MTH Reproduction Ives Standard Gauge Black Diamond Cars #1174

e*Train Issue: Jun 2002 | Posted in: Toy Train Paper & Auctions

by Bradley Kaplan

Over a year ago MTH cataloged a reproduction of the Ives Black Diamond set and I ordered it. Finally a year latter it arrived, and the question, was is it worth the wait?

MTH cataloged the 3 car set and a reproduction Ives 1134 Steam engine to pull the set. I decided not to buy the 1134. I have 2 Ives engines, a 3236 that I am restoring in black to eventually pull this set, and an Ives 3241 which I am currently using to pull the set.

Originally in the late 1920’s when these cars were originally cataloged by Ives, Ives was owned by Lionel and American Flyer. Lionel and American Flyer were looking for ways to save money. The Black Diamond cars were actually American Flyer car bodies on Ives trucks and Ives couplers. The original Black Diamond set is very rare and valuable.

MTH has been making the Flyer cars for almost 15 years starting with the Lionel Classics in the late 1990s. I would assume that MTH is using the same body tooling they have been using for the Flyer cars for these Ives cars in the same way Flyer originally did.

I happen to think that these cars in this paint scheme is nicer then any version that Flyer created in their colors, and the Ives trucks look much better on these cars then Flyer’s trucks.

MTH was meticulous with a perfect fit and finish of these cars.

Each car has a light switch to turn the interior lights on and off. I think that when Flyer made the bodies for Ives, they removed this switch to save money and distinguish these cars from their own. But if this is or is not the case, who cares. Either way. it cost MTH more $$$$ to put the switches on.

I never knew the original versions had a drum light on the observation car. This is a great feature that Lionel never had.

So far 3 friends have come to my place and have seen these cars and said they think they are the nicest looking of all my trains. I agree!

Some MTH repro Ives Transition passenger sets have been snapped up by collectors and are almost as impossible to find as the originals. I got a feeling this set may follow this trail.

I am waiting for MTH to catalog a diner for this set. I know Ives never cataloged one originally, but I hope MTH take the license do so!

This set is not for display! I’ve run it every day since it arrived!

Shop Amazon and Help TCA

TCA members who shop at Amazon.com can have each of their normal purchases generate a modest payment to TCA! And it won’t cost you anything!

The Train Collectors Association is now a participant with AmazonSmile, which is a special website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com.

The difference is that when customers shop at AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers.

The process is simple. Just search for and select Train Collectors Association when you sign up and shop at smile.amazon.com.

You use your regular Amazon.com username and password, but when you log in to smile.amazon.com, you’ll see that you are supporting TCA with your purchases:

Note that if you just log in to the regular amazon.com, this benefit does not operate.

There are no costs to either you or TCA, but TCA benefits!

This is a great way for TCA to earn extra cash to offset costs, so sign up today to help support TCA.

* Note: TCA is not a party to any of your Amazon transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors.

Helping TCA with your ebay purchases when you use PayPal

If you’re an ebay user and have a PayPal account you use to make payments, you can designate a donation for TCA when you’re checking out — any amount, small or large.
If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can pre-designate a percentage of your sales to be donated automatically in your name to TCA as long as the purchaser pays with their PayPal account.

In both cases, you will receive a donation receipt from the PayPal Giving Fund, and enjoy applicable tax advantages.

How to do it:

Click on the image above, or use this link. This will take you to ebay, where you will see the following page (log in to ebay if you are not already):

This offers TCA as an option. Click on the “Add to My Charities” button where indicated with the red arrow. Thereafter, when you make a purchase, at checkout you will be offered the option to make a donation to TCA in any amount of your choosing. Small amounts add up, larger ones are great! It’s always up to you!

The option will appear at the lower part of your checkout page, something like this:

If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can allocate a portion of your sales proceeds to be donated to TCA. Look at the green arrow marked “Optional” above to see how to do it. Details on how ebay calculates the donation may be read here. This is a wonderful way to share the financial benefits of your hobby with the organization that promotes it!

An added benefit to TCA is that these donations are not subject to normal processing fees, so that makes your donation work harder!

* Note. TCA is not a party to any of your eBay transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors. PayPal issues the receipts to you for your donation, not TCA.

MTH Reproduction Ives Standard Gauge Black Diamond Cars #1174

Search By:

Sort By:

Have Train Stories to Share?