MARX TABLETOP ELECTRIC STREAMLINER-Set #41000

While at the Twin Cities Model Train show at the state fairgrounds i met a couple that was selling a variety of Marx items including a Tabletop Streamline train set #41000 in super condition. She did not know what she had and i didn’t either. So i contacted some friends (Dan S and Gary A). Meanwhile i chatted her up and found out the set had been her mother’s. I helped her know more about the Marx items she had and their value as they were all underpriced. After learning some about the channel track train from Gary and Dan and sharing a recent one that sold on ebay last week she changed the price. She said that if i wanted it she would give me a good deal for helping them out and being a teacher. During this process i must have left and came back 6 times deciding on if i wanted to get it or not. I am not one to one to chase after rare Marx items. I want to enjoy and run my trains and i have a ton already. I also don’t like to take care of boxes. Well i decided i couldn’t pass it up and Gary said he would buy it from me when i was done. After getting home and getting it going i was astonished it reversed direction. The motor looked like it is similar to the handcar motor. Someone who knows what marx did with the reverser please let us know. I’m enamored with this little thing. I think it will be a hit at the senior centers. It would be the prefect train for those of you with limited space if it wasn’t so hard to find in complete shape. I’m also curious about how the track works. The center rail must be isolated somehow. Let us know if you know for sure. The pictures i included are from Dan as i was afraid of damaging the track to find out. Eric Matzke wrote this article about it in 2016 so i will let him talk about it for those not aware of them. https://www.tcatrains.org/.../still-running-after-77-years/