TimboyWell, I DO declare! -Timboy
So noted !
Alton Junction
Rich, neat thread.
Several years ago local charity had started an annual train show Thanksgiving weekend and the promoters learned a friend of mine had American Flyer trains and wanted to show something other than Lionel trains. I had done several remodeling jobs for my friend and he contacted me to build him a table to run trains on. After building a portable 8 x 16 table, he asked me to help him set it up at the display. After setting up the display, table, track a whistle, some switches, and scenery, we brought out the trains which had not seen daylight in several years. When they were reluctant to run, I looked into them and got several running. The simplicity and genius of design and function appealed to me and I was hooked with the first whiff of AF smoke from a steamer.
That was about 10 years and more $$ than I’d like to think about, and I enjoy the post war Gilbert American Flyers more today than when I started. The often overlooked aspect of the hobby, the accessories fascinates me as much and sometimes I thing more than the trains.
I had to take the layout down when I needed to reclaim a bedroom, and my train running is now on a simple oval test track, but the restoration of the old accessories is where I am focusing energies now, until another layout is built.
Jim
Sturgeon-Phish Rich, neat thread. Several years ago local charity had started an annual train show Thanksgiving weekend and the promoters learned a friend of mine had American Flyer trains and wanted to show something other than Lionel trains. I had done several remodeling jobs for my friend and he contacted me to build him a table to run trains on. After building a portable 8 x 16 table, he asked me to help him set it up at the display. After setting up the display, table, track a whistle, some switches, and scenery, we brought out the trains which had not seen daylight in several years. When they were reluctant to run, I looked into them and got several running. The simplicity and genius of design and function appealed to me and I was hooked with the first whiff of AF smoke from a steamer. That was about 10 years and more $$ than I’d like to think about, and I enjoy the post war Gilbert American Flyers more today than when I started. The often overlooked aspect of the hobby, the accessories fascinates me as much and sometimes I thing more than the trains. I had to take the layout down when I needed to reclaim a bedroom, and my train running is now on a simple oval test track, but the restoration of the old accessories is where I am focusing energies now, until another layout is built. Jim
Jim,
Thanks,
I thought that we might get you out into the light of day.
Now, if we can only lure green97probe to tell us what we already know.
Rich
Rich,
I grew up with my Dad's AF, and I began to chase after PW Lionel after I started working. After I got most of the pieces I wanted, I became bored with it and I felt like I had reached a dead end. After seeing more and more of Jim's photos, I started taking a more serious look at Flyer and lost control in the process...
green97probe Rich, I grew up with my Dad's AF, and I began to chase after PW Lionel after I started working. After I got most of the pieces I wanted, I became bored with it and I felt like I had reached a dead end. After seeing more and more of Jim's photos, I started taking a more serious look at Flyer and lost control in the process...
So noted,
richhotrain Here is the tally of American Flyer guys so far with expanatory notes: Sturgeon-Phish - Undeclared Declared green97probe - Undeclared Declared Timboy - Undeclared Declared richhotrain - in spite of the screen name balidas - American Flyer stuff, but in Standard Gauge. I said Standard Gauge but I meant Wide Gauge. Northwoods Flyer sulafool - American Flyer? Sounds like something made in China... mersenne6 jcolonbc banks - I'm a collector operator of Gilbert HO. Does that count? arkady - Lionel. But American Flyer made a good product, and one that deserved a better chance than it got. stebbycentral aflyer traindaddy1 - Isn't "Snoopy" an American Flyer? joehohmann laurastom RockIsland52 - counterfeiter Russ D - Extra points for returning from the "dark side". Little Tommy - Flyer Guy
Here is the tally of American Flyer guys so far with expanatory notes:
Sturgeon-Phish - Undeclared Declared
green97probe - Undeclared Declared
Timboy - Undeclared Declared
richhotrain - in spite of the screen name
balidas - American Flyer stuff, but in Standard Gauge. I said Standard Gauge but I meant Wide Gauge.
Northwoods Flyer
sulafool - American Flyer? Sounds like something made in China...
mersenne6
jcolonbc
banks - I'm a collector operator of Gilbert HO. Does that count?
arkady - Lionel. But American Flyer made a good product, and one that deserved a better chance than it got.
stebbycentral
aflyer
traindaddy1 - Isn't "Snoopy" an American Flyer?
joehohmann
laurastom
RockIsland52 - counterfeiter
Russ D - Extra points for returning from the "dark side".
Little Tommy - Flyer Guy
In a few months I want to replicate the huge big beautiful Union Station that American Flyer put out in Wide Gauge. I have several pictures of it, but no view of the back of the building.
Count me in as I received my first flyer set for Christmas in 1957.It was 293 Pacific set which I still have and oddly enough as mentioned in an earlier post came from Montgomery Ward.When I returned to the hobby in the late '90s I couldn't find reasonable priced AF pieces to build my collection and turned to the "dark side" O gauge.Fast forward to 2005 and discovered the error of my ways and now hunt post war Flyer in S gauge at every yard sale,flea market and train show.Good stuff......
Better put me on the list and declare me a "Flyer Guy" I recieved my first set of AF (No. 5107W Diesel Freight set) for Christmas 1950 and since then, except for 8 years in the late 60's and early 70s, I've had an operating layout.
Besides Gilbert S Scale AF and "Flyonel" I also run S Scale cars and/or engines from American Models, Putt Trains, Locomotive Workshop, Des Plaines, Rex, Pacific RailShops, S Helper, Downs, Kinsman, Lehigh Valley and converted (improved by retrucking to S Gauge) Lionel as well as repainted and redecaled Gilbert S that I've resurected from the $1.00 bin at train shows. I've also got about 25 scratchbuilt cars mainly built of evergreen styrene, some with Gene Walp silkscreened sides, from the "Dark Ages" between when Gilbert went out of buisness and before American Models started up.
