Recent finds!!

I wanted to include this as well but it had a question attached so I’ll just make it a post here:

1.) Are these Marx Mercury Wind-ups

or

2.) Are these Joy Line (something) Windups

Considering they have the swinging peg- I assume they’re Joy Line? Or some kind of modification. Also- the loco with the green platform is has a different, I believe a bit earlier, mechanism or design than the other. It won’t wind up with the Marx Key , and, if I recall correctly a nail is supposed to be used to wind it up?

Feedback or conjectures are greatly appreciated! Got both of these from my pop, have a feeling he tried to fix the one with the green platform because that was my pop, there were few problems glue couldn’t handle- luckily certain parts of trains fell into that exclusive category. 

StevefromPA posted:

I wanted to include this as well but it had a question attached so I’ll just make it a post here:

1.) Are these Marx Mercury Wind-ups

or

2.) Are these Joy Line (something) Windups

Considering they have the swinging peg- I assume they’re Joy Line? Or some kind of modification. Also- the loco with the green platform is has a different, I believe a bit earlier, mechanism or design than the other. It won’t wind up with the Marx Key , and, if I recall correctly a nail is supposed to be used to wind it up?

Feedback or conjectures are greatly appreciated! Got both of these from my pop, have a feeling he tried to fix the one with the green platform because that was my pop, there were few problems glue couldn’t handle- luckily certain parts of trains fell into that exclusive category. 

They are both Marx Commodore Vanderbilts. The swing peg coupler makes the the earliest versions.

Steve

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

StevefromPA posted:

I wanted to include this as well but it had a question attached so I’ll just make it a post here:

1.) Are these Marx Mercury Wind-ups

or

2.) Are these Joy Line (something) Windups

Considering they have the swinging peg- I assume they’re Joy Line? Or some kind of modification. Also- the loco with the green platform is has a different, I believe a bit earlier, mechanism or design than the other. It won’t wind up with the Marx Key , and, if I recall correctly a nail is supposed to be used to wind it up?

Feedback or conjectures are greatly appreciated! Got both of these from my pop, have a feeling he tried to fix the one with the green platform because that was my pop, there were few problems glue couldn’t handle- luckily certain parts of trains fell into that exclusive category. 

They are both Marx Commodore Vanderbilts. The swing peg coupler makes the the earliest versions.

Steve

Thank you STEVE "PAPA" EASTMAN for the assistance! Much Appreciated. Anybody have any idea hoe to get the one with the green platform & gray/silver inner workings to wind up?

ALSO, my apologies for starting this thread. Didn't realize there was a dedicated person to started one each week.

Sincerely,

Steve

no apologies needed! start a thread when you feel the need!

great looking stuff.

The one with green undersides should take a threaded key.

Steve

Steve is right about the CV with the green floor taking a threaded key - repros are available from Grossmans.  The early wheel governor motors like that aren't typically good runners; the governor weights and wheels are die-cast, and any zinc-pest will cause them to either overspeed or lock up.  Parts to fix the governors aren't readily available.

The other locomotive has had the original wheel governor motor replaced with a later style ratchet motor.  It isn't unusual to find swing-peg bodies with later motors, as the early motors are prone to governor failures as I mentioned above.

The swing peg CV's are 1935 era trains; very soon after that Marx went to the tab & slot coupler and changed the windup motor from the wheel governor style to an early ratchet motor style with an internal governor.  

here's an early Marx screw key...