Plastimarx (Marx of Mexico)

Very interesting, and Marx l have not seen or ignored because l thought it was the common six inch, or US made accessories, not collected. I would guess little of that got north of the border and into the heartland.

Very nice and interesting.  I am tracking down bits of Plastimarx history and I note that some employees of Plastimarx claim they WERE a subsidiary of Quaker Oats.  This makes sense because in the days before NAFTA (1994) Mexican production was indeed made in Mexico and Plastimarx manufactured Fisher Price toys.  Note that FP was also a subsidiary of Quaker Oats.  I can only offer 'internet' proof, so additional confirmation would be useful.  Quote from a 1996 News Article:

  http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgu...85-new-trade-office/

"My commitment is only from Arizona to Mexico, not the other way around,” said Barreiro, who has worked for Plastimarx, a subsidiary of Quaker Oats Co....

Not my photo, but I do have one of these gondolas.

A few recently sold on the Bay

Gold loco and tender

Black gondola

Brown gondola

I've only seen a few variations of Plastimarx trains, on Ebay .  It's nice to know this tinplate brand adorns collector's shelves, as pictured above. I'm proud of the little collection  I put together.  Then again................the black gondola, the red gondola, and blue / silver boxcar would look  good  with my  8 piece consist.

-Digging a bit more, we find that Diaz Barreiro was listed as a licensee of Marx at a plant in Mexico City from 1952 -1957.  According to the news report, 1958 (late 1957) would be the incorporation and registration of Plastimarx.  Around that time Plastimarx (with some Marx Ownership) began making toys for Fisher Price for pre-NAFTA sale in Mexico.  The Fisher Price transaction appears to be the catalyst for the formation of Plastimarx.  Louis Marx's ownership in Plastimarx  was sold to Quaker Oats, according to Barreiro.  Note that at the time, Quaker Oats owned Fisher Price, so the addition of Plastimarx was a good fit.  Quaker became disillusioned with the toy business, stopped making trains in 1974, closed Erie and Girard in 1975 and sold Marx to Dunbee-Combex-Marx in April 1976.  I assume the Plastmarx ownership interest went with the sale, because 1979 is the last year of registration and Dunbee-Combex-Marx  files for bankruptcy in early 1980, closing the last plant at Glendale.

A couple of the Plastimarx sets in my collection...

Thought this one was a little over the top for price but it is pretty rare.

1st one I have seen.

Jim, that observation car is more likely a US-made Marx prototype or preproduction sample... note the unpainted truck facades & windows and the Marx logo at the rear. Plastimarx had a different logo. Marx also made a coach. Both are considered quite rare.

  Can someone grab an overhead shot of the plastic couplers? And maybe a close shot of wheels/axles?

   I have a couple of small plastic cars, with plastic wheels and couplers I have never been able to ID. I recognise my couplers as something older and cheaper but cant recall who made them. The wheel sets are nearly too narrow to be O. They barely stay on the track. I was really surprised the actually worked. Wide treads though so they do. 

  I cant post pictures right now, not enough charge to unplug  Boy I miss  real computers  I only bought into the phone bit because so many folk claimed it was nearly a godsend... Now I don't think they had enough experience to know the difference 

Underside of the observation car...

Chuck Gayle posted:

Jim, that observation car is more likely a US-made Marx prototype or preproduction sample... note the unpainted truck facades & windows and the Marx logo at the rear. Plastimarx had a different logo. Marx also made a coach. Both are considered quite rare.

Papa has a set with these NYC pass cars. Not sure if he said it was Quaker Oats or Plastimarx.

Jim O'C posted:

Chuck Gayle posted:

Jim, that observation car is more likely a US-made Marx prototype or preproduction sample... note the unpainted truck facades & windows and the Marx logo at the rear. Plastimarx had a different logo. Marx also made a coach. Both are considered quite rare.

Papa has a set with these NYC pass cars. Not sure if he said it was Quaker Oats or Plastimarx.

My set has tab couplers and is clearly Mexican Marx. That car has plastic couplers and clearly has a US Marx logo. I did not know it existed until a few days ago. Marx, you just never know.

Steve

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Jim O'C posted:

Chuck Gayle posted:

Jim, that observation car is more likely a US-made Marx prototype or preproduction sample... note the unpainted truck facades & windows and the Marx logo at the rear. Plastimarx had a different logo. Marx also made a coach. Both are considered quite rare.

Papa has a set with these NYC pass cars. Not sure if he said it was Quaker Oats or Plastimarx.

My set has tab couplers and is clearly Mexican Marx. That car has plastic couplers and clearly has a US Marx logo. I did not know it existed until a few days ago. Marx, you just never know.

Steve

looks similar to the 5107 set but with plastic couplers and unpainted windows.

Chuck Gayle posted:

Underside of the observation car...

Also interesting are the "posts" with screw holes under that car. Like a floor could be attached and it would be an 8 wheel car if the fake trucks were removed. Would have made a great set either as 4 or 8 wheel with the FM (Monon) tin diesel .