally packed with the set. It was all cardboard and had to be assembled (of course) and alas is long gone at this point.
Here are the contents packed in the box, including track and transformer.
Here is the envelope that (at one time) contained the village. Note the big "34" which was the fact that the village contained 34 pieces. This number of pieces was common marketing at the time, and you often saw advertisements especially at places like Sears and Montgomery Wards about an "X-Piece" train set. To boost the number of pieces I have a few sets where seemingly at the 11th hr a half dozen telephone poles were thrown in the box.
More paper work that is part of the set. The instructions and an order form. Wow it would be great if I could order today, especially at those prices !! I note you cannot read the numbers but you can see that most of them are only 2 figures...!
Here is a close up of the trains. They are nearly new even if not all that rare. The set still has the lock on and a set of wires although they may not be original. Hey they are 65 years old and still run with their original transformer.
Thanks for posting on our Marx thread guys.
Don McErlean
That’s what I love about Marx, they were cheap and had so much play value. To think of it... the fact of a whole town being included in the set. Along with a engine with an immortal motor. If only the box, houses, stamps, plastic shells, and the people who played with them when they were new were immortal too.
Trainfam
Trainfam: Agree with you. There is a story about Mr. Marx. It goes that during one year of the famous New York toy show he directed that one of his trains be put into operation at the beginning of the show (it was 5 days long) and never turned off, it was to run continuously. Well the story goes along near the very end of the show the loco gave out and stopped. Mr. Marx summoned his Chief Engineer into his New York office and demanded to know what went wrong. The engineer told Mr. Marx that after all that time the brushes in the motor just wore out. It is the story that Mr. Marx looked at him sternly and simply said..."Build better brushes ! ". That to me about sums up Marx and the fact that no matter how ratty or bad a Marx engine looks when I see one at a show or an antique store, I bring it home, put it on the track, and "off she goes". Sparking and bobbing around the layout.
Don McErlean
I’ll have to figure out how to post some pics of my Marx train set
Some, not all, of my Marx pieces. How many times have I regretted giving my Marx sets to neighbor kids in the '80s so, they too, could run trains of their own. Sounded great at the time, then found out how they really tore them up and parents threw them away. Oh well...….. I do have quite a bit more, but only have inventory pics, and to show everything would be too much...… I enjoy anything in O Gauge. From Bing and Hafner, to Marx, KLine, Lion, MTH, Atlas, Williams, Weaver, AmFlyer Pre, Unique, and more. It is all TRAINS!!! And run on the same layout!! All diff makes from many diff years for the past 100 years...…… Hope to have more display pics, but need to do a lot of work on layout scenic and ballasting.
Jesse
texastrain posted:Some, not all, of my Marx pieces. How many times have I regretted giving my Marx sets to neighbor kids in the '80s so, they too, could run trains of their own. Sounded great at the time, then found out how they really tore them up and parents threw them away. Oh well...…..
Jesse
That's a nice collection you have there!
John
JBuettner: Thanks for posting the pictures of the Marx toy factory. In another segment we were talking about the dilemma of Schrodinger's Cat and I have that dilemma with my Marx factory. It sits on the shelf in an unopened box and I have debated with myself for years about what it looks like and whether or not I should open it...NOW I at least know what it looks like.
Thanks ! Don McErlean
JBuettner posted:texastrain posted:Some, not all, of my Marx pieces. How many times have I regretted giving my Marx sets to neighbor kids in the '80s so, they too, could run trains of their own. Sounded great at the time, then found out how they really tore them up and parents threw them away. Oh well...…..
Jesse
That's a nice collection you have there!
John
Agreed. I love the New York central F-3’s. Been looking for a pair or just one for about a year now. Marx made in my opinion the best F-3’s, don’t get me wrong, Lionel had a great highly detailed line of F-3’s too. But Marx was the best because of all the different road names and beautiful toy like appeals. And that could be said about every toy they made too. That’s what made Marx the toy king.
Trainfam
Don McErlean posted:JBuettner: Thanks for posting the pictures of the Marx toy factory. In another segment we were talking about the dilemma of Schrodinger's Cat and I have that dilemma with my Marx factory. It sits on the shelf in an unopened box and I have debated with myself for years about what it looks like and whether or not I should open it...NOW I at least know what it looks like.
Thanks ! Don McErlean
Hi, Don,
I got mine in a roughed up original box with the original instruction sheet about 10 years ago at Seaside Hobbies in Bethany Beach, DE, during a vacation. Traded some trains, got some store credit for them, and picked this little dandy up along with some other things. As it turned out, I think it is mostly complete and in great condition. There are 5 or 6 other figures with it as well as other little pieces such as, hand trucks, crates, etc.
The ****ed thing about this COVID-19 is that I can't go out now, hunt and find all these little toy treasures at train shows and shops. But I can bring out the stuff I have stored in my own collection. I like used books stores and trading old books in for credit towards others--can't do that now, either!
John
J.Buettner: Ha! had to laugh, you and I seem to be in the same place. Most of my recent posts to OGR forum are actually "finds" from my storage area that I haven't touched for about 10 years (our last move into this house). So I am "discovering" all kinds of neat stuff that I had forgotten I had!
