# 1946 Marx 999 engines



## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Can anyone tell me what style Cattle Wedges(?) were offered on the Marx 999 engines in late 1946 or prior? I understand that there are about 4 changes to them depending on the era over the 40's and 50's including Open Spoke, Embossed Spoke, Flush Rivets, Raised Rivets etc... I am trying to locate a replacement to my fathers set but he cannot recall the type it had. 

Thanks


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Here is a link to the Guru of Marx. Walt has it posted, or can probably tell you in an email.

Dan

http://www.toyandtrainguides.com/marxtin.htm


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## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Thank you Panther. Very interesting site. Can you help me to contact Walt or is he the moderator for the site? Basically, my question is which type of 999 was offered from 1946 and earlier. If there were production dates it would help.


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

Open spoke was made in 1941, 1942, and part of 1946. Closed spoke was made in 1946. The plain pilot was made from 1947 to 1959. The problem was that the pilots (or cowcatchers) were breaking off, so Marx revised the design. Marx hated changing designs, so the problem with breakage was significant.


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Dave has the chronology for the modified cowcatcher.
Yes Walt owns the site, and his email should be at the bottom of the page.

This is his Email.

[email protected]

Dave, Maybe you could help me out on a source for detailed Marx graphics ?
I make my own decals, but hand duplicating the graphics can take days.

Dan


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

Yes, re-drawing the Marx graphics yourself does indeed take days. I don't know of anyone producing them commercially. What I've done when I've needed to is get the best picture I can of the car I need (Ebay listings can sometimes be good for that), size it to fit, then print the portion I need for my project.


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## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Dave,

Thanks! Narrowing it own to those two types is a great help. Looks like the hardest part will be finding one as I understand they are fairly rare. Any chance I might locate a source for a replacement box too? 

Charlie


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

Yes, the open- and closed-spoke variants are pretty rare. They weren't made long and many of them broke and were discarded, so it will take some patience but they are out there. In the meantime you could get a plain-pilot one as a cheap stand-in until you find the one you're after. Those can sell for as little as $10. And then you'll have one you can run from time to time without any fear of damaging it.

Replacement boxes were being made for a while but that source went under about 10 years ago. The big boxes intended to hold 3,200 baseball cards work reasonably well though, and they're cheap.


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## ERIE610 (Jan 19, 2015)

*Better Box Storage.*

Hello. As Dave Farquhar pointed out the 3200 count baseball card boxes work well. However I have had better luck with the 5000 count boxes. BCW sells their Monster 5000 box on Amazon. I usually buy the 25 count pack for $89 & free shipping. Cost per box is quite a bit less than buying single boxes. Hobby Shops carry them for $5-$6 plus tax. They are easily modified to fit ones needs for their particular Locomotives & rolling stock. I acquired a Marx 999 a while back but have not done any testing yet. 


HOPE THIS HELPS


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## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks everyone for all the support. So much helpful information is allowing me to move forward. I will look for the baseball card boxes mentioned. Was hoping for an original like he had and a reissue would have been just as well. Another question has prompted at this point. If I were to locate a shell for a 999 open spoke, would any 999 engine fit it or are there issues with some?


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

Sure, a motor from a later 999 would fit in an early 999 shell if you found one.


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## franktrain (Nov 12, 2015)

Here's a early 999 I was working on.


franktrain


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Here are a few of the restored Marx Locomotives I've done recently. The graphics are all hand done. No photo enhancements. Hours involved getting them right.

Dan


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Dan


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## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Wow!! All those look like brand new!! franktrain, do you have a replacement for that damaged wheel? My father and I are going to enjoy bringing this set back to presentable condition. I placed a bid on a 999 Open Spoke this week but already was outbid. It's a good thing too because my father said his was actually the closed spoke. Hoping to locate an open spoke within budget that we can nurse back to health. Any recommendations where I can search for correct paint, decals etc?? Panther, regarding the track color, is that the natural color or is it just the way the light is landing on it?


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## ERIE610 (Jan 19, 2015)

Hello KidSteamer. My local Craigslist has this Marx 999 for $20. It looks to be the closed spoke design. It may be a stretch but sometimes C-List sellers might ship a smaller item like this. Link shown below. Let me know if this Link works please.

LATER

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/tag/5384124453.html


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## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Thank you ERIE610...but that appears to be the raised rivet type isn't it? I was referring to the open spoke type pilot at the front. I tried to attach a photo of what I am looking for but looks like I need to learn to navigate in here better. Besides, I may have worked out a deal with one who has one already.


