Thanks for your reply I have determined that the set with the strange couplers are MARX. By viewing photos on other sites the motor and center pick up rail are the same along with the couplers. Now I just have to figure out the age of them both. As a kid back in the mid 50's I had what I now know was a prewar Lionel set but space was limited so my folks had me HO stuff. After 22 years in the Army plus 22 years out and 6 wives..........I have no idea where the sets are now. My current wife has a 4 year old grandson and his eyes really light up when he comes to PaPa's house. Out on the back porch are 7 HO sets (11 power units pulling 68 cars) yeppers I have been busy on ebay. All are on a 6' X 8' platform but I gotta make it bigger for the O gauge stuff....just need to find some track and rolling stock for what he calls the "big stuff".
