Marx Train pictures

So I made an offer via the "Make Offer" feature.

Was rejected immediately via the automated response.

Oh well.

Andre

Guys its great that the Marx pictures are showing up and we are even getting some additional folks on the thread.  Rambler Don - I also have that NYC consist with the 333 loco and what always impressed me was the Tender!  That thing is die cast and heavy enough to be a paper weight.  I don't think Marx ever did a better tender.  TrainsRme made a baggage car to go with the consist and he pasted pictures in this thread, check it out it makes quite a contribution to the consist. 

I don't have any additional Marx train items for this week (2 being shipped and 2 auctions finish tonight!) so pictures will come later.  I did however find a Marx item that I really like.  Here are the pictures.  This one right out of a neighborhood garage sale.  Its a "wooden wheel" Marx stake bed truck in fairly good shape.  The paint job is really wild , I know he made these trucks with lots of different type "signs or logos' on the side but this one is plain.  Likely from late 40's (?)

Here is the side vies, note the streamlined frame very 30's although I doubt the truck is that old.  Solid piece, shows play wear but like most Marx toys...it could take it.  Marx logo very inconspicuous, front edge of red stripe under driver's door.

Happy weekend, keep looking fellows I will post my new ones when they arrive.

Don

Don:

Shore do like the toy truck!

All:

Quick question about the Marx 999 engine: Does it have a reversing unit in it? If so, two position?

I honestly don't recall that about my little set I had from '59 to the early 60s. IF I were a bettin' man, I'd bet they don't reverse.

Andre

999 = Two position, forward / reverse

Thanks Frank!

That's good to know!

Andre

Dear me... what have I done?

Just submitted another offer.

It was accepted.

Paid in full and figure it will be shipped come Monday.

Requesting prayers for strength to not let this get out of hand.

Andre

...Andre - They've got you now!!! - "One of the many Marx toys. Have you all of them?"...and everyone on this thread knows how to answer that famous Marx question - "No, but give me some time and I'll see what I can do!" 

Some pics of my "new" 25225 set:

Pretty nifty, eh?

Andre

Great set laming. Great find!!

Don

The Marx 3/16 is my all time favorite. Once you start buying them. Down the hole you go. I just recently finished my collection of them.

I did a video series on them for my channel. I will add links in a bit.

That die cast tender for the 333 is very impressive. 

Thankee, Don, thankee.

Back in my Lionel years, I enjoyed cleaning up and servicing PW pieces that I would acquire, so I'm looking forward to cleaning up this set and making it the best it can be.

My interest in Marx trains (not to be confused with my interest in Marx toys) has always been their litho 8-wheel products. I could see me wanting some of those items, however, I'm very unlearned about things Marx. I have zero interest in the "new" Marx that existed for a time. I would only be interested in genuine Marx litho from their "postwar" era (early 1950s?), and have zero interest in their plastic line of trains.

I would like to start the learning process. Is there a better thread than this picture thread for asking questions about Marx trains?

Andre

Rambler Don:

A link to your video would be very much appreciated.

EDIT: Yes, I could very much me having an interest in a nice looking 333 later on.

Andre

Andre, I think the contributors to this thread can provide you with a lot of information about Marx.

Some other worthwhile sources are as follows:

Walt Hiteshew has done what I think has to be the best guide to Marx Six-Inch Cars and Joy line cars around.  He has a DVD which I see is still available.  See the link below.  

http://www.toyandtrainguides.com/

The old Greenberg guides to Marx are very good and they show up on e-bay from time to time.  

If I remember correctly there is also a Marx interest group out on the web somewhere.  Perhaps one of the other posters can point you to it.

I never really got into the plastic stuff. That is what my father loves though. Here are my main videos I did. You can always check out my channel for other videos. I don't want to look like I'm just pushing folks to get views.

I'd also recommend that DVD catalog. I don't mess with the earlier tinplate from Marx but I got it for the information on Joy Line, my other passion, and it is a very nice catalog.

Marx made some very nice and very affordable trains for the masses. Louis Marx even helped re-industrialize war torn Germany so I've heard. He was very good friends with a General Eisenhower at the time so I think the story is plausible.

