Images(23)

Set, Train

Object number2019.114.1 a-p

Manufacturer Louis Marx and Company (1919 - 1980)

Manufacturer Ohio Boxboard Company

Date1954-1958

OriginPittsburgh, PA

OriginGirard, PA

MediumMetal; Cardboard; Plastic; Applied decoration; Ink; Paper; Rubber

Credit LineGift of Gail and Tom Murphy

DescriptionTrain set that comes with two grey, red, and yellow metal locomotives; grey and red, metal boxcar; black and yellow, metal drop end gondola; grey and red, metal cupola caboose; black, metal transformer; two brown, plastic telephone poles; a metal, silver-colored crossover track piece; 12 metal, silver-colored curved track pieces; eight metal, silver-colored straight track pieces; a paper accessory catalog; paper instructions; decorative cardboard paper piece; cardboard box lid; and a cardboard box bottom. Grey, red, and yellow, metal locomotives. First locomotive has a motor with four wheels on the underside. Both locomotives have sides and top that are flat but designed to look like a diesel locomotive with a cab at the front, a ladder to the cab door, three porthole windows, a number board, and yellow and grey text on the sides. Tops have two horns and three ventilators. Inside of the first locomotive has a light bulb that shines through a headlight in the front. Back ends of both have a drawn on door and a metal tab to connect to another train car; second locomotive has a metal tab on the front end as well. Grey and red, metal boxcar is rectangular with ridges on the top, front, and back; left and right sides are smooth with applied decoration. White and black text on both sides with a sliding door in the middle and the Pennsylvania Railroad logo beside it; each side also shows a ladder going to the top of the boxcar. Underside has four wheels, and the back of the boxcar has a plastic hitch while the front has a metal hook. Black and yellow, metal drop end gondola is rectangular with yellow on the outside and black on the inside, an open top, and four wheels on the bottom. Sides have black text and vertical ridges with two plastic hitches on the front and back ends. Grey and red, metal cupola caboose is rectangular with red sides, a grey roof, and four wheels on the underside. Sides are smooth and have applied decoration to make it look like there are doors and windows; cutouts in the doors on the front and back and the four windows on each side of the caboose. Caboose is hollow on the inside and has a cupola on the roof with two windows on each of its four sides. Plastic hitch on the front end. Black, metal transformer with a black electrical cord. Transformer is rectangular with a metal plate attached to the bottom serving as a base. Top has white manufacturing and informational text along with a silver-colored, metal knob that can be turned to control the electrical current. Transformer's left side has two wires attached to it that connected to a plastic and metal plate; engraved text on the side. Transformer's right side has engraved manufacturing text, a yellow and red circular sticker with manufacturing text, and an opening for the electrical cord. Matching brown, plastic telephone poles have a circular base with two notches cut out of them on opposite sides; raised manufacturing text on bottom of bases. Thin, cylindrical bodies with two crossarms at the top with insulators across the top. Silver-colored, metal crossover track has a black, plastic base with four sets of silver-colored metal tracks going in four directions like a plus sign. Tracks have three rails each. Twelve matching, silver-colored, metal curved track pieces and eight straight pieces are made up of three silver-colored metal pieces lined up together equidistant apart; held in place by three, black, plastic pieces similar to railroad ties. Paper accessory catalog is rectangular with a cover, 30 pages of information, and a back cover. Cover has manufacturing and informational text along with a drawing of training on a track; background of drawing shows a grey-blue sky with mountains. Only first two cars of train visible, a locomotive and a coal car. Signal light directly behind locomotive. Inside pages of catalog show pictures of different merchandise that can be purchased along with a description and price. Middle of catalog features a drawing taking up two pages; shows a two different trains on tracks with mountains in the backgrounds and different accessories that can be purchased from the catalog, such as a water tower and an crossing signal man and building. Back cover of catalog has manufacturing and informational text. Paper instructional handout is a long, rectangular piece folded in half to make a two page booklet with black text printed front and back. Front and back have manufacturing text and instructional information, and the inside has drawings and instructions for different track layouts. Red-brown decorative cardboard paper piece is rectangular with an image of logs standing upright, side-by-side with pointed tops on the front. White and brown cardboard box lid is rectangular and stapled in the corners. Manufacturing and informational text on top and sides of lid. Brown cardboard box bottom is rectangular and stapled in the corners; manufacturing text on sides and bottom.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth (a): 2.875 x 8.75 x 2.188 in. (7.3 x 22.2 x 5.6 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (b): 2.875 x 9.313 x 2.25 in. (7.3 x 23.7 x 5.7 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (c): 2.813 x 8.688 x 2.063 in. (7.1 x 22.1 x 5.2 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (d): 2.375 x 8.563 x 2.063 in. (6 x 21.8 x 5.2 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (e): 3.313 x 8 x 2.063 in. (8.4 x 20.3 x 5.2 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (f, not including cord): 3.5 x 4.563 x 4.875 in. (8.9 x 11.6 x 12.4 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (g,h): 7 x 2.125 x 1.563 in. (17.8 x 5.4 x 4 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (i): 0.438 x 7.75 x 8.75 in. (1.1 x 19.7 x 22.2 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (j): 0.438 x 10.75 x 2.75 in. (1.1 x 27.3 x 7 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (k): 0.438 x 9.375 x 2 in. (1.1 x 23.8 x 5.1 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (l): 4.25 x 6.188 x 0.125 in. (10.8 x 15.7 x 0.3 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (m): 11 x 8.5 in. (27.9 x 21.6 x 0 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (n): 1.75 x 4.563 in. (4.4 x 11.6 x 0 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (o): 14.25 x 16.875 x 3.5 in. (36.2 x 42.9 x 8.9 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (p): 14 x 16.375 x 3.5 in. (35.6 x 41.6 x 8.9 cm)
Inscriptions(a) Text on sides of locomotive: "MONON / 81 / M / 81F / MONON / The / Hoosier / Line / [logo]".

