While I was finding a home for my new postwar Marx set, I decided to take down my other two clockwork Marxies and give them a spin on the layout while the mainline was clear.
First I brought out one of my favorite Marx trains in my collection, a handsome prewar set that I picked up on everybody's favorite auction site last year. It has a matching set of silver litho framed passenger cars with riveted tab and slot couplers.
The locomotive has diecast wheels, a screw-in key and the bent-over start lever indicating a reversible mechanism. I believe that this is a fairly early set from the mid 30s (1935-1938) since the locomotive and cars both have some peculiar features such as three steam domes and round frames.
Here's an elevated view that shows off the cars a little better. I have two Montclairs and one Bogota-- I'm not sure if the earlier passenger sets came with observation cars, but my set doesn't seem to have one.
Here's a video of this lovely silvery set running around my layout-- it runs just as nice as it looks!
And of course, we have to demonstrate that reversible motor too, don't we? I only wound it up partway since the set tends to pick my Fastrack switches and derail when running backwards at full speed.
Here is a more humble offering. Not a real set but a convenient assortment of cars that I often run together. I've had the cars and Pennsy tender for almost fifteen years, they were some of the first O Gauge trains that I bought when I started out in this wonderful hobby. I bought the engine at one of the antique shops in Putnam last year. I was planning on using it for parts but I realized that it could navigate the switches on my layout. I had so much fun sending the little critter scurrying around the mainline that I started dabbling in clockwork for my collection!
Here's a closeup of the locomotive. The Marx Commodore Vanderbilt must be the most common windup train in the United States, but thankfully it's quite a good looking little streamliner. It has stamped metal wheels, two domes and the typical Marx clockwork motor with ringing bell.
Despite being rusty and battered, the whole train still runs like a rabbit. Check it out!
I have a pair of Hafner sets as well, I might put them out on the track next. Tinplate is very addictive you know!
