One of the rarest surviving pieces in early Lionel history captivated collectors when a ca. 1916 Lionel No. 705 Hudson Tubes locomotive realized $24,000, including buyers premium, at Cordier Auctions on July 23 during its Consignment and Estate Auction. Commissioned around 1916 for the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad, the No. 705 was never offered as a cataloged Lionel production toy. Instead, it was created as an exact scale reproduction of one of the railroads electric trains for exhibition in New York. An early Lionel publication described the model as an exact reproduction built at the request of the railroad, reflecting the companys commitment to craftsmanship and the significance of the Hudson & Manhattan system. This system today is recognized as the predecessor to the modern PATH rail network. The original display consisted of the powered No. 705 locomotive accompanied by passenger cars Nos. 706 and 707. Unlike standard Lionel trains manufactured in the thousands, the Hudson Tubes set is believed to have been produced in extremely limited numbers. More than a century later, surviving examples remain scarce, earning the train an almost mythical reputation among prewar Lionel collectors and historians. The toy locomotive retains original paint, while the window material exhibited deterioration and the wheels showed expected age-related wear. The excitement surrounding this locomotive was immediate, said Jane Seibert, director of consignments and marketing at Cordier Auctions. Collectors understood they were seeing far more than an early Lionel train. This was an opportunity to own one of the rarest surviving pieces associated with Lionels formative years, backed by a provenance that connects it directly to one of the executives of the railroad it was created to commemorate. Competitive bidding quickly pushed the locomotive beyond its estimate before it realized a final price of $24,000, including buyers premium, underscoring the enduring demand for historically significant railroad and toy collectibles. More than 100 years after it was commissioned to celebrate one of Americas pioneering rapid transit systems, the Hudson Tubes locomotive once again captured the imagination of collectors. Its remarkable history (from a special exhibition model, to a treasured family heirloom) demonstrates the lasting appeal of objects that combine rarity, provenance, and historical significance.