Always being a toymaker at heart, Louis Marx used his experiences as a Sergeant during WWI to design a line of tin Prewar Army prototype military toy trains.

Beginning with the early olive drab Commodore Vanderbilt 1939-40, Marx created a full line of over 12+ styled military design cars to compliment the locomotive. They were available as six inch lithographed tin cars with four wheels and riveted hook couplers. Most of these are operating cars; the guns and cannons would fire. Machine guns would rat-a-tat and the searchlights would illuminate the sky. The tanks would shoot out sparks and the locos headlight would light the way, while the illuminated observation would follow behind.

 A windup and electric version of the lithographed 897 was also available around this time. Clockwork sets had sliding couplers and included a dummy searchlight that incorporated a mirrored lens. Flatcars could haul airplanes or trucks (with or without trailers) in various colors or 3 different style tanks. One flatcar was a scale style and was an operating unloader type, which was quite popular and advanced for the time.

Deluxe 8 wheel 6 inch cars were made, but were usually sold in dime stores as an add-on accessory item.

      Closing out the prewar line was the 500 Canadian Pacific style Army Locomotive. Various combinations of cars in sets can be observed. Even sets combining 8 wheel and 4 wheel, 3/16 scale style and 6 in style. Sets could include soldiers and ammo and tents, bags and flags, after all Marx was the largest  toymaker, so he would incorporate his designs to fit all kinds of sets. Cars had cannons, anti-aircraft guns, machine guns, field guns and of course you would have to have a gondola to carry 2 styles of ammo and 2 different loads! To increase the play value, tin toy soldiers and tents were included in some sets.

And speaking of closing, you would need an observation type, troop car at the end and maybe a radio car that was fully staffed and visible from both of the lithoed sides, and this even came in 2 styles!

                       Radio -Observation -Truck -Ramp -Plane

                          Cannon, Field Gun, Howitzer, Searchlight,

                           Radio Car, Airplanes

                            Gondola -Tank -Ammo -MachineGun

Click here for a brief history of Marx Toys and their Trains >X<