On a side note this is why when Ike got elected President, He got extra figurines made of himself and the 1st lady for the Marx Presidents line. No other President had multiple poses, at least on purpose. I also believe Mamie is the only 1st Lady to get a figurine.

Laming: 999 had a 2-position reverse. Key to different versions is the casting of the pilot. There were at least 3 different versions over its run. Rarest is the open pilot with spaces between the stakes making up the cow catcher.

Glad you liked the truck. 

Don

@laming posted:

Some pics of my "new" 25225 set:

Pretty nifty, eh?

Andre

Congratulations a truly beautiful set, which looks to be in great shape. Sounds like you caved in, eh? 

                                                     Trainfam 

Robert:

I agree. This place is fine for me in regards to learning more. I'm not interested in going elsewhere for additional info. I think the group of Marx enthusiasts here are very knowledgeable and helpful, and I like the "spirit" of the exchanges. I was just a bit concerned about hi-jacking this Marx "photo" thread an turning it into a Marx 3/16" thread. I probably need to start a Marx 3/16" litho thread over in the tinplate section so as not to further hi-jack this fun photo thread.

OMG... "Tinplate forum". I just realized: I'm officially a "Tinplater" now!! 

Rambler Don:

Thanks for those links. Very helpful, especially vids 2 and 3. I saw a lot of 3/16" that would be fun to have, some I won't mind if I don't ever have it.

Don:

Thanks for the input. Yup, I like almost all Marx "rolling" toys. I had the Big Bruiser and the Super Crane when I was a youngster and never did wear them out!

TrainFam:

Thanks for the kind words about my new set! After all these years of being an "interested bystander" I did finally "cave-in"!

Andre

This ain't good...

It's in very nice shape and was cheap w/free shipping.

SO... I just had to hit the "Buy It Now" button.

What on earth have I started???

Andre

I got carried away with New Marx a few years ago. Bought tons of it. Finally had to kick that habit. 

Trains aren't the worst vice though. Unlike many other things you can usually at least get your money back if you need to sell something. 

@laming posted:

This ain't good...

It's in very nice shape and was cheap w/free shipping.

SO... I just had to hit the "Buy It Now" button.

What on earth have I started???

Andre

Uh oh.... sounds like someone’s starting a rapid buying spree

@RamblerDon posted:

I got carried away with New Marx a few years ago. Bought tons of it. Finally had to kick that habit. 

Trains aren't the worst vice though. Unlike many other things you can usually at least get your money back if you need to sell something. 

What you said at the end there is true for most collectors, But I just can’t sell anything. I mean don’t get me wrong there are SOME things that I can part with, like my old ho. But when it comes to O and standard gauge, I cannot bring myself to do it. 

                                                    Trainfam

@Don McErlean posted:

Laming: 999 had a 2-position reverse. Key to different versions is the casting of the pilot. There were at least 3 different versions over its run. Rarest is the open pilot with spaces between the stakes making up the cow catcher.

Glad you liked the truck. 

Don

Here's a photo of the different castings. I have a weakness for Marx 999's.

Morning crew!

I don't have a good shot (in the sale pics) of the pilot, but from what I can see, it's the "Rivet Strip" pilot like the 4th from the left. The video I watched last night indicates the engine was made in the late 40s.

A late 40s mfg'er date would be in line with the time chronology of the son being in, or just out of, high school by 1959.

Andre

The 999's were first made 1941 but the war started and production did not restart until after the war. They found that the open pilot was a weak design and started changing the design to make it stronger and more efficient design. Here's a broken open pilot 999.

Here is a Marx steamer you don't see too much - #1829.  It has a wealth of detail, made possible because it was molded of plastic.  A bit bigger than #333, under the hood it is the same.

Laming, congratulations on your score.  Have fun!

A piece that was a component of many sets was the plastic newsstand.  Sorry, these aren't great photos, being grabs from much larger shots - wish I could give you better ones -  but my intent is to show how detailed this charming little item was.  It had clapboard siding, and though it is molded in only two pieces, features "Valley News" I.D., magazines, newspapers and even a gum machine.  Painting it really demonstrates all the detailing on such a small insignificant accessory.

