Marline Marx Train. Help with Identification please.

[Anonymous]

Hi I'm new At This. I am Currently Designing A Website Featuring Toys From The 1960's. But I'd Like To Feature model trains Sets, And Locomotives As Well. Does Anyone know Where I Can Buy Model Train Sets below Wholesale For resale On My Website. Any And All Answers Will Be Greatly Appreciated. As I Am very Enthusiastic About The Prospect.
Lamont

[Anonymous]

In response to your request for the difference between 4-wheel and 8-wheel cars, here's a rundown on all the basic types of Marx cars that there are. Any Marx car will be grouped under one of the following headings, which is one of the first steps in identifying Marx trains.

Six-inch:
These tinplate cars are called six-inch, obviously enough, because they are all six inches long. Most are 4-wheeled, although during the 1930's, a few were made with 8 wheels, which are more valuable. Most of these cars have black bases like this caboose, but the earliest had black and white bases and some others were made with red or silver bases. All of these are more valuable than regular black ones.


Seven-Inch:
These cars are all seven inches long. The variety of seven-inch cars is nowhere near that of the six-inch ones. There are only a few different types of these, but there are still some that are worth more than others. Some of these were made with 8 wheels as well, but unlike six-inch cars, having 8 wheels doesn't make them rarer or more valuable.



Three-Sixteenth Inch Scale Cars
These tinplate cars are more highly detailed than the six-inch or seven-inch ones. They are called the 3/16" cars because, while they run on O gauge track, they are actually built to the size of S scale, in which 3/16 of an inch is equal to one foot.


4-Wheel Plastic
These were the cheaper plastic cars made by Marx. Rather than having actual trucks on them, plastic simulated trucks hung down on the sides and held 2 wheels on each end. Later on, in the 1970's the fake trucks were painted black to look more realistic.



8-Wheel Plastic
These cars are like the 4-wheel ones, except they have 8 wheels in trucks like a real train.

[lionelsoni]

It's "bogie" in England and "truck" in America. Marx made cars with 4 wheels, but put them behind not very convincing sideframes to try to make them look like trucks.

There are virtually no 4-wheel american prototypes, even if you go back to the early part of the nineteenth century. The most modern 4-wheel cars are the TTOX "front runner" spine cars, which I haven't seen now for several years. See http://www.ttx.com/ttxdb/detailallcar.asp?Recordsetallcars_Action=Find('ID','480')&Recordsetallcars_Position=FIL%3AORD%3AABS%3A50KEY%3A480PAR%3A

[daan]

Mary, an 8 wheeler has 8 wheels, a 4 wheeler has 4 wheels. So an 8 wheeler has 2 boogies (or whatever it's called in english) and a 4 wheeler has 2 rigid axles. 4 wheelers seem to be the odd one out on american layouts, but european pre and postwar brands have an enourmous amount of 4 wheelers.
It's nice to see that a woman is collecting trains by the way. (Not evil meant..)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the great info Dave! [:)]

However I do have another question... How can you tell the difference between and 8 wheeler and a 4 wheeler? They all look the same to me. I do have some Marx cars out in my garage. Picked them up at an auction and figured I could resell them in my showcase at the antique mall. [:I]



Mary

[Dave Farquhar]

Mary, I'd say "cheap" is relative. It depends on how much stuff is in the box and how much money you have to make to make it worth your while. A few months ago I saw a box of broken Marx for $140, which is pretty obviously too much unless there happens to be a rare car in the bottom of the box that can be fixed up pretty easily.

You're fairly safe in working from the assumption that a junker car can probably sell for a couple of bucks, so you can base your definition of cheap on whatever profit you need to make. And it's like all things. Some people may realize their well-worn and long-neglected toy is only valuable as parts and are glad to be able to get something for it rather than just throwing it in the trash. Others think their box of rusty junk with $10 worth of usable parts inside is a priceless antique waiting to be discovered.

You can try to sell them individually, or just sell the lot. Every time I see a parts lot on Ebay, it attracts a lot of attention. Sometimes people bid up the price of the whole lot just because they really want one or two parts.

Intact Marx cars do better, of course. I see common tin cars go for $6-$10, except for the common cabooses. The common tankers and gondolas aren't that much more common than the cabooses, but a freight car is more useful than a caboose to an operator. Prices vary on the plastic cars and the 8-wheel cars. A rough estimate on the common stuff is, again, $6-$10. It's easier to find takers for the 8-wheelers than the 4-wheel plastic cars, generally speaking. For rare stuff, of course, you'll need to consult a price guide or guides. Greenberg has a Marx price guide, last revised in 2001, and O'Brien's guide includes some Marx, last revised in 1999.