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

I make my own tracks by using original Marx track, then I make extra wooden ties. First I spray the tracks with Rust Primer. That gives them the rusted look of real tracks. Then I use a sponge sanding block to remove the primer from the top of the rails to allow for electrical transfer.
The extra ties are painted ahead of time then epoxy to fix them to the track. Then the 3 metal ties need to be hand painted flat black.

The shells and the motors are completely disassembled, cleaned, the metal shell parts are glass bead sandblasted, the shiny parts are re-chromed, the paint is Lacquer,. that is then baked at 220 degrees for 30 minutes. After the shells are assembled, the entire shell, inside and outside is coated with 3 or 4 coats of Semi-Gloss Deft lacquer. That hides fingerprints, and seals the decals.
Plus if you happen to get a scratch, it's the clear coat, not the paint.
I add a little bit of ego, inside the shell I put a decal like the photo.
I tell my kids, in 50 years, they will discover the decals and say if you find one with the decal inside it's very rare.
Also a photo of a restored motor.

Dan


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## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Just beautiful.


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

Dan, do you do a complete teardown and rebuild on the motors? It looks like it.

Oops, I see in your post you said you do. I need to read more carefully!


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## franktrain (Nov 12, 2015)

KidSteamer
I dug out my 999's.and took some photo's. You can see the progression to the plain pilot.
Also have a closed spoke set with box i'm pretty sure its authentic and not put together.
For Marx parts check out Robert Grossman.
http://www.trainpartsformarx.com



























































Frank


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

I've yet to see an open spoke 999 for sale.
Franktrain, I always thought those cars with your spoke 999 set were later cars. 
Yet they are with the early 999 spoke Locomotive. 
Did those style cars come later ?

Dan


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## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Here is one I found without an engine. ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391367430458?_trksid=p2055359.m1431.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT







here


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

Go for it! Marx motors aren't expensive.


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

Panther said:


> Franktrain, I always thought those cars with your spoke 999 set were later cars.
> Yet they are with the early 999 spoke Locomotive.
> Did those style cars come later ?


Dan, those cars were introduced in 1941, and were made for a few years after the war as well. They were intended to be sold with 999s, but sometimes you find them with other locomotives. Marx had trouble making enough 999s early on so they would substitute other locomotives like a 391 to pull them.


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## KidSteamer (Jan 31, 2016)

Dave, I already won a bid on a closed spoke which is what my father actually had. It should be arriving by mid week. After seeing the boxed set that franktrain attached above I am concerned if my father bought the right set as his transformer was different with a red lever to the side and 4 terminal posts. The set shown is different as well as a few of the cars. I am going to post a new thread with a photo of it in the (hopefully) appropriate location on the board to see if anyone can help me narrow down what model/set it actually is that he got and if it would have been available in late 46 when he got it for his birthday or Christmas.


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## franktrain (Nov 12, 2015)

Here is the 1946 Sears Christmas catalog. Shows a 999 set with open spoke but its hard to tell black and white.
I do not believe there are any guides for Marx train sets you would need to look thru old store catalog. This Christmas catalog site is great for looking up sets check out 1946.

http://www.wishbookweb.com

franktrain


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Have you seen Walt's site. He has some paper.

Dan

http://www.toyandtrainguides.com/marxtin.htm


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

franktrain said:


> Here is the 1946 Sears Christmas catalog. Shows a 999 set with open spoke but its hard to tell black and white.
> I do not believe there are any guides for Marx train sets you would need to look thru old store catalog. This Christmas catalog site is great for looking up sets check out 1946.
> 
> http://www.wishbookweb.com
> ...


Greenberg did publish a book on Marx sets back in 1991, but that was long before Ebay so there's a lot that's surfaced over the last quarter century that isn't in it. Unfortunately the authority on Marx sets, Tasker Brush, never published what he knew about the sets before he died.


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Franktrain;

Why does the last 999 in your photo appear larger than the rest ?

Dan


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## franktrain (Nov 12, 2015)

Panther said:


> Franktrain;
> 
> Why does the last 999 in your photo appear larger than the rest ?
> 
> Dan


Dan,
It does look bigger I'll try to get another shot of the two.
Frank


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## franktrain (Nov 12, 2015)

franktrain said:


> Dan,
> It does look bigger I'll try to get another shot of the two.
> Frank


I looked at them, they are both the same size the shiny black one may have been a repaint and the front cow catcher is dinged on the corners making it look smaller.
frank


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