(b) Text on sides of locomotive: "MONON / 81 / M / 81F / MONON / The / Hoosier / Line / [logo]".

(c) Text on sides of boxcar: "MERCHANDISE SERVICE / PENNSYLVANIA / 37950 / CAPY. 100000 / LD. LMT. 112600 / LT. WT. 56400 NEW 1949 / 1427 / MAR / [logo] / LINES / [Pennsylvania Railroad logo]".

(d) Text on sides of drop end gondola: "WAB 80982 / MAR / [logo] / LINES / WABASH / CAPY. 140000 / LD. LMT. 159100 / LT. WT. 50300 / WAB / 80982 / EXW 10-2H-11-6 / EW 9-10H-12-9 / CU. FT. 1958".

(e) Text on sides of caboose: "MAR / [logo] / LINES / MONON / 3855".

(f) Text on top of transformer: "MAR / TOY / TRANSFORMER / OFF / MED. / HIGH / MAR / 110-120 VOLTS A.C. 60 CYCLES / OUTPUT 50 WATTS".

Text on transformer's left side: "7-13 / VOLTS / TO TRACK".

(l) Text on front and back of accessory catalog: "[front] ACCESSORY CATALOG / [back] This catalog contains the complete lines of Louis Mars Company / Train Accessories. / Inside you will find a wide variety of modern accessories to add to your / railroad system. / The Louis Marx Company trademark on your toy is your guarantee of / the highest standard of toy construction. / The items in this catalog are available only through your local dealer. / [logo] / PRICES SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN THE WEST".

(m) Text in instruction handout: "[page one] READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY / Remote Controlled Electric Train Set / with Diesel Locomotive / ASSEMBLY OF TRACK [instructional text] / CONNECTION OF TRANSFORMER [instructional text] / OPERATION OF TRAIN [instructional text] / [page two and tree] Suggested track layouts [drawings of different tracks] / MARX TRACK LOCKS will hold track together and make handling easier / [page four] CARE OF LOCOMOTIVE, CARS AND TRACK [instructional text and drawings] / A LIST OF NINE "DONT'S" FOR THIS TRAIN [list] / This train has been made to give you long and efficient service. Handle it with / care to avoid any damage which might result from a fall or other rough handling."

