I'm having a slight disagreement with The Train Tender right now about the lettering on the pre-war Royal Blue from American Flyer. I pointed out earlier that the pre-war fonts are different from the post-war, which we agree on, but we still haven't agreed on the color. I believe the lettering on the engine was yellow with silver cab numbers, and the earlier tenders had silver lettering while the later ones had yellow. He's wondering if maybe the lettering was white and has become discolored with age. The silver is pretty obvious, but who's right about the yellow/white?
The reason for all this is because the website lists lettering specifically for the pre-war Royal Blue, but it sounds like it may be incorrect. I don't want this to become an argument, so I thought I'd see if anyone knows for certain what is right? I just want my Royal Blue to be true to the original is all.
Thanks for any help!
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My 556 Royal Blue originally came with white lettering on both the engine and tender. The Circus train had the yellow lettering.
Hi Darth,
Here are a couple of photos of my Pre War Royal Blue. I am pretty certain that the lettering is original and to me it appears to be white.
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
I've looked at a one to two dozen pre-war Royal Blue engine-tender combinations over the years and the lettering has always been either white or silver - I've never seen yellow. I suppose, if the lettering was decal, it could yellow over time but this isn't something I've seen.
Thanks for the help, guys. I knew the silver really was silver, but it looks like the lettering on my spare (broken) shell and tender really has aged quite a bit. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering the condition it's in. Probably 50 years in a damp basement or attic.
I got a Royal Blue for Christmas in 1941. I don’t remember a great deal about it. I remember it had three rail track and there was a voltage pick up on the engine that rode on the middle rail. Was this train a “O” or a “S” gauge? A friend gave me a post war engine and tender, the voltage pick up is through the tinder wheels. The wheels measure .875” which is “S” gauge.
American Flyer took the hiatus of World War II as an opportunity to change from 3-rail O gauge to 2-rail S gauge. They were already building the trains in S scale (1/64); so this change harmonized the track gauge with the scale.
Lionel, on the other hand, used the interruption to change their bizarre prewar couplers to something resembling prototypical Janney couplers, albeit too large for O scale.
Bob Nelson
Northwoods Flyer I have not personally handled many of the 556 but the yellowing with age theory sounds plausible. I will dig the engine and tender out of their box later and take a closer look. Greenberg says that the tender came with either rubber stamping or decals. Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby Northwoods Flyer Greg
Looks like the lettering on my Royal Blue is in the form of Decals!! No doubt it is original, but no yellowing. Still look white.
Lover of all things Gilbert, truly a man ahead of his time.
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