Don
Here’s one of my more obscure Marx accessories, a number 403 marker light. I was lucky enough to find one with its original box and original light bulb. Take a look:
Trainfam
TrainFam: Now that is a cool accessory. I consider myself reasonably familiar with Marx and had never even seen a 403 marker light. Neat find!
Last Sunday, for "boxcar Sunday" I posted my 999 with a string of Marx boxcars. Sorry for the repeat but thought I would post it here to for us Marx fans!
Red B&0 and Blue B&O both from 60's, Orange S.F.R.D. Santa Fe from the 70's and a Green Great Northern from the late 50's.
and a Tuscan PC (twisted worms) from the 70's.
Don
Ive always have had a love for the 999 and Marx boxcars. They were simple like a toy should be, but also strong had a great motor! And the boxcars have great details. On top of all of that they are dirt cheap, I recently purchased a 999 with its tender for a grand total of only $29.99. Great deal if you ask me. Thanks for posting!
Trainfam
@TrainFam posted:Here’s one of my more obscure Marx accessories, a number 403 marker light. I was lucky enough to find one with its original box and original light bulb. Take a look:
Trainfam
I have two on my layout.
Steve
@Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:I have two on my layout.
Steve
They are one of my favorite Marx accessories, besides the 434 target signal.
Trainfam
Here’s yet another obscure accessory, the number 0218 automatic crossing watchman:
Trainfam
I've posted this shot before, but I like it. A stainless clad CV, now Crusader pulling a modified to 4 wheel, lead M car with lights loosely strung though the windows between cars; one shoe for all lights
.
I pulled anything not Marx off the tracks today too 
Tin Mania 
Oh, on Hafner, before Marx got into them,(p#1) Wyandotte had the line.
I want a Wyandotte Indian head streamliner shell; to re-power if need be. Let me know before you toss one; I'm not too picky 
Headlight optional 🤔
Here’s a interesting find that you definitely don’t see everyday, a Marx prototype of the number 234 army caboose! It appears that a factory worker took a regular red caboose and hand painted olive drab with the army star and number 234. You can still see the grease pencil on the roof, but it’s hard to make out what it says. Take a look:
Trainfam
I posted this one awhile back in one of the other OGR threads but since we're talking just Marx I thought I'd go ahead and re-post it here.
What great pictures...Trainfam: The prototype Army caboose is a find, just finding the caboose itself is hard enough!
Robert...great picture. You obviously sure do like the 10961-10976 Fruit Growers Express yellow refers. Lots of cool cars... I see you have a brown "Route of the 400 Streamliners" from 1938-39, I have the orange variant. There is rumored to be a blue and a yellow variant as well, 4 colors, one year of production, not like Marx to waste that kind of money.
Don McErlean
@Robert S. Butler posted:I posted this one awhile back in one of the other OGR threads but since we're talking just Marx I thought I'd go ahead and re-post it here.
What a beautiful array of boxcars that you have Robert, it’s just like a bokay of flowers.
Trainfam
@Don McErlean posted:What great pictures...Trainfam: The prototype Army caboose is a find, just finding the caboose itself is hard enough!
Robert...great picture. You obviously sure do like the 10961-10976 Fruit Growers Express yellow refers. Lots of cool cars... I see you have a brown "Route of the 400 Streamliners" from 1938-39, I have the orange variant. There is rumored to be a blue and a yellow variant as well, 4 colors, one year of production, not like Marx to waste that kind of money.
Don McErlean
I suppose that Mr. Marx was having a little bit of a brain fart when he decided to do a one year production And four different colors.
Trainfam
@Don McErlean posted:What great pictures...Trainfam: The prototype Army caboose is a find, just finding the caboose itself is hard enough!
Robert...great picture. You obviously sure do like the 10961-10976 Fruit Growers Express yellow refers. Lots of cool cars... I see you have a brown "Route of the 400 Streamliners" from 1938-39, I have the orange variant. There is rumored to be a blue and a yellow variant as well, 4 colors, one year of production, not like Marx to waste that kind of money.
Don McErlean
I have blue, orange, brown and red Route of the Streamliner cars.
Steve
Thanks Don. I have a complete run of the FGEX reefers - I'm still working on a complete run of the other three - State of Maine, Pacemaker, and Pennsylvania Merchandise.
And now, drumroll please! For the most aggravating Marx toy of all time, the 1404!!!!
Trainfam
Marx buildings and trackside accessories on our holiday layouts.
Haven't visited the photo section of the site in awhile and was excited to see all the posts on this particular thread.
I've always had a soft spot for Marx and have collected a few over the years .
My first experience with model trains was dragging my late Dad's Marx trains out of the attic when I was six years old and him setting them up on the floor of my bedroom and running them for me .That was 45 years ago in 1975. I got my first train set for Christmas that year which I still have .
Unfortunately for some odd reason my dad traded off or sold those Marx train's ,but I can remember they were a 666 steam engine and the solid body Santa -Fe passenger cars,which I have replicated .
I'm just fascinated by all the different combinations/variations of the Marx lineup.
Enjoying everyone of these posts folks !
One of my favorites, the Marx 2002 new haven. Love the new have colors and paint scheme, so when I saw this at a hobby shop, I bought it without looking back.
Trainfam
Just a bulk overview of some Marx pieces in my collection:
Trainfam
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