Last Updated on March 31, 2024 by Dave Farquhar
Marx train set 9618 was an electric train set Marx that Sears sold in 1953. But you may also hear collectors refer to it as Happi-Time train set 9618, because that’s what Marx printed on the box.
Happi-Time train set 9618
Set #9618 was the mid-level Marx train electric set in Sears’ 1953 Christmas catalog, and they reprised it in 1954. Sears priced it at $14.89. That’s about $170 in 2023 dollars. This set predates Sears’ use of the Allstate brand on its train sets.
Marx lettered this set for the New York Central railroad, teaming up a plastic locomotive and a 4-wheel plastic tender with 6-inch freight cars. Marx put the humble but hard-working 400 locomotive at the front of the train. This ushered in a new era for Marx 6-inch sets, with a plastic locomotive and tender heading up the consist, and refreshed lithography on the tank car and caboose. It’s interesting to contrast it to set 9625 from 1952.
Marx train set 9618 consisted of the following:
- 400 loco w/ headlight and reverse
- Marlines 4WP tender
- 59 Union Pacific stock car
- 553 Union tank car
- 20102 New York Central (NYC) caboose
- 12 pieces of O27 track (advertised as 137 inches of track)
- 1209 transformer
A 45-watt transformer and an oval of 12 pieces of O27 track rounded out the set. Specifically, it included eight O27 curved sections and four O27 straight sections. Sears called it 137 inches of track in its catalog description. It makes it sound bigger than calling it a 27-inch x 43-inch oval. Sears also sold extra track at 18 cents apiece for O27, and 22 cents apiece for wide-diameter O34 curves.
If you have one of these sets and you’d like to see it running again, I don’t blame you. Here’s some advice on setting up a Marx train set. I also have some tips for repairing a model 1209 transformer.
Positioning
Sears positioned this set as a mid-level electric set. 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.
Value
I frequently get questions about the value of old Marx train sets. As for the value of set 9618 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.