The Marx version of the Santa Fe Superchief engine is probably the most prototypically correct model produced for the toy train market. Believe it or not, I don't have one! I was ready to buy a nice pair at a train show one day when some ignorant oldtimer butted right in front of me, interrupted the seller who was waiting on another collector, and announced that he wanted to buy them. Jerks come in all sizes, shapes, colors, and ages!
I was quite surprised when I found this one in an antique shop for $20. It is shorter than the O gauge model. Id like to compare the two side by side to see if they modified the train tooloing or if this has separate dies altogether.


This tin litho clockwork set is known as The Sparkling Mountain Climbing Train. There are at least two different litho patterns. The other that I know of is called the Mountaineer and knowing Marx there are more than the two. These are not really floor toys, they're channel track trains. This one has an oval of track that climbs a hill on one side and declines on the other. A lever on the bottom of the engine is depressed by cogs on the hill which engage the clockwork motor. Otherwise, it freewheels using gravity propulsion.


Now, every Marx collector worth his salt is familiar with the Tricky Taxis. They were made for about 20 years and were very popular and at any time one can search eBay and find several. This Tricky Action Locomotive, on the other hand, is hard to find. One could make the argument that nobody would want to find one. It is pretty homely looking but some of us Marx train collectors can't resist buying something different when we find it. Please don't knock each other over trying to get this away from me!


While we here in this vein of different, check out this plastic engine. I found this in a junk pile at a flea market years ago. It is a train so I had to see who made it. I wasn't surprised when I saw the Marx logo. For $1.00 it had to come home with me! It's friction powered.