Here is some of my Marx trains

@franktrain posted:

Here's a photo of the different castings. I have a weakness for Marx 999's.

Frank, seems you and me have the 999 bug, I love them. I have two, but would like to buy more when I find the other variants. 

@palallin posted:

Here's three pics of the early '70s Big RailWwork Train in box.  This set is not mint, but it is at least Ex (the box is a little rough on the sides).  It is complete to the inspection slip, has minimal run time, shiny track, and a full bottle of smoke fluid.  There is even a spool of thread for representing wire along the telephone poles!  I don't have time or room to set it up and the moment, but, when I can manage it, I'll post more pics here.

This was my second set.  My grandfather gave it to me for Christmas when I was 7.  It still runs.

TrainsRme:  News stand is interesting. I have a very similar piece including the vendor inside and the magazines hung on the edge but it is plain sided made of wood and fiberboard.  It was sold by Cobler in the 50’s. It looks nearly identical except for color. 

Palallin - great set  I have an example but it’s missing some of the small pieces   I never knew about the thread  what  a find!

Don

Four-wheel hoppers and high-side gondolas.  The Penn is from an early fifties clockwork set, the General Coal is from a prewar Commodore Vanderbilt set, the other two are late fifties.  The green Lehigh Valley one is part of a set that a friend of my wife's gave me.  She and her husband found it in an old farmhouse they bought, and the set needed some hard cleaning, partly due to animal deposits.  

Here's some early style eight wheel Marx with scissor couplers. 

Franktrain, I enjoyed seeing your set.  I never collected any Marx with the scissors coupler.  I believe they were also called one-way couplers, no?   Was that a Marx invention or did Louis perhaps buy it from another manufacturer?  Do they stay coupled well?

Thanks for the look at your really old set.

TrainsRme / Franktrain :  Yes the "one-way" couplers were pre-war only.  They did couple sort of automatically but the cars had to be placed such the the dissimilar couplers on the two cars matched, hence the name "one-way"  I expect that Marx found them too complex to be manufactured at the price point he wanted and discontinued them in favor of the "pickle fork" couplers in both metal and plastic.  Franktrain - another reason why your set is pre-war is that it is made up of 6" cars with 8 wheels.  Marx only made 8 wheel 6" cars before the war and they were not returned to production post war.  Great set, thanks for posting.

Don

@TrainsRMe posted:

Franktrain, I enjoyed seeing your set.  I never collected any Marx with the scissors coupler.  I believe they were also called one-way couplers, no?   Was that a Marx invention or did Louis perhaps buy it from another manufacturer?  Do they stay coupled well?

Thanks for the look at your really old set.

When clean, with a good spring, they work amazingly well. There are electric uncoupler sections for them as well.

Steve

Another one followed me home...

I think I'm a sucker for low prices and free shipping. 

Was getting ready to blow some major dough on two batch purchases. One had 6 excellent boxcars therein, the other 8 cars (all the gons and 2 LNE hoppers), all very good condition. Fortunately, I was outbid in the last second shootouts.

The temptation on the boxcars: Had I won, all that would have been needed was the NYNH&H car and I would have had all the desired cars that are on my long list. (And one I wasn't interested in that I was going to peddle to one of you suckers... I mean enthusiasts. You know, to help defray the costs.) 

The gons/hoppers I would have retained 5, and peddled the other 3.

Frankly, I'm kind of glad I didn't win on the batch bids 'cause it would have about blown my monthly hobby allowance, but man, those boxcars were in EXCELLENT condition, and I understand the LNE hoppers are pretty hard to come by.

Andre

Here's the ones that got away.

The boxcars...

The gondolas and hoppers...

Andre

First of all, I'd like to thank you for all the "likes" you've posted.

Here are a few more 3/16 scale cars.

TrainsRMe & others...

Add me to the "Like" list, as well as you others that have been sharing pics here. I keep forgetting to hit the heart icon button.

Andre

Laming, I noticed you have started a Marx Q&A thread "Marx 3/16" Litho Thread".  That should be helpful to anyone who wants to know more .  There are some experts here.

Marx made only the three metal scale tank cars shown above.  I liked them very much and just had to have more.  Here are some customs.