This is my first post on here, and I have to say that everything I've been reading on here has been fantastic!
I've been a collector/operator for life (passed down from my father), but lately I've really been getting into tinplate. One recent find has started me in the direction of Prewar Flyer O, actually.
I found a Flyer set (1217, I think), which has what looks to be the 1218 (she's been badly repainted at one point in time to red with a black roof, but inside I see orange paint that looks original) along with the Milwaukee baggage car and 2 Milwaukee "Seattle" coaches.
It wasn't in it's original box, and only cost $40.00. An even bigger benefit is that I cleaned the locomotive and lubed it, and she ran beautifully! So I'm going to restore the locomotive, as the cars are in good shape.
Does anyone have any information on what year it was issued like this, with the orange locomotive? Is there an example in one of the catalogs?
BTW, I've been reading the Prewar Flyer thread on here, and I'm in love with Flyer O! Beautiful!
My understanding is that the 1218 engines were typically black until about 1925 and then there were variations in blue, orange, red, maroon, and light brown.
I do not believe that there are examples of the odd colored 1218 engines in the catalogs.
RoyalBlue1972
Welcome to the forum. Its good to have another American Flyer enthusiast among us. I'm glad you have been enjoying the PreWar Flyer thread. It has been a lot of fun to produce. Many knowledgeable and friendly folks have contributed to it.
I am not at home where my resource books are at the moment, but I agree with NationWideLines in the information that he has provided. I do not recall the 1218 Steeple cabs appearing in the catalog in any color except black. Nor am I aware of a set being cataloged with the specifice consist of cars that you have. That doesn't mean that it wasn't an uncataloged set, or one produced for a store account. Here are a few photos of the orange 1218 that I have in my collection. It isn't in very good shape, but most of the orange1218's that I have seen are in well played with condition.
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
Thank you for the information, folks! I'm looking forward to discovering all I can about the PreWar Flyer trains! As a bit of background, I've been collecting and operating for quite a while, with my father being the one getting me into it.
For my side of the trains, this set of Flyer is the only PreWar Flyer I have (my father, on the other hand, has quite a bit!)
For what else I have, I'm mainly a Marx follower, but also have Pre and PostWar Lionel, HO, N and G gauges. For some reason, I've always loved Marx trains mainly. But this Flyer set just really has something that I love about it.
To me, as wonderful and beautiful as a well-done scale model looks and runs, I can't really get into them. There's something about some nice tinplate that spurs more of the imagination in me, and draws me to it much more.
RoyalBlue1972 - to the forum!
Seems like you're hooked into the past like so many of us are.
My information says that the 1218 was built between 1920-25 but did show up in the 1926 catalog as there were probably some left over. Set 1217 was in the 1921-24 catalogs but only the 1924 shows the loco in orange pulling a baggage car and two passenger cars that appear to be the Seattle cars you mentioned. Keep in mind what Northwoods Flyer stated that there were many uncatologed sets sold, but this is a good range in time for these loco's and cars.
Are you able to post any pics? It would be a nice addition to any thread.
Ray
Bayville, NJ
Life is what happens to youWhile you're busy making other plans - John Lennon
AF53 Set 1217 was in the 1921-24 catalogs but only the 1924 shows the loco in orange pulling a baggage car and two passenger cars that appear to be the Seattle cars you mentioned.
Set 1217 was in the 1921-24 catalogs but only the 1924 shows the loco in orange pulling a baggage car and two passenger cars that appear to be the Seattle cars you mentioned.
Ray, I am not sure where you get your information, but the 1922-1924 catalogs all show the same artwork for set 1217, which shows a black engine and blue cars. Even the 1924 foldout I have shows set 1217 with a black engine. Furthermore, these catalogs only show the 1218 engines in black. The 8 page foldout, which is in black and white, carries the only artwork of that year that has cars that remotely resemble the 6.5 inch seattle cars, but I cannot say for sure that they are those cars.
Thank you for the photos of the orange 1218! OK, here are a couple photos of mine as it runs around the tree. After I got it running, it's been alternating service on the line with my daughter's Lionel Hogwart's Express.
Here it is on a run into what I found from reading on here to be a Flyer papier mache tunnel! I got that years ago at a train meet for only a couple dollars, and I didn't know I had a jump on my PreWar Flyer collection!
Here's a shot of the whole train on its run. I'm not sure about that station I have on there - it was one thrown in with some Marx I got last year:
And this shot was one I was just doing to try out a low angle shot. Actually, it came out pretty neat! The light bulb in it is an old Christmas bulb, it was in the train when I bought it, and it still works!
Please pardon the rust and dirt on the train - I haven't done anything to it yet besides get it running. But, she'll be much cleaner and all soon!
NationwidelinesRay, I am not sure where you get your information, but the 1922-1924 catalogs all show the same artwork for set 1217, which shows a black engine and blue cars. Even the 1924 foldout I have shows set 1217 with a black engine. Furthermore, these catalogs only show the 1218 engines in black. The 8 page foldout, which is in black and white, carries the only artwork of that year that has cars that remotely resemble the 6.5 inch seattle cars, but I cannot say for sure that they are those cars.
In September 2011 I bought the American Flyer "Chicago Era" Digital Archive which, among other things, has every consumer catalog, folders, flyers, advanced dealer catalogs and many other valuable bits of information that was created by American Flyer between 1907-1937.
The 1924 Miniature Folder is 4 pages and it's in color.
Here is a brief description of the CD:
This archive started out as a "catalog archive" of all the known American Flyer consumer catalogs from 1907 - 1937. Quickly, we had to drop the word "catalog" as L. Andrew Jugle opened his very extensive collection of American Flyer paper for this project! Not only are consumer catalogs included but also many advance catalogs and price lists, a suberb Master Catalog from 1927, AF patents, catalog mailing envelopes, and a bonus section with lots of great material! This is by far the most extensive collection of prewar American Flyer paper ever offered in a single, reasonably priced product!
I get nothing from the sale of these cd's but here is the web site.
www.hslinc.com
It's a great source of information.
Ray,
I am sorry my mistake. I have an advanced updated copy of the Flyer digital archive that now features all of the 1922-1924 Flyer catalogs (there are 4 of them in the current version, with an early 1922 and late 1922, a 1923, and 1924) and an 8 page black and white foldout for 1924, as well as the color 4 page foldout you mention. I have to admit that I have not seen the 4 page color foldout/mini-catalog very often and did not look at it when making my previous comment. It does indeed show the colored 1218 engines and the 1217 set is shown with those cars.
NWL
Nice find you've got there! And only $40? You got a good deal! I have a late prewar American Flyer Royal Blue freight set that I've restored, and they really made some nice stuff back then. 70 years old, and it runs smooth as silk!
If you're needing any tips or advice on restoring the set, I made an entire video series a while back showing the full restoration of a Lionel passenger car.
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