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Monorail Rocket Ship

Dateca. 1960

Mediumaluminum

Dimensionsrocket ship: 3 × 1 3/4 × 10 in. (7.6 × 4.4 × 25.4 cm)
tower, each: 4 3/4 × 7 1/4 × 1 1/8 in. (12.1 × 18.4 × 2.9 cm)
rail, each: 15 3/4 × 1/8 in. (40 × 0.3 cm)
box: 6 × 15 1/4 × 3 in. (15.2 × 38.7 × 7.6 cm)

ClassificationsRecreational Objects

Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, gift of Robert V. and Cyndy Gallegos

Object numberVPC2002.52.1.1-22

DescriptionThis Monorail Rocket Ship toy was produced around the 1960s by the Linemar Toy Company. A subsidiary of Louis Marx & Co., the Linemar Toy Company was established primarily for the importation of battery-operated mechanical toys from Japan. It was also one of the first toy companies to begin moving production overseas to reduce manufacturing costs. The toy is a battery-operated monorail rocket ship, which comes with a "ROCKET EXPRESS" vehicle, buildable scaffolding, and wire. The rocket itself is made from lightweight metal and is mostly silver with red detailing throughout. It features windows with small black silhouettes of passengers seated inside, along with a front window for the pilot. The ship also includes a pair of red tail fins and hooks on the top to connect it to the light rail system. The toy’s packaging features a cartoon image of the light rail system in action, with the text above reading: "BATTERY OPERATED MONORAIL / ROCKET-SHIP." This object is significant because it was produced during a period when American manufacturers began shifting production overseas—a transition that had major impacts on American workers.

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