Ives #1679 Boxcar

HISTORY OF IVES

Ives was founded by Harry Ives in 1868 and produced clockwork floor trains among other items. Following a fire in 1900, Ives introduced a new line of cast iron and tinplate trains in both O-Gauge and the larger 1-Gauge.  Ives became the market leader in the United States in 1910 after introducing electric O-Gauge trains, and it maintained its position until surpassed by Lionel in 1924. Ives declared bankruptcy in 1928. Lionel and American Flyer jointly acquired Ives, and Lionel bought American Flyer's share in 1930. Ives trains were produced until 1931.

This #1679 boxcar, dating from the 1920s if not earlier, is the only Ives piece Don Gorsuch had.

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Hornby Trains

HISTORY OF HORNBY

A British model train producer that produced trains in America from 1913 to 1929. Hornby started producing trains based on American designs in 1925. Hornby ended it's American production in 1929 after the stock market crash. Hornby still produces HO & OO-Scale trains in Europe today.

Hornby Portland Cement Car & LMS Brake Van

Hornby is a British train company that still exists today. These pieces may date from the 1920s when Hornby had a factory in the United States.  A "Brake Van" is a British version of a caboose.

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Unique Lines Trains

HISTORY OF UNIQUE

The Unique Art Manufacturing Company added clockwork and electric tinplate trains to its existing toy line in 1949. The trains were priced at the low-priced end of the market, where they could not compete with Marx. Unique decided to stay with its existing lines of toys and office supplies and ended production of the trains in 1951.

Unique Lines trains were little known and short-lived, being produced only from 1949 to 1951. This Tender and Caboose are presumably quite rare.

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Hafner Trains

HISTORY OF HAFNER

William Hafner had produced trains before helping to create what would become American Flyer. In 1914 he parted ways with W.O. Coleman to produce his own line of trains. The company would survive under the Hafner name until 1951. The line was sole to All Metal which failed in 1956 and the tooling was acquired by Marx.

Hafner #1010 Locomotive

This Hafner Clockwork locomotive was one of their more basic products.

Hafner #2000 Locomotive

This Hafner Clockwork locomotive was a more upscale Hafner train.

Hafner Passenger Cars

This Pullman and Observation are examples of Hafner passenger cars.

Hafner Freight Cars

This Refrigerator Car and Caboose are examples of Hafner freight cars.

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Prewar American Flyer

HISTORY OF AMERICAN FLYER

Originally founded by William O. Coleman and William Hafner (who later left to reform his own company in 1914) as the Edmonds-Metzel Manufacturing Company in 1907 as a manufacturer of clockwork O-gauge trains, the company became known as American Flyer when electric trains were introduced in 1919. American Flyer was sold to A. C. Gilbert, manufacturer of Erector sets, in 1938. After World War Two, American Flyer focused on slightly smaller S-gauge trains, which featured more realistic trains and two rail track. In the 1950’s, American Flyer was second in sales to Lionel, but as demand dropped in the 1960’s, the company could not survive and production ended in 1966.  After the company declared bankruptcy in 1967, Lionel purchased the rights the American Flyer.  Limited American Flyer production resumed in 1979 and continues to some degree today.

These O27 gauge American Flyer cars date from at least the late 1930s, if not before. After WWII, American Flyer continued to produce trains, but only in the slightly smaller S gauge.

Like the passenger cars, these American Flyer freight cars also date from before WWII.

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Lionel Prewar Freight Cars

These Lionel freight cars date from before WWII.  Prewar Lionel trains are rarer than postwar Lionel, not only because they are older, but also because during the Great Depression many people simply did not have the money for model trains. These pieces are in good condition given their age and belonged to Don Gorsuch as a child.

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Lionel #258 Locomotive

This Lionel #258 Locomotive dates from before WWII. It is shown with a Lionel #2689TX Tender. This locomotive belonged to Don Gorsuch as a child.

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History of Lionel

Joshua Lionel Cohen (he later changed the spelling to Cowen) founded the Lionel Manufacturing Company in 1900 and first produced trains in 1901. The company’s name changed to the Lionel Corporation in 1918. Lionel entered receivership shortly after purchasing Ives in 1930, but recovered by 1939. After World War II, Lionel sales increased until 1952, after which the market began to turn bad. By 1955 Lionel was losing money and Cowen and his son sold their stock in 1959. Lionel changed hands several times during the years that followed. Though the original Lionel Corporation bankrupted around 1990, Lionel trains are still produced today by Lionel Trains Incorporated.

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Marx 6" Wrecker & Side Dump Car

This NYC Wrecker Crane was fairly popular, due to its additional “play value.” #567 Side Dump Cars like this one made good companions to the wrecker.

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Marx 6" Bangor & Aroostook Boxcar

This Bangor & Aroostook “State of Maine” boxcar dates from 1960 or 1962, and is slightly less rare than the B&O car.

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Marx 6" Baltimore & Ohio Boxcar

This blue Baltimore & Ohio boxcar dates from 1954. Marx made B&O boxcars in several colors. Any shade of blue is moderately rare.

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Marx 7" St. Paul & Pacific Baggage Car

This 1860’s Era Baggage car was among the last 7” cars introduced, not appearing until 1959. A coach was also offered. St. Paul & Pacific was the only railroad offered.

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Marx #500 Army Supply Train Locomotive

Marx was a large toymaker and made much more than just trains.  Another area of Marx production was military toys, particularly in the time before and after WWII (few metal toys were produced during the war due to wartime restrictions).  The Army Supply Train this locomotive was intended for was an attempt by Marx to connect its popular train line with its military toys in this era.  The crossover attempt was not overly successful, and this locomotive, and others like it, are relatively rare today.

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Marx Monon #81F Diesel Locomotive

This Monon diesel dates from the late 1950's, being catalogued between 1955 and 1959.

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Marx Southern Pacific #6000 Diesel Locomotive

This Southern Pacific #6000 diesel dates from the early 1950's, being catalogued from 1952 to 1954.

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Marx #994 Locomotive

The Marx #994 Locomotive was among the longest Marx locomotives.  It was produced to accompany Marx 7" cars from the 1950s.  A 7" tender is also shown.

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Marx #898 Locomotive

This Marx #898 locomotive was a common Marx product. Both clockwork and electric versions were produced. This is a clockwork version. It is shown with a 6" wedge tender, so named because it is wider at the front than at the rear. This was to disguise the difference in widths between the locomotives and the 6" cars.

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Marx #591 Locomotive

This Marx #591 locomotive was a common Marx product.  Both clockwork and electric versions were produced.  This is a clockwork version.  It is shown with a 6" notch tender, a late 1950's variation of the wagon-top tender shown with the Commodore Vanderbilt in a previous post.

Here is another Marx #591 locomotive. This one has handrails along the boiler, and is pictured with a 6" Wedge Tender, so named because it is wider at the front than it is at the rear, to disguise the difference in widths between the locomotives and the 6" cars.

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Marx #3000 Canadian Pacific Locomotive & Tender

Marx #3000 Canadian Pacific Locomotives such as this one were produced from 1936 to 1952. This version was first produced in 1939.

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Marx M-10005 Streamliner

The Marx M-10005 Streamliner was based on Union Pacific’s City of Denver, which entered service in 1936, and was one of the first streamlined passenger trains. Marx painted their M-10005 in several different color combinations, though the yellow & brown version shown here was the only correct one. Don Gorsuch attempted to repaint two of the cars in this set..

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