Prewar "O" Gauge American Flyer Locomotive Wheels

[37fleetwood]

Hi, I'm new here and tried looking through the posts already here but kept getting side tracked looking at other posts! I have a prewar American Flyer set and the engine has bad drive wheels. my engine is the one with the bell in the back of the cab and the brass colored bit on the side of the cab right above the wheels. if it would help I could post some photos. any help is apreciated.

Scott 

[Northwoods Flyer]

HI Scott

   I am relatively new here myself.  From what you describe I think your engine is a #3310 made in 1934.  Does it have a blue green stripe along the running boards?  It originally came with a semi Vanderbilt tender, a tender with a tank on it instead of a coal bunker.  What kind of cars came with it?   Freight or passenger and what are the numbers on it.

Many of the engines from this era have problems with crumbling drive wheels or leading or trailing truck wheels.  I believe that reproductions can be ordered from a company called Model Engineering Works.  Perhaps someone else on the site knows for sure.  There are other part suppliers as well that may carry the wheels. I have not done much repair work myself so I haven't done much searching for parts.

Please post some pics.  I think that most of us would enjoy seeing your train equipment.  Is there a story that goes along with the train?

Greg

[37fleetwood]

I actually have 2 of these engines.

they are almost exactly the same. the one came in a set with a tan and green box car

a green gondola and a red caboose and the smallish coal tender.

I have picked up a few other cars along the way.

the second engine I picked up at a flea market recently.

both engines have the same problem with the wheels.

they differ in the E unit only that I can see.

I would need the wheels with the drive pin for the bell setup as well as the others.

Ideally I will replace all the wheels so they can be run ocasionally. 

the engine from the set has a lever inside the cab and the other has a knob at the front of the boiler. 

 

 

 

[Northwoods Flyer]

Scott,

Here is the link for Model Engineering Works, I hope it works

http://www.geocities.com/modelengineeringworks/amflOguage.html

if it doesn't you can just do a search on Google.  The part you mention looks as if it might be 174-1.  However I am not an expert.  At least this is a place to start.

You definitely have a project there.  I haven't tackled anything like that yet.  I keep hoping I can do that in my retirement.

The 3110 and its cousins are fun to run.  The ringing bell is a fun feature. Mine has a switch in the cab to turn the bell off.  Several of the Wide Gauge engines had the bell ringing mechanism as well.  I will have to post a picture of my 3110 when I get some time.  I am still looking for the appropriate tender to go with it.

Greg

[Northwoods Flyer]

I thought you might like to see a picture of what this engine looks like when it is all back together

The ringing bell feature adds to the fun of having an old engine running down the tracks.  Of course it can drive you nuts after a while too.  There is a switch in the cab that shuts the bell off.  This one runs pretty well both forward and reverse.  It has a manual reverse.

Greg

[37fleetwood]

thanks for the link it works fine. I was looking again and you're right the switch in the cab operates the bell. that means the one engine has a E-unit the other has the manual knob on the front of the boiler. the one in the photo I pulled apart since it didn't run anyway. the other runs well but the wheels are crumbling and won't last much longer. originally I thought I'd use the one in the photo for parts but now I think I'll fix it and use the web site you gave for parts. I'll dig out the running set and try to post some photos soon.

Scott 

[37fleetwood]

here are a few photos of my Flyer stuff:

 

 

 

 

[huckluck]

Hi Greg: 

I've been reading your responses on the old AF engines.  Earlier you mentioned a link for a parts sorce.  I went to it and it was no longer available.  Do you know of any others and do you know where one can get a service/parts manual for the old "O"  wide gauge AF's.

Thanks.  Don

Or for that matter?  Does anyone have a source for service/parts manuals for these old Pre-War engine?

[Gray Cat]

I'm interested to hear about a parts supplier for these engines too. I've found a couple doing google searchs but they have lists and parts numbers with no pics so I wouldnt' even know where to begin.