# Dont know locomotive, Marx 1666



## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

I dont know much about this. It was in my fathers things. It is made by Lionel. Came on a big set. The box is just cardboard with an image of train on it. Runs perfect though. Number on locomotive is 1666. Think its 70's? 

Diesels, nahh I like the classics.


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

*Re: Dont know locomotive*

Diesels, nahh I like the classics.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

While Lionel did make a 1666 locomotive in the late 1940's and early 1950's(?), that one is not one of them. It was made by another company called Marx, which was somewhat of a competitor with Lionel because they made slightly lower end trains that cost less and more people could afford.

Other than that, I only have one Marx locomotive that came in a box of stuff my grandma gave me from an estate sale she went to and I'm more of a Lionel guy, so i'm not really sure when yours was made.

Nice looking piece though!


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

*Re: Dont know locomotive*

Found this one and put two and two together. Still dont know about other one.
Diesels, nahh I like the classics.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I thought it was a Marx, but he said Lionel?
And he has the box?

So I didn't know if it was a Marx, I figured maybe it was a Lionel I never saw.

Does it actually say Lionel on it John?


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

I was looking at the tender.(I figured since it was connected, it went together, looks better on the little tank though) The box is up in attic, thats all I remember. These trains were in one of the boxes I got down. Now for the 2-4-2, I can not find one single marking on the thing.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

john65002 said:


> I was looking at the tender.(I figured since it was connected, it went together, looks better on the little tank though) The box is up in attic, thats all I remember. These trains were in one of the boxes I got down. Now for the 2-4-2, I can not find one single marking on the thing.


You mean 2-4-0?

Here some on e bay, they look the same.


http://www.ebay.com/bhp/lionel-8300


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

The tender must go with the 2-8-0, yes. However i'm talking about the 2-8-2. I can't find a marking on it anywhere.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I thought it might be missing the boiler front but it looks like they came that way?

All the ones on the link in e bay are missing it too.
That is strange.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Some on e bay, search Marx #1666.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marx-1666-Engine-and-Allstate-Slopeback-Tender-/121143190180

I don't know if the Allstate tender is correct for it.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

How about an old commercial for it?


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

The little 2-4-0 is a Lionel locomotive and goes with the ATSF tender. The 1666 is definitely Marx


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

And as Ed mentioned, the 2-4-0 is missing the plastic boiler front piece. That locomotive was made in the 1970's. my grandfather has one in the Cannonball Express set from that time.


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

Yeah, I know it was missing that. Can't hardly find the piece for the right price though.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

That boiler front on the 8300 was very easy to pop off. Mine was gone as well. Got a replacement here but it only comes in gray. Can be painted, just won't match. Spent quite a while trying to find one. 

Carl


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## rdmtgm (Nov 25, 2011)

The 8300 cannonball was my first set as a kid in the early 70's. I still have what is left of the engine. ( My brother and I could be a little tough on our things:eyes. It has a good boiler front, to which you are welcome if you want it. Just PM me with you address and I will send it. Another member of this forum sent me some parts when I needed them and I have been looking for a chance to "pay it forward".
Randy


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

I do know those things were built cheaply, but are pretty decent runners. My uncle even rigged my grandpas up with a tiny lightbulb for a headlight since it wasn't built with one.


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## rrbill (Mar 11, 2012)

Jake, It sounds as if you didn't have a chance.  You came from a family of model railroaders. Lucky you!


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

rrbill said:


> Jake, It sounds as if you didn't have a chance.  You came from a family of model railroaders. Lucky you!


My grandpa didn't get into trains until he was almost retired. That Lionel set was just a toy they got for the Christmas tree. He got into trains in the 80's when someone got him an LGb set for Christmas and it went downhill from there


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## hoo-t (Apr 30, 2013)

Adam (and Big Ed),

Your 1666 is very definitely Marx. I was going to tell you where to find the Marx logo on the shell, so I grabbed one of mine to verify the location. Guess what? I can't find one! I hadn't noticed that before. But, it is definitely Marx. The Marx 1666 came as both a 2-4-2 and a 2-4-0, though most are 2-4-2s. They were sold directly by Marx, and also through Sears stores. The Sears sets would have included an Allstate tender, and maybe an Allstate caboose. The 1666 was a later production item for Marx, so without digging out my reference material, I would say probably mid to late 60s to the end in the mid 70s. Some of these engines also included a traction tire on one of the drivers, and some had "steam chest smoke", which is a sought after item to Marx collectors. The Allstate tender should have the Marx logo on the stamped steel chassis. 

Hope this helps some!
Steve


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

*Re: Dont know locomotive*

Last night I was up in the attic looking for that box. I was up till about 2:30. I gave up on it. This morning I woke up a little bit early so I thought I might go search a little more. After about 3 hours of looking through countless boxes, I saw a white box that said Lionel. I moved the other boxes off of it and there was the Cannonball. No joke, tears came to my eyes. I was so happy to of at least found one of dads trains. Inside the box was whats left of it, except the loco and tender which was in a different box. Then I looked over and saw Marx box. Inside was everything, even the glass bottle that still has smoke oil in it! Only one tractor though. Both tractor trailers, milk car, both flat beds, transformer, and cattle car. I dont know if its worth any money but Im just happy to of found it 



































































Diesels, nahh I like the classics.


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## hoo-t (Apr 30, 2013)

Adam,
You have some SCARCE Marx stuff there! I checked my 2011 Greenberg Price Guide (the most recent), and here's what it says -

smoke bottle $2 - 4 
1666 engine $20 - 85 (depends on stack smoke/ cylinder smoke/ no smoke) no date range given
Caboose $10 - 25, 1956 - 1974
Flat Car with tractors $35 - 75, 1956
GN Stock Car (orange, non-operating) $125 - 200 , 1956,1957,1960,1974
CB&Q Flat with Burlington Trailers $100 - 150, 1957
Milk Car $225 - 275, 1960

The tractor car would probably be less than the minimum due to the missing tractor. But with the values of some others, who cares, right? Based on the date ranges given for the rolling stock, the cars were probably not originally all in the same set.

Congratulations on having a very nice set!
Steve


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Sweet, nice, :smilie_daumenpos:

Now get back up there and look for more. 

Must be like a oven up there in the attic?


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

hoo-t said:


> Adam,
> You have some SCARCE Marx stuff there! I checked my 2011 Greenberg Price Guide (the most recent), and here's what it says -
> 
> smoke bottle $2 - 4
> ...


The other tractor i'm guessing is gone but who knows. I never would of guessed for all of it to be worth close to that amount. Even the milk car :laugh: I guess I don't know how it got different cars with it but i'm fine with it . With the locomotive though, how would I know difference between stack smoke and cylinder smoke?


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

*Re: Dont know locomotive*



big ed said:


> Sweet, nice, :smilie_daumenpos:
> 
> Now get back up there and look for more.
> 
> Must be like a oven up there in the attic?


Last year I put in two fans where the vents are. One on each side of house. Helped a lot. 

Diesels, nahh I like the classics.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Are you by a river?

It was recorded over 100 here today! Heat index over 100!

We might get a break from this oven next week they say.


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

big ed said:


> Are you by a river?
> 
> It was recorded over 100 here today! Heat index over 100!
> 
> We might get a break from this oven next week they say.


If you are asking that from the height of the front porch, no :laugh:. The house sits on quite a large hill. Closest river is about 10miles away from us. I assume the people before us wanted a high porch :dunno: Right now in Iowa, my temp is reading 95. Not quite as bad as yours but warm enough :laugh:


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## hoo-t (Apr 30, 2013)

john65002 said:


> The other tractor i'm guessing is gone but who knows. I never would of guessed for all of it to be worth close to that amount. Even the milk car :laugh: I guess I don't know how it got different cars with it but i'm fine with it . With the locomotive though, how would I know difference between stack smoke and cylinder smoke?


Looking at the pic of your 1666, I can tell you that yours doesn't have the cylinder smoke. You would be able to see the smoke ports sticking out the sides of the locomotive under the steam chests. I have a couple that have it, and to tell the truth, they're not great smokers. It seems you either get smoke from the stack and none from the cylinders, or smoke from the cylinders and none from the stack. I haven't messed with it to try to improve it. 

If I can do it successfully, here's a link to a pic of a Marx 666 with cylinder smoke. The motor and smoke unit would be identical on a 1666 :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8209073798/

No kidding on being fine with the consist!!!! Honestly, it looks as though someone picked out the rarest of the rare plastic Marx and made a set out of them!!!! Man, I'd like to find something like that in my attic! I got started collecting Marx when I inherited my brother's Marx set. It looks like someone picked out the commonest of common Marx tinplate and made a set out of it! And I'm fine with that!

Steve


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

hoo-t said:


> Looking at the pic of your 1666, I can tell you that yours doesn't have the cylinder smoke. You would be able to see the smoke ports sticking out the sides of the locomotive under the steam chests. I have a couple that have it, and to tell the truth, they're not great smokers. It seems you either get smoke from the stack and none from the cylinders, or smoke from the cylinders and none from the stack. I haven't messed with it to try to improve it.
> 
> If I can do it successfully, here's a link to a pic of a Marx 666 with cylinder smoke. The motor and smoke unit would be identical on a 1666 :
> 
> ...


Well whoever did it knew what they were doing :laugh: The locomotive itself runs pretty good. I run it on my new Lionel O gauge. Sparks a little, but still runs nice. I put about 2 drops of fluid in it and she smokes better then my new Lionel. Hope the smokes not real smoke


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

It sort of looked like it was built on pilings like this, with the bottom portion build to break away in case of flooding.

I thought maybe you were by a river.

This is how they are making them rebuild at the Jersey shore now that Sandy blew through.


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

big ed said:


> View attachment 29062
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I suppose if we had a flood of about 67 feet high, I should still be ok :smilie_daumenpos:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

john65002 said:


> I suppose if we had a flood of about 67 feet high, I should still be ok :smilie_daumenpos:


Then you need an ark.


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## hoo-t (Apr 30, 2013)

Hey Adam, if your 1666 is sparking, make sure the wheels (and the track) are thoroughly clean. Thats the major source of sparkage. That being said, I think just about all mine spark at least a little (including the Lionel!)

Steve


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

hoo-t said:


> Hey Adam, if your 1666 is sparking, make sure the wheels (and the track) are thoroughly clean. Thats the major source of sparkage. That being said, I think just about all mine spark at least a little (including the Lionel!)
> 
> Steve


It's the pickups that are causing the sparks I think. The old train don't have the rollers like my new Lionels, just a type of plate that drags on the middle rail. However I'm sure the engine needs to be gone through and redone. However that job's not for me :laugh:


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

Nice little collection you have there. We don't see that much Marx stuff come through. My grandfather had a Marx set, but one of my cousins ended up with it and I haven't seen it in years.


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## john65002 (Dec 30, 2012)

eljefe said:


> Nice little collection you have there. We don't see that much Marx stuff come through. My grandfather had a Marx set, but one of my cousins ended up with it and I haven't seen it in years.


Thanks. My dad also had some older look Lionel HO things, but I was never allowed to touch them. I have no clue wear they are now.


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## Handyandy (Feb 14, 2012)

I love how my Marx 1666 and 666's smoke. A few drops of fluid and in seconds billows of smoke are puffing out of the stack. Gotta wait a good long time for my Lionel to warm up enough to produce enough smoke to even see.
Marx locos are generally pretty good runners. A little clean-up and lube and they will run as well any new O gauge loco. In the case of some new Lionels (the ones with smoke coming out of the cab!), probably even better! lol 

Clean track, clean wheels and clean center contacts will stop most sparking regardless of brand.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

john65002 said:


> It's the pickups that are causing the sparks I think. The old train don't have the rollers like my new Lionels, just a type of plate that drags on the middle rail. However I'm sure the engine needs to be gone through and redone. However that job's not for me :laugh:



Once you learn how you will see that it is not that hard to do.
All need a service at some point in it's life.
Why waste the money for someone else to do it? You could spend the wasted money on more trains and get the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

As with everything else, the first time is the hardest time. :smokin:


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## jimtone (Nov 11, 2014)

*marx 1666 side/chest smoker*

Have any of you worked on the chest smoke unit that came on some of the 1666 locomotives? I have a couple with that model smoker and both have the same problem, the drive wheel pushrod that connects to the piston that pumps the smoker is broken where it is welded to the angled piece that attaches to the piston. I guess this was a bad/weak design since it's happened to both of mine. I have all the pieces for one and think I'll drill and rivet them together with brass studs peened over to secure the 2 pushrods? Both the smokers function when the piston is pumped manually and electrified, but the extended pushrod is the problem. Any ideas on a different repair, as I don't want to purchase another original and have it fail in the same way?


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## jimtone (Nov 11, 2014)

I took one to a jeweler that had a lazor welding machine and he was able to reweld the extention that cnnects to the chest piston back to the pushrod for the wheels. I didn't do both because I still think I can peen some brass studs into the joint making it just as strong.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The sparking will stop, just run the engine and the contacts will improve. The sparking may dirty the track so I suggest to clean it later.Clean track and wheels will stop the sparks.


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## jimtone (Nov 11, 2014)

I have four black Marx 1666 with 3 being stack smokers and one being a chest smoker which all have no Marx logo pressed onto the shell anywhere. I have one gun metal grey Marx 1666 that is a stack smoker with the Marx circle X logo pressed onto the steam box on both sides where the pushrods enter. Really strange that the grey shell has the logo while the black shells don't??


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

It's definitely a Marx Loco, and does look exactly like my 1666.
But what gets me, is the OP's photo, the number under the cab look like 999, which it is not. 

Dan


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## teledoc (Oct 22, 2014)

The Marx loco in the original post isn't the 1666. You can clearly read the number 999 on the side of the cab. It may have been put into a box that was marked as a 1666, and possibly in the "Lionel" box, making him think it is a 1666. Two totally different animals, but definitely Marx and not Lionel.


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## jimtone (Nov 11, 2014)

*marx 1666 side/chest smoker*

My info was in response to post #20 and I did understand the 999 has Marx logos. The odd thing is that Marx didn't put Marx logos on the black 1666 loco but it's on every gun metal grey 1666 loco I've seen??


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

teledoc said:


> The Marx loco in the original post isn't the 1666. You can clearly read the number 999 on the side of the cab. It may have been put into a box that was marked as a 1666, and possibly in the "Lionel" box, making him think it is a 1666. Two totally different animals, but definitely Marx and not Lionel.


Problem is I'm sure it's not a 999. It appears plastic, and 999 were cast.
Dan


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Mistake in my post sorry.
Delete please.
Dan


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