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 Posted - May 03 2024 : 10:19:09 PM
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Maybe these have been already discussed, but I'll ask you experts anyway...
...first off, is there a specific date/year when box/reefer cars stopped having factory attached brake wheels?
2: When was the change from metal trucks (with screws) to plastic (with screws) to the plastic trucks with the "snap on" type tabs?
I have been acquiring some "red box" cars (both the type with the switch stand end flap and yellow sides and the later plain ends with white sides) and have not been able to figure out these differences...
Thanks in advance!
Mark in Oregon
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Posted - May 04 2024 : 02:22:01 AM
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Far from esoteric, these are interesting questions. A moderator and frequent
contributor, TopTrain, collects a lot of Marx. I didn't give two hoots about Marx
and found their various cars with the cast-on brake wheels rather crummy
looking. However, after looking at TopTrain's many examples, I started to notice
that these Marx pieces tracked like they were welded to the rail. While other
pieces, much more expensive in many cases, were bouncing off the ties, these
old Marx units were marching on without a care in the world.
So, how old is Marx? Probably 1950's to early 1960's when HO was starting to
make its debut. Athearn came out with easy to assemble kits with applied
ladders and brake wheels a little later, and we all thought that was the bomb.
My epiphany was that Marx, while clumsy looking, were made to stay on the
track, thus creating a successful experience for the novice modeler. I've grown
to enjoy those clunky, cheezy looking pieces and snap them up for pennies on
the dollar when I see them in the discard bin.
https://youtu.be/GPlSJd5x6oI
PEMCO is another fascinating off shoot, but another story. Loco here is
PEMCO, the cars Marx.
https://youtu.be/oviEdUj9EEA
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Posted - May 04 2024 : 09:41:07 AM
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Thanks for your response, although I was referring to Tyco cars...guess I should have been more specific:
These are (2) different examples of the "Red Box" era I was referring to...
Mark in Oregon
Edited by - Strummer on May 04 2024 6:16:01 PM
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 Posted - May 04 2024 : 12:21:44 PM
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Louis Marx & Co was around from 1919 to 1980
with a few failed restarts after 1980
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Posted - May 06 2024 : 03:00:24 AM
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quote:Thanks for your response, although I was referring to Tyco cars...guess I should have been more specific:
These are (2) different examples of the "Red Box" era I was referring to...
Mark in Oregon
Originally posted by Strummer - May 04 2024 : 09:41:07 AM
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The short answer is, I don't have a clue. Someone correct me, but my impression
is that all Tyco has a separate brake wheel. Can anyone shoot a picture of a
Tyco product, of early years, showing a cast on brake wheel? As to snap ons,
I'd guess that's a question of when nylon trucks became cheaper to make.
Edited by - Chops124 on May 06 2024 03:02:37 AM
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Posted - May 07 2024 : 10:42:15 AM
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I believe they all came with separate brake wheels. How many cars still have them 50 years later.... 
As for the trucks, it depends on the car. Late 1960s - early 1970s is the short answer. I haven't looked much in to Tyco's freight cars, but I posted a bit of a reference guide for Tyco's passenger cars. The streamliners retained metal trucks a little longer than the freight cars, I think. Scroll down to the third post, you'll see the coupler pocket progression that exists on the freight cars as well: https://tycodepot.com/thread/8459/tyco-streamliner-list-1959-1981?page=2
Edited by - DaCheez on May 07 2024 10:44:14 AM
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Posted - May 10 2024 : 01:30:36 AM
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That's kind of my impression. The seperate brake wheel
was a big deal, when compared to a classic Marx. I
marvel at the track ability of the Marx product, though.
They might resemble something hafted from a block
of wood, but those babies hold fast to model rail.
Thanks for the link, BTW.
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