Marx Mercury

[Anonymous]

I have a “Marx Mercury” that I have no idea how old it is, can someone tell me how or where I can go to find out it’s age?
Also, does anyone know where I can get parts for this train? Since it’s electric I’m not finding much. Specifically I need to replace the flint wheel and flint, as well as a few sets of wheels on the tin cars.
Thanks in advance for your help![:D]

[Dave Farquhar]

Off the top of my head, I'm thinking the Mercury was introduced in the late 1930s and produced until about the mid 1950s. The cars will give more clues to its age. If they have 8 wheels, they're 1942 or earlier. If they have a red base, they're 1942 or earlier. If they have a black base, they're 1945 or later. It's always possible they weren't all purchased at the same time, but the age of the cars is a decent indicator of the engine's age.

For parts, the best bet is probably Robert Grossman, at www.trainpartsformarx.com . Ameritrains (www.marxtrains.com) would have some parts for the cars but probably nothing for the locomotive, so Grossman is the better bet.

[Anonymous]

I just checked out the engine and the cars. There are a total of 6 cars and they connect to each other via a pin that you pick up and drop thru a plate coming off the car in back of it. The first car is smaller then the rest and has 2 pins, one for the car in back of it and the other to connect to the engine. The entire train is kind of an olive drab but the inside of the cars is a darker olive drab. Each car has 1 set of wheels that sit about ¾ of the way back. The cars are all marked with “NEW YORK CENTRAL” but aside from the first car which is one only one with just those markings, the other cars are named” 1 – U.S. Mail/Baggage, 2 – Chicago, 1 – Cleveland and the last car is Detroit. The last car has a rounded end with 2 red jewels mounted at the top sides. Does this help date it? Would a picture help?

[mersenne6]

Sounds like you are describing the Marx model of the NYC Mercury streamline consist. According to my Marx guide the olive drab version was 1940 production only. However, the motor used in that set was used in a lot of other Marx trains before and after 1940 so even if you can't find a parts dealer you should be able to scour the junk boxes at your local train meets and find a beater with a motor you can use for spare parts.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone