My wife wants a MARX Bunny Train

Tough to find and even harder to finance.

Steve

Yes they are hard to find in good condition, but HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE. 

Pat

Being retired and having nothing to do I have actually been searching for a Bunny train???? I admire your devotion! You may have a hard time.

No Bunny train but I found this interesting remark:

"Apparently in 1935 Marx decided to market a train set for Easter. It flopped! It seems that boys were not interested in a bunny pulling carloads of chicks and ducklings around their train track, and, girls were not interested in trains!
Imagine that! In hindsight, it's hard to believe that this was attempted at all!
In typical Marx fashion, there is more than one version of the set. The bunny engines have either pink eyes with red pupils or blue eyes with black pupils!"

Larry

The bunny train is very interesting because it represents the only recorded example of Louis Marx completely missing the target on a business decision.  Marx was extremely good at what he did, but this was one time he goofed and goofed big.  The bunny train was completely his idea, and by all accounts he became a little obsessed with it.  His marketing and manufacturing people all tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted on putting this thing into production.  It bombed even worse than Lionel's pink train, and as a result there are precious few of them out there.  

We might try to get Mike Wolf to do a reproduction run?

I guess a trip to the York Train Meet may be in order. Thanks for all the great info on the Bunny Train, I know they are rare and hard to find, but that is the fun of the hunt. No pun intended "Easter EGG Hunt". I missed one through the Stout Auctions for $900.00.

Thanks

Pat

Well, I guess that York would be a good place to start looking.

Good luck.

Better get her looking at some expensive jewelry instead!  It's easier to find Blue Comets and State Sets than it is a Bunny Train.  I've been doing this for thirty-eight years and I've only seen two - ever!  Good luck, but if you find one, as shown, be prepared to drop at least $1,500 for a halfway decent example. 

Well, I have been looking for Marx (3/16 and deluxe plastic...no 6 inch, windups,

7 inch, etc.) since the early 1980's and I have seen more than two, but I have known

some noted Marx collectors.  Oddly, I know some women who like the bunny train

and, even, the Girl's Train, which I saw for sale in another state's train shop.  I don't have a bunny train, and don't want one..it doesn't fit my "theme".  In fact, I have seen more than two on eBay over the years....I watch those auctions for price curiosity, in case I blunder on one in an estate auction somewhere, but I would

not keep it.  I have also heard Louis Marx was not happy to be reminded of the

bunny train debacle in later years.  And that he blamed the failure on the short

term marketing window of one day's sale, Easter.  But, how many days a year

is the December marketing holiday?

I hope we get lucky and find a decent one. I know its going to cost me.

Thanks

Pat

Pat, best of luck to you and your wife looking for this.  Something this unusual will be well worth the anticipation and searching, and both the search and eventually finding one may be very rewarding for both of you.  It's a unique, whimsical design, I can understand the interest.  Have fun!

Its fun having the better half wanting a train item more than me. Marx made so many items, its hard to believe a company as diverse as Marx Toys was allowed to go out of business. Too bad the government did not bail them out. 

Pat

I was at a toy show today in Geneva, IL and saw your Marx bunny train. Here's a few photos. The guy selling them was on his way home to California after being at York. He did not seem to concerned about really selling them.

franktrain

Does that tag say $28.50?  Would seem to be a deal if this the bunny train being described above...

look at the tag again. There is a dash after the zero. The train is two thousand, eight hundred and fifty dollars, and isn't in the best of shape.

Reportedly, the seller isn't anxious to sell. Given the rareity of the item, I am not surprized.

Well, I guess it could be worse...she could want an American Flyer Coca-Cola train instead. 

I thought I saw one of these at York...as well as a couple of other uncommon and big ticket Marx items...which I was glad to see, as it means York is still a place to find goodies (if price is no object).  Makes for interesting sight seeing, and a reason to

return...

If you haven't already, you may also want to put  "wanted to buy" ads in the TCA's National Headquarters News and on their online TCA X-Change.  It couldn't hurt, and you might luck out and find someone who may decide to sell their set when they see the ad.

