Marx train set 9625 was an entry-level electric train set Marx that Sears sold in 1952. It was one of the last Marx electric sets to use designs that originated before World War II.
Marx train set 9625: One of the last of its kind
Set #9625 was the low-end Marx electric train set in Sears’ 1952 Christmas catalog. Sears priced it at $9.69. That’s about $110 in 2023 dollars.
Marx lettered this set for the New York Central. Marx put the humble but hard-working 898 locomotive, an all-black version of the lithographed 897, at the front of the train, pulling a selection of 6-inch tin freight cars. Plastic was on the horizon, so this is one of the last of the all-metal Marx sets. It was also one of the last 6-inch sets to use the lithographed designs from before World War II. A year later, Marx would be selling sets# 9616 and 9618, similar sets with a plastic engine and tender, and updated lithography on the cars.
Set 9625 consisted of the following:
- 898 locomotive with headlight and reverse
- New York Central tin lithographed tender with rivets
- 553 Santa Fe tank car
- 552 Rock Island gondola
- 556 New York Central (NYC) caboose
- 10 pieces of O27 track (advertised as 100 inches of track)
- 50 watt transformer
Specifically, set 9625 included eight O27 curved sections and a pair of O27 straight sections. Sears called it 100 inches of track in its catalog description. It makes it sound bigger than calling it a 27-inch x 35-inch oval. They also touted that the train itself was 35 inches long. Sears also sold extra track at 39 cents for a bundle of four straight sections or four curved sections.
Positioning
Sears positioned this set as its entry-level electric set. But they made a point of mentioning it had the same features as its pricier electric sets. Customers who bought windup sets in previous years could use this set to upgrade their kids to electric. 6-inch cars from windup sets worked just fine alongside 6-inch cars in electric sets.
Sears led with Lionel that year, giving three pages of Lionel trains before presenting its Marx trains. Marx set 9625 cost less than half as much as the least expensive Lionel set in Sears’ catalog that year, which sold for $22.50.
Value today
I frequently get questions about the value of old Marx train sets. As for the value of set 9625 today, I would estimate it at $50-$75. Nothing in the set is especially rare or unusual.
David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.