Also, there's nothing special about Marx transformers or about Marx track. Marx O34 track is somewhat desirable because no other company made it, but if it isn't in good shape it's going to have to be cleaned up before anyone can use it. From an operations standpoint, Marx O27 track is indistinguishable from Lionel or K-Line O27. Marx switches aren't particularly valuable, but they are very nice for Marx or prewar layouts, since Marx and a lot of O gauge Flyer locomotives have difficulty with all modern switches and all Lionel switches except the 1121.

I guess there's quite a bit to know about Marx after all, isn't there? I think it's worth knowing though, since interest in Marx is growing all the time, and the stuff still turns up pretty often.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dave Farquhar

But I guarantee you, if someone ever offers you a box full of rusty Marx parts cheap, you can pretty easily turn it around. Marx parts are in demand, so a rusty 6-incher can still fetch a couple of bucks, as can parts locomotives. Don't pay a lot for it, but don't turn your nose up at it either.

Hopefully this doesn't sound like a silly question. But, what would be a cheap price for a box full of marx cars or parts? If I ever run across some, I wouldn't want to overpay.

Thanks for the great info!

Mary

[Dave Farquhar]

I'd keep running the ad and keep looking. I look at every train I see for sale locally, hoping for a find. I've gotten some nice stuff at fair prices, and I've seen a lot of stuff priced 10x what it's worth. In the end I come out ahead, and I've ended up with some stuff that isn't worth much, but I like it and didn't pay much for it either.

Personally, I like Marx because it displays well (especially the 6-inch tin cars), it's fun to run, and for the most part is inexpensive. But to find it I have to put up with sometimes seeing rusty or broken Marx 556 cabooses priced at $60 because they're "RARE!" A lot of people grade "rare" and "mint" on a curve. Sorry, I see a 556 every week, and if I were to put out a feeler offering $10 for a perfect 556, I'd get several takers.

But I guarantee you, if someone ever offers you a box full of rusty Marx parts cheap, you can pretty easily turn it around. Marx parts are in demand, so a rusty 6-incher can still fetch a couple of bucks, as can parts locomotives. Don't pay a lot for it, but don't turn your nose up at it either.

[Anonymous]

Sask,

Thanks for the info! I will be sure to pass it along to this guy and let him know the real value of the set.

I mainly run my Wanted ad because I'm an antique dealer, but my husband and I also collect Lionel trains. We only set up track about once or twice a year because there's not enough room in our house for a layout. I mention trains in my ad hoping to get some nice Lionels, but I'd be willing to buy other kinds of trains, if I knew I could make a little money off of them. That's why I was interested to see what this marx train was worth.

And you're right! Trains are not only for boys! They are for girls as well. [:X] The guys at the local train store are always shocked when I bring in trains to fix, or to buy a few. They know of few women who are into trains. Though, they are always nice to me when I go in, and they are happy to help with whatever I ask.

My parents raised their kids on trains, specifically Lionels. We always put a track around the Christmas tree every year. And my parents bought each kid their own personal train. My first one was a Lionel Chessie 8463. I still have it to this day! I wouldn't trade it for anything! [:D]

I will try and stop by these boards more often and post. Seems like a nice place to hang out and chat about trains. [:)]

Mary

[Anonymous]

Mary,

Most of the other posters have been correct in that this set probably isn't worth very much. However, there are some other 4-wheel plastic Marx trains that do have some value besides the army trains. One Marx train set with a 400 engine that is rather desireable is the Marlines set. This was the first 4-wheel plastic style train set that Marx made. It is easy to recognize because the couplings are tin tab and slot, rather than plastic knuckle and the only markings the cars have is the word "Marlines" on the side of each of them. One of these sets can be worth $90-$170, depending on its condition. The set you are wondering about wouldn't be it, though, since the tender is New York Central.

If you are going to be collecting toy trains, you are bound to run into Marx trains quite a bit. I would recommend checking out this website: http://home.comcast.net/~marxtin/site/marxtin.htm It is an excellent source of information about Marx trains. You'll learn a lot about Marx from checking it out and will see what the rarest items are that you should be on the lookout for.

And thridly, welcome to the forums. There's a great group of people on here that are very knowledgable about different aspects of the hobby. If you want to find out anything in the future, be sure to post here. We'd love for you to continue visiting us just to chat about toy trains. Also, it's really great to see a woman in the hobby! Who says that trains are just for boys?

