A Hidden Gem: Ives 1616 / 1694 Set

e*Train Issue: Jan 2025 | Posted in: 1945-1969 PostWar Era, Collecting, Manufacturers

By Philip K. Smith, TCA #82-17298 Winter 2025 e*Train

In 1932, Lionel, then the sole owner of the IVES Corporation, introduced a beautiful IVES O Gauge set led by a 4-4-4 (2-B-2) electric locomotive (#1694) with three matching cars: a Baggage car (#1696), a Pullman (#1695), and an Observation car (#1697). These cars were also available in an uncataloged IVES set (1616X) led by an IVES 258 2-4-0 locomotive. According to McComas and Tuohy, from 1933 to 1937, these cars were sold exclusively in uncataloged sets, often as “Department Store Specials.” In 1933, the IVES LINES decals were replaced with rubber-stamped “LIONEL LINES” and given new numbers: 1685, 1686, and 1687. In 1934, they were painted dark red with maroon roofs and underframes, and some brass trim was replaced with nickel. In 1935, Pullman and Observation cars were painted an even darker red, while Baggage cars in three-car sets retained the previous color—likely leftovers. All three cars were also available in blue with silver roofs and underframes, with black lettering and numbers matching the style of the Union Pacific streamliner. In 1936 and 1937, Pullman and Observation cars were painted in vermilion, a lighter shade of red, but apparently, no Baggage cars were produced in this color, so three-car sets came with two Pullmans. These sets were led by Lionel models such as 259E, 261E, 262E, 265E, 249E, or 263E.

**A classic tinplate train with a sleek red and cream electric locomotive crosses a detailed wooden trestle bridge, showcasing the charm of vintage model railroading.**

After World War II, collectors found that 1616 sets had all but disappeared. So few remained that in 1972, Jerome Williams manufactured an unpowered version of the No. 1694 as the first product of Williams Reproductions. This model quickly sold out, launching Williams’s 35-year career in toy train production. In 1978, he offered three-car sets in three color schemes: 300 in IVES beige and maroon, 100 in dark red and maroon, and 100 in blue and silver. Customers could order these Lionel Lines cars with either four-wheel or six-wheel trucks, though limited evidence suggests that four-wheel trucks were original. Williams also released a second run of 1694s, with 25 in each of the Lionel Lines paint schemes. The 2008 MTH Tinplate Traditions catalog lists 1616 sets in all three colors, with six-wheel trucks.

**A vintage electric locomotive and passenger cars pass by a model roundhouse and a picturesque hillside, blending intricate craftsmanship with scenic beauty.**

McComas and Tuohy suggest that the 1616 sets “did not sell well in the difficult depression year of 1932” and were “closed out” (blown out) “in Canada, Great Britain, and other foreign markets” (p. 39). e*Train author Dave McEntarfer explored Lionel’s Export Sales, concluding, “So that’s where they all went!” McEntarfer found that almost all rare Lionel/IVES sets from 1931-1932 were obtained from owners outside the United States. After purchasing his first 1694 in Canada and discovering another from Mexico, he wrote to Louis Hertz, who replied in “great detail” that Lionel had chosen to phase out the IVES name and liquidate remaining inventory overseas through its Export Department. McEntarfer includes a photo of an original 1616 export set and its box, numbered 3016 and labeled from 1935. He concludes, “Lionel still had a substantial inventory of all IVES trains as late as 1935 and was selling them in their original boxes with the IVES name intact. The instruction book accompanying this set specifies its use with Lionel and IVES equipment.”

**A dramatic meeting on the trestle: a powerful black steam locomotive and a tinplate electric train share the spotlight against a detailed background.**

I have heard that No. 1694 was based on a New Haven prototype, though I need more evidence to support this claim. While researching, I found a webpage with photos of New Haven electric locomotives: www.northeast.railfan.net/electric11.html. Based on these photos, I suggest that No. 1694 combined features from several New Haven boxcab electrics, along with a hint of the Pennsylvania Railroad DD-1, the jackshaft “juice jack” preserved at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg. I also noticed a resemblance to the American Flyer MAYFLOWER, though this may be a stretch. I agree with McComas and Tuohy that it’s unusual for Lionel to have produced these cars with so many variations through 1937, yet sold them only in uncataloged sets. No. 1694 would have looked impressive in different colors and lettering, as demonstrated by the MTH versions. The same can likely be said of Lionel’s Standard Gauge counterpart of No. 1694 (No. 1764) and its matching cars, which offer food for thought.