Circa 1904-1906. The largest of the early series cars, Ives didn't catalog these until 1904. The inboard trucks and wood litho make these popular cars with early collectors. This particular car is early with it's red / black candy strip litho roof.

Circa 1907-09 - this is a later (painted roof) yellow car in straw yellow.

Circa 1906-1909 This white inboard truck baggage has a painted roof. The example below has the earlier red/black striped roof. 

On a page full of rare cars this may be the rarest of the group. It's the creamy yellow baggage with RED contrasting trim, note the white cars above have blue contrasting trim.

The red baggage above is one of the more desirable variations and is especially pretty with it's red wood grain body and red/black litho roof. Below is the later version with the painted roof.

Circa 1904-06 - this particular  car is early with it's red/black striped litho roof, but the yellow cars were made right up until 1909. The example below is a lighter yellow - variation?

Circa 1904-1906 - This red buffet has yellow highlights with black lettering. Notice that litho on the red cars is the same as the yellow cars but the colors have been reversed. A technique Ives would use for many years. Below is the red Buffet with a painted roof. The red,  yellow and cream cars can be found with both painted and lithographed roofs. It's always possible roofs can be changed, but we're not aware of any other differences in the litho on the body that might distinguish early from late.

Early creamy white car with litho striped roof - Circa 1904-05

Circa 1906-1906 - The white buffet had gold highlights and black lettering. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between some variations in color with the yellow cars and the white cars, just remember white cars have gold highlights and yellow cars have red highlights. The example above is a bright white, but can be found in a gray or dirty white. Also note that the lettering and highlight litho is blue

Early New York Buffet (1906-09) with its original box.

Close up of the lithograph from the white car above. Some collectors want to call this color green, but with the gold highlights it is the white or cream variation. The green variation is shown below

The green variation of the inboard passenger cars is probably the hardest to find. We believe this car only came in two car sets with a red Philadelphia car. We have been unable to find any Philadelphia cars in green with the inboard trucks, although we have seen 2 or 3 green Philly cars with floor train wheels.  As rare as it is there appears to be two distinct variations of this car. Notice that the green Buffet below has black scallops below the windows while the green car above has gold scallops. The green car below also has lettering in the upper left hand corner "The Ives Miniature Railway System" All the green cars with black scallops appear to have this marking, but we've never seen it on other colors.

Close up of lettering on green car above.

Circa - 1904-05 - Very difficult to find are the early creamy yellow cars with red trim. We have only seen this color in the early cars with the lithographed roofs, although roofs could be switched.

Circa 1904-1906 - Red Philadelphia car with yellow highlights, black lettering and litho roof. Below is a later car with a painted roof.

Circa 1906-1909 - White Philadelphia car with gold highlights and black lettering, above with painted roof, below with lithographed roof.

Although the car below would appear to be white like the one above, it is actually a cream color. Note the red window outlines and leaf detail below the window. See details on 130 car above.

Circa 1904-05 - The 'creamy' yellow Philadelphia car with the red highlights. This car has been observed with red lettering as above and black lettering.

Circa 1906-1909 - School bus Yellow Philadelphia car with red highlights and black lettering - the same car below has the earlier stripped roof.