c.1949 Mechanicraft Silver Meteor Train Set in Original Box
Unusual streamlined art deco clockwork "Silver Meteor" Train set by Mechanicraft, Inc. Articulated 7pc. train comes in its original box plus track and instructions. Grades excellent and works great. While researching this toy I could find nothing regarding the manufacturer, or where it was produced. However, the "Silver Meteor" was an actual train. Beginning in 1939 it was the first passenger train which provided service to the most southern tip of Florida mainland. Since that time several iterations were produced from various company's. Today, an upgraded model still provides Amtrak service from New York to Florida. As you can see in the photo below the toy was based on the original 1939 version. It's all tin litho with black plastic wheels. Painted silver, red, and blue, the locomotive has the unusual features of straight edges (rather than curves) around the engineer's windows and above the headlamp. Lighting in my first photo first photo may make the slanted front of the locomotive appear to be dented. However, it definitely is not. It consists of the locomotive with clockwork motor and attached key, 2 passenger cars, and 1 rounded-rear end passenger car. Three block-like tinplate connectors link the four cars together and provide articulation. There are 12 sections of polished tin plated track (8 curved and 4 straights) totaling slightly over 9ft. in length. The three passenger cars are marked "Silver Meteor" on both sides. The tail section is also marked "Made in U.S.A." and "pat. pending". The locomotive is unmarked. The box is folded corrugated cardboard complete with its complex original insert. Except for the manufacturer of the box it doesn't have any machine printed information. It's original owner used black marker to write the name of the toy on one of the front flaps. The instructions served double-duty as an inspector ticket. The toy and manufacturer name were also printed on this form. Size: 22" total assembled length. Locomotive 6", Cars 4¾" Sold: Oct. 2011
Price Sold: $ 101
