Very nice video, thanks, and very glad to see so much interest in Ives trains. Your 3261 Set 482 Southern Special is a true gem! Thanks for featuring it.
"Ives toys make happy boys!" A neat look at a toy train line that should be better remembered than it is. I'm really struck by the artwork on those Ives boxes, there seems to be a definate Maxfield Parrish influence at work. Fun video Jim, very enjoyable as they all are! (For some reason I didn't get notifications on some of the previous ones but don't worry, I'll catch up!)
Thanks for watching, Ives had a big influence on toy trains, should have lasted but was not managed as shrewdly as Lionel. I too love the landscape boxes, wish the ones I have were in better condition. Who knows what "AI" will do.
A Friend gave me some old standard guage track and it had Some like new Ives switches and American Flyer track ,all real nice.im going use it. Real nice video.🦊
Ives was headed to bankruptcy for several reasons including return and repair policies that were far too liberal to survive. Not sure of the exact timing, but in the late 20's and early 30's Lionel began supplying parts to Ives to help update their line of products. Some of the resulting locos were the 3261 with Lionel 248 cab and the Standard Gauge boxcab with Lionel No 8 cab. Lionel and AF eventually purchased the Ives assets and name out of bankruptcy and produced AF-body cars then Lionel-body cars as the old Ives body products were phased out. I believe the last year of Ives production was 1932. Some items and the yellow-series late boxes were produced with "Lionel-Ives" as a brand name. Thereafter Lionel controlled the Ives assets and name. Lionel continued to produce an 027 track clip with the Ives name on it, draw your own assumptions on that move, but the Ives name and products were now permanently discontinued by rival Lionel.
You make some very tasteful videos... Just been having a squizz at an Ives wide gauge S motor, likely '22 with the cast iron frame and the 3rd rail skate representations, and whilst streets ahead of anything in authenticity, basically apart from the number of wheels is nigh a scale model, beautifully proportioned. Anyway, I must confess that I would consider the mechanics to be considerably inferior to the contemporary lionel supermotor. The gear sets are half the width, tolerances appear looser, lesser shaft bearings, teeth possibly being stamped (hence the thinner sheet metal) rather than machine cut and the like. I have a feeling that this was probably from necessity to keep costs down on already too expensive to manufacture trains. Ailing finances that had been spent on the design of these new wide gauge products to remain competitive meant there just wasn't the cash reserves to bolster the mechanisms when the supermotor debuted in '23. Shame as they really are gorgeous models, the wagon lithography was superb, same as the very handsome and exceptionally well proportioned flyer wide gauge: that was unfortunately a loss in the market when that got ditched, although the superior qualities of plastic die casting from the late thirties really made lithography moot. In saying that of course Hornby Dublo not only used lithography to the end in '64, but also used it tastefully in their super detail coaches launched in the late '50's. Great video :)
Former TCA president Clem Clement once told me that Ives is superior. They had more windings in the motor. I've never done a tug test. Jim this could make for an interesting vid.
@@jackkerouac6186 interesting you mention that. The Ives modeling per se and engineering was superior as Clem observed e.g authenticity, motor windings, reverser and the like, where it fell back was in the use of materials, like lighter weight mechanisms, materials used, robustness, production methods, that kind of thing. Even going back to the earlier days of Ives gauge 1 and the big standard gauge Lionel 42 and its predecessors and Ives continued use of clockwork. In 0 of course what we know as the lightweight 027 track was the old Ives track system as opposed to Lionels more substantial standard 0. Tellingly in the earlier years a big standard gauge Lionel all electric set was only a few $ more than a smaller Ives gauge 1 clockwork set, to the buying public seemingly the better value buy. Lionel for all his bravado did genuinely improve his products on a continuous basis, hence the constant, and sometimes substantial updates on the same toy train. I'm not particularly favoured one over the other, for me the Ives is a considerable better toy visually, proportionally, and authentically, just that Lionels use of materials and production engineering makes for a very, very, substantial toy, almost indestructible. And of course those classic period products designed in Naples set a new standard in toy train aesthetics never seen before in Europe or America. As has been pointed out the by others its likely the new and good looking Ives products in their shift from gauge 1 to standard gauge brought Lionel to produce the archetypal classic toy train. Cheers for your response :)
I'm not sure, but it seems that the Bridgeport, CT made Ives had smoother sounding and operating motors than the Lionel produced engines. A quick singlet of history, Connecticut at one time or another was the production site for Ives (Bridgeport), Lionel 1914, 1915 (New Haven), and American Flyer 1938-1967 (New Haven).
