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More from Major Matt Mason
Marx #666: Goes Like Hell!
Marx trains were always the low end item in the toy train world. Derided because they weren't as detailed or as fancy as their Lionel counterparts, there's one thing that can be said about 'em: They're darned near unkillable! As can be seen from this (admittedly a tad scruffy) specimen from the 1950s I rescued a month or two back, not only is the light working but it still cheerfully blows smoke some 60 years later (as can be seen by the wisps blowing about)!
Not having a Marx tender for it, I've paired the 666 with another orphan, a Lionel Southern RR tender from the 1970s MPC era. While I'm the first to give Lionel equipment of that timeframe the razz (because, let's face it, the design and build quality was not the best), I do confess to being charmed by the mechanical "choo choo" sound wheel in the tender [similar to this]. Future plans include freshening up the paint on the loco and tender, with big ol' 666 numbers on the tender sides...
Photo © me
Not having a Marx tender for it, I've paired the 666 with another orphan, a Lionel Southern RR tender from the 1970s MPC era. While I'm the first to give Lionel equipment of that timeframe the razz (because, let's face it, the design and build quality was not the best), I do confess to being charmed by the mechanical "choo choo" sound wheel in the tender [similar to this]. Future plans include freshening up the paint on the loco and tender, with big ol' 666 numbers on the tender sides...
Photo © me
Category Photography / Still Life
Species Horse
Size 1280 x 957px
File Size 248.7 kB
My dad had one of those, I think he gave it to me, but did the tender have this rubber wheel thing with gravel in it, that when it rolled along the center rail would make the gravel roll about and make it sound like a real train? (kinda sound like a real steam engine) ?? Trains were never a big thing for me, neat n all but not super cool. But well this image perked my curiosity as the engine looks so familiar.
Oh, my I'll have to go looking for this one. I know it came with lots of accessories at the time and remember playing with it when I was a little one. Dad Kept it in good condition and I'm pretty sure kept most of the parts. I got it with several cars, and a full oval worth of track and that ugly brown speedcontrol power box that would make today's fire-marshals squeamish. I'll have to go looking, see just what sort of find I have.
It is indeed! And the 666 is one of the more collected Marx engines...
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Marx-Steame.....1234906/g.html
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Marx-Steame.....1234906/g.html
According to a group of historians, through the auspices of BBC documentaries service, the number got changed sometime early in the copying process.
As shown in the oldest surviving copy, Caligula was the emperor at the time of writing and not Nero and his number was 616 and not the 666 of Nero.
As shown in the oldest surviving copy, Caligula was the emperor at the time of writing and not Nero and his number was 616 and not the 666 of Nero.
Not exactly, no.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDgwWDY0M.....5VSS5c/$_1.JPG
The drum is sealed, with a spoonful of gravel inside. When turning, the gravel tumbles off paddles along the inside circumference, giving a fair approximation of a chuff-chuff sound.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDgwWDY0M.....5VSS5c/$_1.JPG
The drum is sealed, with a spoonful of gravel inside. When turning, the gravel tumbles off paddles along the inside circumference, giving a fair approximation of a chuff-chuff sound.
Oh, I've had an interesting experience with one of these "toys" when I was working at the museum in my hometown.
The little monster was only brought in because it was a complete set, but we only needed the engine to pull any of the trains. As it turns out, not only it didn't like the trains it had to pull, but it would manage to detach itself from the Lionel tender and train while on the move. The lil' twerp would take off racing down the circuit until it either was stopped or it crash into the train it was supposed to pull.
I never seen an engine fight back in my life. The next time I see 666, I think of that lil cheap Lionel wannabe.
Anyway, nice engine.
The little monster was only brought in because it was a complete set, but we only needed the engine to pull any of the trains. As it turns out, not only it didn't like the trains it had to pull, but it would manage to detach itself from the Lionel tender and train while on the move. The lil' twerp would take off racing down the circuit until it either was stopped or it crash into the train it was supposed to pull.
I never seen an engine fight back in my life. The next time I see 666, I think of that lil cheap Lionel wannabe.
Anyway, nice engine.
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