Anybody know what this is? I got it in a box of miscellaneous Marx, at the auction. My friend said it was some kind of switch, that the heavy car going over it would flip a switch, and it does fit the track...also in the flat were 3 trackside metal "Uncouple Here" signs.
So it's mechanical. Pretty ingenious! There was a box "Crossing Gate" of other parts, possibly that track part of the gate was in it originally:
And the uncouple sign, but missing the uncouple track:
What's funny is there are a lot of listings on Ebay for "MAR" items. The buyer of collectibles wins some "vintage model railroad" items and doesn't know they are "Marx" not "MAR". (I also thought at first they were two different companies, too!)