I would have to refresh my research, but believe all early Ives train production was in Bridgeport. Ives made fine clock-work mechanisms and decent electric motors. Ives developed the reverse unit that Lionel wanted, one of the reasons for the Lionel purchase when Ives went bankrupt. Lionel motors, such as in the Ives and Lionel 257 locos c. early 1930's may have been noisier than Ives mechanisms, but I believe the Lionel motors were more durable, except for the diecast wheels. Thanks for watching.
Even though trains are much more than a business to us, to the Manufacturers it has to be looked at as a business. In the business world the strong survive and crush or absorb the competition. I understand that a large part of Ives' financial problems was due to their very liberal policy on returns, accommodations and repairs. Good for buyers, bad for business. I like Ives because of their quality, details and variety. @@michaelquinones-lx6ks
Very nice video, thanks, and very glad to see so much interest in Ives trains.
Your 3261 Set 482 Southern Special is a true gem! Thanks for featuring it.
I do not have much Ives, because you can't keep it all, but this is one of my favorite sets. Thanks for watching.
Ives and Lionel-Ives on Lionel T-rail track! What fun !
I run everything on T-rail track, even wind-ups including the Marx Bunny Train.
"Ives toys make happy boys!"
A neat look at a toy train line that should be better remembered than it is. I'm really struck by the artwork on those Ives boxes, there seems to be a definate Maxfield Parrish influence at work.
Fun video Jim, very enjoyable as they all are!
(For some reason I didn't get notifications on some of the previous ones but don't worry, I'll catch up!)
Thanks for watching, Ives had a big influence on toy trains, should have lasted but was not managed as shrewdly as Lionel. I too love the landscape boxes, wish the ones I have were in better condition. Who knows what "AI" will do.
Love your videos! They are very professional and do a great job showing your amazing collection!
Thanks for watching.
A great collection and presentation.
Thanks for watching.
Looks like whipping around on those 072 curves is no problem even in pre magna traction days 🌪️
T-Rail does provide for good traction. Thanks for watching.
A Friend gave me some old standard guage track and it had Some like new Ives switches and American Flyer track ,all real nice.im going use it.
Real nice video.🦊
Sounds like you have a good start towards building a layout. Thanks for watching.
Well done. Great soundtrack especially starting the vid with that Ives era blue.
Thanks glad you liked it.
Cool. It seems like the cars got bigger or maybe just more modern when Lionel got involved.
Yes kind of true as they used Lionel bodies for a few years.
What track are you running? Sure is an awesome collection.
This is Lionel T-Rail solid rail track made mid 1930's to early 40's. It bolts together with fish-plates, nuts, bolts. Thanks for watching.
I like that black and orange Lionel 248 thingy on an Ives frame. Could you tell us more about it?
Ives was headed to bankruptcy for several reasons including return and repair policies that were far too liberal to survive. Not sure of the exact timing, but in the late 20's and early 30's Lionel began supplying parts to Ives to help update their line of products. Some of the resulting locos were the 3261 with Lionel 248 cab and the Standard Gauge boxcab with Lionel No 8 cab. Lionel and AF eventually purchased the Ives assets and name out of bankruptcy and produced AF-body cars then Lionel-body cars as the old Ives body products were phased out. I believe the last year of Ives production was 1932. Some items and the yellow-series late boxes were produced with "Lionel-Ives" as a brand name. Thereafter Lionel controlled the Ives assets and name. Lionel continued to produce an 027 track clip with the Ives name on it, draw your own assumptions on that move, but the Ives name and products were now permanently discontinued by rival Lionel.
You make some very tasteful videos...
