Ron,
I am one of the recognized world's foremost experts in antique toys, especially antique toy automobiles, aircraft and ships. I have collected myself for nearly all my life since I was old enough to stand on my two feet. I managed collections worth millions at times, and still manage important collections today.
The toy set you have is a post war version of an earlier Louis Marx & Co, 1937 toy using a metal track, with the cars using metal wheels. The set sold for 59 cents in 1937. Such as set in mint condition in its original box MAY bring $100.00 on a very good day.
The multiple re-issues after WW2, especially the ones with plastic wheels and plastic track, in used condition with no original box or paperwork, are simply worthless today.
I am sorry to have to tell you the following, and am trying to make it as gentle as I can:
1/ Collectors collect antique toy cars, but if cars from a set of some form, the track goes to the trash, they just want the cars. The same goes for early Scalextric slot cars when purchased with the old "rubber" track unless MIB.
2/ Collectors hardly ever are interested in used toys. They want new, pristine, in original boxes. If not, they want the finest examples they can get.
3/ Collectors only want a limited numbers of "classic" toys that have been cataloged over the years. They account for less than 5% of the millions of toys issued by hundreds of companies over a century and a half. Unfortunately, the low-cost Marx toys from the 1950's and 1960's simply do not generate any interest from collectors. If you put this toy set on eBay today, it is doubtful that you will get any bid on it, even if you start at one dollar with no reserve.
I am sorry to have to be the one to give you the bad news, but this toy set is probably worth no more than 5 bucks on a good day...
If you have any emotional attachment to it, you should simply keep it.
Regards,
