prewar o gauage amf train set

[Anonymous]

I was recently given a set of american flyer trains that are o guage. They are orange and the cars bear the name bunker hill. The engine looks a little like a trolley car. The only indication I found of the date is that the set was produced by American Flyer in Chicago. Any ideas of how to better date this set? I saw that someone had recommended one of the pricing guides but the guide said it only covered 1948-Present?

[Dr.Fu-Manchu]

Dr.Fu-Manchu,The Train Guy here: Can you give a bit more info on the set? Any numbers on the cars and the loco will help. The Loco is an electric engine, which was
what most companys started making. The fact that it was made in Chicago means it
either pre A.C. Gilbert or was part of last production before moving to New Haven.
The color of the loco will help also. Hope this helps, but more info is needed to find
the set in most books.[:)]

[Anonymous]

The cars and engine are both orange. The engine has the number 4654, the cars have the names "Yorktown" and "Bunker Hill" and "bunker Hill". Thanks for the info.

[Dr.Fu-Manchu]

Dr.Fu-Manchu, The Train Guy is on the job: Doc, I think you have a "Wide Gauge "set.
AKA Standard Gauge. The way to tell is measure between the insides of the rails,
standard is 2 1/8" O is 1 1/4" The book I am consulting is "Collecting Toy Trains"
Edition#4 printed in1997. The Number you listed was for a Standard Gauge Loco. According to the above book: #starting at #4000 were Standard gauge, below #4000
were O Gauge. Hope this helps. You might check CTT Issues. If you need more
help, drop me an e-mail.[:)] P.S. I am looking for books on Pre-War Americian Flyer.
Dr.Fu.

[Bob Keller]

Flyer O gauge was our cover story for the Sept. 2000 issue. John Grams wrote the story and we shot contributor Mike Hilbert's Flyer O collection.

For Dr. F-M: The only single volumes I know covering prewar Flyer are the long out of print Greenberg's Guide to American Flyer Wide Gauge by Alan Schuweiler (Greenberg, 1989) and his still available in print Greenberg's Guide to American Flyer Prewar O Gauge (Greenberg, 1997).

[Dr.Fu-Manchu]

Dr.Fu-Manchu The Train Guy is back with more info: First, I must Bow to the Great O
gauge Overlord's insight. I found a book at Barnes & Noble called " American Flyer
Classic Toy Trains" Most useful. As to Drwhog, I found you some more info: The Loco
you have is NYC style box-cab electric made in 1928, the set was called "The Statesman" So your set was made in Chicago in 1928. Pre A.C. Gilbert. I have not
finished the book, But it's a great book if one wants to learn about American Flyer &
to a smaller degree, other train makers of the time. A fine book to add to your bookshelf.
[bow][:)]

[Anonymous]

Tremendous thanks and admiration to both of you for your help and impressive knowledge on the subject. I'm going to go look for that book. Thanks!