Marx O-27 set

[mnwestern]

I still have my first train set — a Marx O-27 set from about 1967-68 and was wondering how its collecting value. A few years ago I had someone off me $35 for the entire set. While I understand it is not as valuable as Lionel, it seemed like he would be stealing it at that price, since I've purchased separate freights cars to add to the set at flea markets for $8 to $20 each.
It has the die-cast 2-4-2 UP smoking (still have some of the original smoke oil) steam engine in very good shape (according to a friend who collects and restores Marx) with tender, the Southern auto flat car (purplish-maroom bottom with silver-gray rack) with 2 original plastic autos and 2 original panel van trucks, a blue Erie gondola, a blue B&M boxcar with the more detailed plastic (wheel)trucks, and the orangish UP caboose, as well as the power pack and original box.
T

[Algonquin]

Hi,

I have a copy of Greenbergs Guide to Marx Trains, Vol. III, Sets. I can't find your exact confiuration but a similar set is listed. This guide is from 1991.

Set 52785(A) included a 666 2-4-2 die-cast steamer with smoke, 961 UP sloped tender, 51100 Souther auto carrier with four autos, 51170 blue Erie Gondola, 43461 white PFE reffer, and a 3900 orange UP Caboose.

With the original box, The values are given as $40 in Good condition and $75 in excellent condition.

These values may have change some since 1991. E-bay can be a good source of reference for more accurate values. I hope this information helps.

Regards,

Tim Pignatari

[Anonymous]

The values have gone up considerably since 1991. The values Tim gave would be low now. Whoever offered $35 obviously either knew nothing about toy trains or else was trying to cheat you. Here are the values taken from the most recent Marx guide:

666 steamer: $20 good, $30 excellent
UP tender: $10 good, $15 excellent (slope back)
$5 good, $10 excellent (regular)
Southern Auto-Rack car: $20 good, $40 excellent
Erie gondola car: $15 good, $25 excellent
B.&M. boxcar: $15 good, $25 excellent
UP caboose: $10 good, $15 excellent (orange or orange w/black)
$5 good, $10 excellent (brown)
$25 good, $40 excellent (yellow)

Hopefully this helps you out.