(n) Letters on left and right sides of decorative paper: "A / H".

(o) Text on top of box lid: "DIESEL TYPE / ELECTRIC TRAIN / REMOTE CONTROL".

Text on sides of box lid: "[logo] / DIESEL TYPE / ELECTRIC TRAIN / [logo] / ONE ONLY NO. 8852 / ELECTRIC TRAIN / [logo] / DIESEL TYPE / ELECTRIC TRAIN / [logo] / ELECTRIC TRAIN".
Marks(f) Manufacturing text on top of transformer: "LOUIS MARX & CO. INC. / NEW YORK, N.Y. / PATENT NO 2.019.196 / MADE IN / USA.

Manufacturing text on transformer's right side: "C.S.A. / APPROVAL No. 5041 / LISTED UNDER / REEXAMINATION SERVICE / OF / UNDERWRITERS' LABORATORIES. INC. / UL".

Manufacturing text on orange stickers on transformer cord: "UNDERWRITERS' / LAB. INC. INSPECTED / M-126 CORD M-126 / ACCWIRE".

(g) Manufacturing information on bottom of telephone pole: "MADE IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 4 [backwards] / MAR / TOYS".

(h) Manufacturing information on bottom of telephone pole: "MADE IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 8 / MAR / TOYS".

(l) Manufacturing text on front and back of accessory catalog: "[front] MADE IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / MAR / TOYS / LOUIS MARX & CO. / 200 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK 10, N.Y. / [back] MADE IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / MAR / TOYS / LOUIS MARX & CO. / FORM: IS-211".

(m) Manufacturing text on first and last page of instruction handout: "[first page] Form IS-245 / [last page] MADE IN U.S.A. BY / LOUIS MARX & CO., INC. / All inquiries regarding repairs or service, should be addressed to / SERVICE DIVISION, GIRARD, PA."

(o) Manufacturing text on top of box lid: "[logo] / MADE IN U.S.A. BY / LOUIS MARX & CO., INC."

Manufacturing text on sides of box lid: "THE MARLINE TRAIN [missing] HEREIN IS MANUFACTURED / UNDER AND PROTECTED [missing] OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING / PATENTS. / NO. 2,002,358 / [missing] NO. 2,227,455 / NO. 2,036,312 / [missing] / NO. 2,293,382 / NO. 19,957 / [missing] / NO. 2,305,134 / NO. 2,040,655 / [missing] / NO. 2,305,135 / NO. 2,081,682 / LOUIS [missing] INC."

(p) Manufacturing text on sides of box bottom: "ALL INQUIRIES REGARDING REPAIRS OR / SERVICE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO / LOUIS MARX AND CO., INC., SERVICE DIVISION / GIRARD, PENNSYLVANIA".

Manufacturing text on bottom of box bottom: "THE OHIO BOXBOARD CO. / CERTIFICATE / OF BOX MAKER / THIS BOX CONFORMS TO / ALL CONSTRUCTION RE- / QUIREMENTS OF UNIFORM / FREIGHT CLASSIFICATION / BURSTING / TEST / 125 / LBS. PER / SQ. INCH / SIZE LIMIT / 40 / INCHES / GROSS / WT. LT. / 20 / LBS. / PITTSBURGH, PA. / 9 11 55 12 10 8".
Historical NotesThis Louis Marx and Company electric toy train set was gifted to donor Gail Murphy, who grew up in Circleville, Ohio, as a Christmas gift around 1956. Pieces such as the telephone poles were later additions. The Louis Marx and Company started in New York but had two toy factories in Western PA, one in Girard and one in Erie. The Erie plant was their oldest location, but the toy trains were made in the Girard plant, which opened in 1934 after Marx purchased the Girard Model Works.

Previous owner Gail Murphy

Related institution Pennsylvania Railroad

Related institution Monon Railroad

Related institution Wabash Railroad

Subjects