Andy

Pat,

There was a Bunny Express at last years Cal Stewart in Pasadena, California. If my memory serves me right the seller was Chuck Stone. Although, it could have been one of the other guys he sets up with I would give him a call. You can find his number in the TCA directory.

My wife loves the Bunny Express as well, and in 1985 at Cal Stewart I found one for $1,000.00 with most of the box intact. I brought my wife over to take a look and of course she fell in love with it. I asked the seller to hold it for a few minutes while my wife and I talked it over. Since we had only been married a month with all the expenses setting up a household entails, not to mention the fact the price was two thirds of my monthly take home at the time we decided to pass on the set and I notified the seller. That was on Saturday. On Sunday I decided I would surprise my wife with the set for Christmas, and went over to buy it before the seller packed up. Well, I reached the the guys table just in time to watch him sell the set to a friend on mine who was buying it for another guy on the east coast.

Moral of the story, you snooze you lose, and yes I am still looking for a Bunny Express for my wife.

Regards,

Randall

Pat,

If you haven't already, you might check with Allan Miller of The Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum.

Can you have your wife call my wife. 555-555-5555

Thanks for the info. This has been a fun rabbit hunt.

Pat

I'm pretty sure the set pictured above was the same set I saw at York.  An interesting item but the overall look is rather macabre than playful.  I think kids would have nothing to do with this set and could see why it was a poor seller.

I saw a nice "Bunny" set today at the Allentown toyshow. It had an original Marx box with the 3 cars (2 blue, 1 red) and track. The loco did not fit in the box so I am unsure if it was the correct box, and the rabbit would have been boxed separately or if the Bunny should have been in the box in place of the track, but the corregated dividers seemed to fit correctly. If you are interested in the set, please pm me and I wil give you the owner's contact info.

Roland 

Please call me or E-mail me his info, my cell is 304-281-8145, e-mail  patstrains@aol.com.

Thanks

Pat

Maybe Elmer Fudd might have an idea...........

Wow did Elmer like trains

I will get that wrascally wrabbit and his days are numbered, you know its wrabbit season.

I love it, that brings back memories of the good old days when a cartoon had characters you could relate too.

Too bad good ole Louie Marx isn't around to see his lamented debacle turn into a

bonanza!  I, too, know a woman who likes rabbits: live ones hopping through her

yard, stuffed toy ones, and, that one.  (she doesn't think much of the Lionel "Girl's

Train", though..doesn't think "it's realistic"...go figure)

Oh, is Daffy on this forum!

Oh, did Elmer take a look at the Acme Co. web site?

No mail box.  Did Bugs take a wrong turn at ABQ?

Thanks to Roland, I contacted the seller and I purchased the Bunny set today. I paid $2000 and it is worth every penny. He said the Rabbit is C-7-8, with two cars and also includes the 3 car set boxed with track mint in the box. We are getting one Rabbit and 5 cars. This is the best Christmas gift , she is very excited. The forum has made our Holidays Bunny Plentiful ! I will post pictures when we receive the set.

Of course you realize, we want photos! 

Hi Pat,

Congratulations, I am glad that it worked out. It is always satisfying to find the item you have been searching for. An early Merry Christmas to you and your wife and I will look forward to seeing the pictures as well. A 5 car set will be nice! ( I only noticed the 3 boxed cars and the loco), I missed the two extra cars.

Roland

I have followed this thread with amusement, and I'm so happy for you and the Mrs.  Your search really didn't take all that long for something so unusual!

Congratulations on finding the set for your wife.

Its's amazing how the internet has changed this hobby and helps us find items that were made in low numbers or maybe only low numbers exist today.  While Roland saw the set the old fashioned way by attending a show, it was the interaction on the internet that brought it all together.

Jim

I have also been following this thread and glad you found one. A happy wife makes life so much more fun.

Larry

Glad to read that you found a Bunny Train.

I hope your wife will let you play with it.