Marx covered all aspects of toy production. This Union Pacific M10000 Streamliner is nominally "N gauge" sized, measuring just over 11" in length, but it is a channel train. Channel trains were quite popular in the 1950's as many offered a complete layout on a single tin board. Some were quite creative making turns inside tunnels that had the train exiting the tunnel at an unexpected portal. I have seen this particular train with several different channel tins as well as with the Marx twin channel track. I am not quite certain which is correct although I suspect it is one of the channel tins. These are somewhat hard to find in nice condition.


This pretty little M10000 set is called "Silver Streak". Made by Ohio Art it is roughly "HO" sized measuring a little over 15" in length. Of course, it is a floor toy, and being articulated, it has good play value. Trains do not lend themselves to floor play. I remember trying to roll them on the floor many times as a kid. For trains with four wheel trucks it is like pushing a snake! They would go wherever they wanted! Four wheel trains are better but still not really able to "follow the leader" too well, a necessary trait for a train. This set, with a four wheeled engine and two wheeled cars works quite well. I could have spent plenty time playing with this but I don't recall ever seeing anything like it back in the day.