Just been having a squizz at an Ives wide gauge S motor, likely '22 with the cast iron frame and the 3rd rail skate representations, and whilst streets ahead of anything in authenticity, basically apart from the number of wheels is nigh a scale model, beautifully proportioned. Anyway, I must confess that I would consider the mechanics to be considerably inferior to the contemporary lionel supermotor. The gear sets are half the width, tolerances appear looser, lesser shaft bearings, teeth possibly being stamped (hence the thinner sheet metal) rather than machine cut and the like.
I have a feeling that this was probably from necessity to keep costs down on already too expensive to manufacture trains. Ailing finances that had been spent on the design of these new wide gauge products to remain competitive meant there just wasn't the cash reserves to bolster the mechanisms when the supermotor debuted in '23.
Shame as they really are gorgeous models, the wagon lithography was superb, same as the very handsome and exceptionally well proportioned flyer wide gauge: that was unfortunately a loss in the market when that got ditched, although the superior qualities of plastic die casting from the late thirties really made lithography moot.
In saying that of course Hornby Dublo not only used lithography to the end in '64, but also used it tastefully in their super detail coaches launched in the late '50's.
Great video :)
Thanks for watching. The Ives Corp had an interesting history. I have only scratched the surface here.
Former TCA president Clem Clement once told me that Ives is superior. They had more windings in the motor. I've never done a tug test. Jim this could make for an interesting vid.
@@jackkerouac6186 interesting you mention that. The Ives modeling per se and engineering was superior as Clem observed e.g authenticity, motor windings, reverser and the like, where it fell back was in the use of materials, like lighter weight mechanisms, materials used, robustness, production methods, that kind of thing. Even going back to the earlier days of Ives gauge 1 and the big standard gauge Lionel 42 and its predecessors and Ives continued use of clockwork. In 0 of course what we know as the lightweight 027 track was the old Ives track system as opposed to Lionels more substantial standard 0.
Tellingly in the earlier years a big standard gauge Lionel all electric set was only a few $ more than a smaller Ives gauge 1 clockwork set, to the buying public seemingly the better value buy. Lionel for all his bravado did genuinely improve his products on a continuous basis, hence the constant, and sometimes substantial updates on the same toy train. I'm not particularly favoured one over the other, for me the Ives is a considerable better toy visually, proportionally, and authentically, just that Lionels use of materials and production engineering makes for a very, very, substantial toy, almost indestructible. And of course those classic period products designed in Naples set a new standard in toy train aesthetics never seen before in Europe or America.
As has been pointed out the by others its likely the new and good looking Ives products in their shift from gauge 1 to standard gauge brought Lionel to produce the archetypal classic toy train.
Cheers for your response :)
I'm not sure, but it seems that the Bridgeport, CT made Ives had smoother sounding and operating motors than the Lionel produced engines.
A quick singlet of history, Connecticut at one time or another was the production site for Ives (Bridgeport), Lionel 1914, 1915 (New Haven), and American Flyer 1938-1967 (New Haven).
I would have to refresh my research, but believe all early Ives train production was in Bridgeport. Ives made fine clock-work mechanisms and decent electric motors. Ives developed the reverse unit that Lionel wanted, one of the reasons for the Lionel purchase when Ives went bankrupt. Lionel motors, such as in the Ives and Lionel 257 locos c. early 1930's may have been noisier than Ives mechanisms, but I believe the Lionel motors were more durable, except for the diecast wheels. Thanks for watching.
In 1933 Ives would be fully absorbed into Lionel thus ending the Ives era.
Yes, thanks for watching.
@@JFLionelT-RailOperator Thank you for responding to my comment.
@@JFLionelT-RailOperator And, 34 years later, Lionel in a ironic twist of fate would take over it's competitor American Flyer.
Even though trains are much more than a business to us, to the Manufacturers it has to be looked at as a business. In the business world the strong survive and crush or absorb the competition. I understand that a large part of Ives' financial problems was due to their very liberal policy on returns, accommodations and repairs. Good for buyers, bad for business. I like Ives because of their quality, details and variety. @@michaelquinones-lx6ks
@@JFLionelT-RailOperator True that.