subject: Collecting Marx Toy Trains [print this page] Collecting Marx Toy Trains Collecting Marx Toy Trains
At the end of Earth War I, in 1919, Luis Marx started a toy business. The firm was called Marx and Corporation and was co-founded by Louis brother, David Marx. The company's motto was to, "give the client more toy for a smaller amount funds." The business enjoyed a long run of success, surviving the both the Excellent Depression and also the second Planet War, before it closed its doors in 1978, six years following Louis Marx marketed the firm to Quaker Oats. Through the Excellent Depression the Marx Organization had over $500,000 in debt, a debt that was far more then covered by its $3.2 million in assets.
As well as various international plants, Marx had 3 plants from the US, two in Pennsylvania, and one in West Virginia. One or more of the places that they sold their toys was in the Sears Roebucks magazine.
Some individuals believe that in the course of its heyday, Marx and Business really marketed far more toy trains then any in the other toy companies. The very first train they marketed was the Delight Line, which they marketed on commission for the Girard Company. Shortly right after his firm commenced selling the Pleasure Line, Louis Marx arranged for the Girard Firm to design and style a toy train specifically for Marx and Company. Eventually the Girard Business was purchased by Marx.
In the marketplace, Marx trains have been noticeable because they have been normally smaller and at a lower cost then those manufactured by the Lionel Firm and American Flyer. The Marx Business intended electric toy trains that featured an open frame motor, this motor features a gear that is fixed to just one end of the axle from the armature. The company seldom varied from this design and style. Post World War II, Marx and Company started out to make trains out of plastic. A lot more costly versions of Marx toy trains included a smoker that heated smoke fluid to create smoke.
Marx trains normally have a copper shoe pickup. On a Marx motor, the center rail pickup, is normally made out of copper strip.
Until the late 1950's Marx manufactured their toy trains with a fat wheel. This fat wheel makes it virtually unthinkable for Marx toy trains to negotiate the switches and crossovers of Lionel tracks.
Older models of Marx trains feature open switches. Marx and Organization made their switches so that the wiring was similar to the wiring in two rail switches. 3 wires, red, green, and black, go straight to the the switch.
The majority of Marx scale freighters featured a a low truck with small wheels. Marx applied a dovetail style for their tilt couplers. Marx tilt couplers are mismatched with Lionel couplers. The tilt couplers had been one single molded piece. In later years, Marx created a single piece knuckle couplers that have to be coupled by hand.
The majority of the original Marx and Firm motors have a metal frame and metal gears. A a couple of their later designs have frames and gears which are made out of plastic. A few of the cheaper toy trains that Marx intended can't reverse, they can simply continue.