QUOTE: Originally posted by choochin3

"Some people think their stuff is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars because it's old. Unfortunately just because it's old doesn't mean it's worth lots of money. "
This is very common,I once seen a really beat up and rusted Lionel Scout tender with a price tag of $40.00! I just started laughing right in the middle of the store![(-D]

Oh yes, choochin3, I've been there! One antique store near me has a box with a badly melted Scout engine and tender and some rusty O27 track for $100. This summer when I went to Minnesota, an antique store in Stillwater, where Elliot lives, had a Lionel set consisting of a 249 engine, tank car, hopper car, cattle car, O27 track and a couple of light towers that was on sale at 50% off...only $2499, regular $4999. These are just a couple examples of outlandish prices that I've seen.

On the other hand, there are also a lot of idiots out there that think trains are worth much less than they actually are. Take my excellent boxed postwar Lionel military set that I got for less than $300 Canadian or the rare 1920's Bub clockwork set that cost me 20 bucks at an upscale antique store!

[choochin3]

"Some people think their stuff is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars because it's old. Unfortunately just because it's old doesn't mean it's worth lots of money. "
This is very common,I once seen a really beat up and rusted Lionel Scout tender with a price tag of $40.00! I just started laughing right in the middle of the store![(-D]

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help Stangme. Yes, I was talking with a friend of mine who knows about model trains. He said this set isn't worth much, unless it was painted in an Army Green. I guess it's a special army train that's hard to come by.

Yes, I wonder if this guy is trying to take me down the garden path. He was also trying to get me to buy some Coca-Cola stuff, and some Howdy Doo Dee glasses, that Welch's made back in 1953. He made it sound like they are rare, but I checked Ebay after I got done talking with him. They are only worth about $5 each.

It's amazing the kinds of calls I get from this ad. Some people think their stuff is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars because it's old. Unfortunately just because it's old doesn't mean it's worth lots of money. [xx(]

[Anonymous]

I checked with a friend of mine, this is a very low-end set. anything that marx sold WITH a #400-500 engine was well, cheap. It was an answer to the Lionel scout set in 1949-52. best "guestimate" if box indeed in mint cond, as well as the set, 45-60.00 tops. now this is what I have been quoted. I also was told, check the engine carefully. the mounting part that holds the front trucks(wheels) loves to crack, and the cab roof, the corners chip very easily. caboose, trim is delicate, breaks off easy as well. thats the best I can do. Resale is low ended you would probably make 5-10 dollars profit. sounds to me as if he knows what he is doing. playing you. since he has "other" collectables he probably can not unload the train set, since he took a bath in it. I was also told that this set may have been sold at woolworth/woolco stores. hope this helps

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys!

I haven't seen the box yet. I was lucky to even get this much info out of the man, especially with his wife shouting in the background. She's one of those that has to have her say even while he's talking on the phone... [:p]

He said the box is in mint condition. His parents were sticklers about making him take care of his toys. I think he just wants to get rid of some things, and this is one of them. He was trying to sell me some other collectible stuff (non-trains), but I wasn't interested to be honest.

Anyway I'll try and see if I can get the numbers off those cars. :)

[Dave Farquhar]

Well, any value in the set will be in the cars. The Marx 400 was one of Marx's very, very low-end locomotives. Book value on it is around $30, but I frequently see them go for $12-15. The most redeeming thing about the 400 is that it'll probably run as is without you having to do anything. It was really reliable because the Marx motor was very simple, and most 400s don't have a reverse unit or anything else that can break. To be honest, I suspect 400s, and especially the later 490, are worth the most to people who want the motors to convert old windups into electrics.

See if you can get the numbers off the cars from him. Some Marx cars are worth $2, and a select few are worth a fortune. Tinplate cars tend to be worth more than plastic.

Marx transformers are worth maybe $10 when they work. If you're like most people the track isn't worth much to you, except maybe from a preservationist standpoint. I really can't tell you much about the value of Marx boxes, sorry.

It probably is from the late 1950s.

Some people don't like Marx very much, but the people who like it like it a lot.

I hope this helps some.

[Anonymous]

Mary, I need a litle more information, first off the engine number does not sound right to me. most of the marx engines are numbered 999- 1743. the most widely known is 999, and 1666. tell me about the box, colorful or three colored? white box, red/black lettering? the caboose also is a helpful clue.. what color is it? I check back in saturday evening.. 10/8.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I buy and collect trains, and I recently put an ad in the local newspaper. A guy called me and told me he had a Marx Marline Train set, still in the box. He thinks it dates around the late 1950's. That's when his parents bought it for him.

The box states "Steam Line by Marx, 4612 Electric Train. It's a steam engine with a coal car marked "NY Central." The # on the engine is 400.

He said the box contains, the original track, transformer, and various cars. Does anyone know the value on this set? I'm not sure what to pay for it, and he's not sure of the value either. I think he's trusting me to come up with a number.

If any of you train guys can help me, I'd appreciate it! I'm more familiar with Lionels, and Marx trains have me stumped.


Mary