I inherited a few items of American Flyer 3/16" O and HO, which I don't run (although an old Prewar (1939) HO-258 Passenger and Freight Station sits in the background of the layout to provide "forced perspective).
Everything I've got in S Gauge runs and is run regularly.
Little Tommy
Just add me to your question.
Hello to all the Flyer guys .I collect all forms of Flyer from 20's onward.I like you am tired of the consent barrage of drivel of Lippy the Lion of Lionel fame. I for one love it when this publication runs a piece on the any of Flyer line.I thought the last piece was well done on all flyer cabooses.Kudos to the writer.
AFBOXCAR -Hank
count me in...
I am into American Flyer and S-Scale. Best scale out there! My dad had Flyer Trains when I was young. In 1959 I got a Truscott Franklin set with the cowboys & indians, Camera, Station, Tunnel and moutain pass, trestle canon car old time box car and the three passenger cars. Still have everything including the instruction sheets and packet to hold the track clips. The following year he gave me all of the trains he had including a Santa Fe A-B passenger set with aluminum passenger cars from 1950, Rocket AA locomotive, 370 GP7, A 336 Northern set from 1956, and a 312 Pennsylvania K-5, Along with about 30 Freight cars, transformer, crossing gate and warning flashers.
Since then I have greatly added to it. I now have a least one variation of all major accessories and hundreds of Freight and passenger cars. I have expanded into American Models, S-Helper, AF by Lionel, Kinsman, and a variety of other S-scale manufactures. Having been in the military I never had a permanent layout, but have built many portable layouts over the years, and participated with the South East Michigan S-Gauge Club when station outside Detroit. I have constructed Christmas Train Gardens over the last 10 years that tend to stay up about three months until necessity forces me to take it down. These train gardens were completely scenic and featured six trains operating on three different levels.
You can count me as an AF guy. Nothing else comes close to the charm AF trains and accessories have. As a kid, our family had an old freight set and that is what got my love of toy trains started. Then, again, about 10 years ago, I went to a trains show and was suprised at how much American Flyer stuff there was for sale. That is how my collection of postwar Flyer got started. I have parted with some of my newer stuff. But, my heart is with the postwar stuff from 1946-1960.
Frank
This thread is amazing! I never realized so many AF "S" guys were reading the forum.
richhotrain richhotrain Here is the tally of American Flyer guys so far: Sturgeon-Phish green97probe Timboy richhotrain balidas Northwoods Flyer sulafool mersenne6 jcolonbc banks arkady stebbycentral aflyer traindaddy1 joehohmann laurastom RockIsland52 Russ D Little Tommy nwoodsnut AFBOXCAR rrlineman Major AF4EVER
richhotrain Here is the tally of American Flyer guys so far: Sturgeon-Phish green97probe Timboy richhotrain balidas Northwoods Flyer sulafool mersenne6 jcolonbc banks arkady stebbycentral aflyer traindaddy1 joehohmann laurastom RockIsland52 Russ D Little Tommy nwoodsnut AFBOXCAR rrlineman Major AF4EVER
Here is the tally of American Flyer guys so far:
Sturgeon-Phish
green97probe
Timboy
richhotrain
balidas
sulafool
banks
arkady
traindaddy1
RockIsland52
Russ D
nwoodsnut
AFBOXCAR
rrlineman
Major
AF4EVER
Sturgeon-Phish Rich, This thread is amazing! I never realized so many AF "S" guys were reading the forum. Jim
I am pleased that so many have responded so we have some idea of how many of us are out there.
Who knows, maybe the staff of CTT will devote more ink to American Flyer!
Please add me to the list of AF lovers. And, while I do own several Lionel and Marx pieces, I too am hopeing that CTT starts to devote more space to flyer. I review the latest copy on my news stand on a regular basis, but rarely buy an issue brecause; 1. lack of AF content, and 2. too much emphasis on layout construction and not enough emphasis on classic toy trains.
Rich......I don't belong on the list. Rich.....I originally posted I like both (AF and Lionel), have friends with both, but sady don't have both. As I said, so much choice, too little space.
Jack
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
RockIsland52 Rich......I don't belong on the list. . Jack
Rich......I don't belong on the list. .
I beg to differ with you Jack. I think that packed somewhere in your vast railroad holdings you own an American Flyer water tank from your childhood.
That quailifies you to be on this list in my book. And besides, I predict Flyer in your future. I'm still working on you and Sturgeon to join the Pre War clan.
Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
richhotrain richhotrain richhotrain Here is the tally of American Flyer guys so far: Sturgeon-Phish green97probe Timboy richhotrain balidas Northwoods Flyer sulafool mersenne6 jcolonbc banks arkady stebbycentral aflyer traindaddy1 joehohmann laurastom RockIsland52 - Questioning his own birthright at this time. Russ D Little Tommy nwoodsnut AFBOXCAR rrlineman Major AF4EVER PHM
richhotrain richhotrain Here is the tally of American Flyer guys so far: Sturgeon-Phish green97probe Timboy richhotrain balidas Northwoods Flyer sulafool mersenne6 jcolonbc banks arkady stebbycentral aflyer traindaddy1 joehohmann laurastom RockIsland52 - Questioning his own birthright at this time. Russ D Little Tommy nwoodsnut AFBOXCAR rrlineman Major AF4EVER PHM
richhotrain Here is the tally of American Flyer guys so far: Sturgeon-Phish green97probe Timboy richhotrain balidas Northwoods Flyer sulafool mersenne6 jcolonbc banks arkady stebbycentral aflyer traindaddy1 joehohmann laurastom RockIsland52 - Questioning his own birthright at this time. Russ D Little Tommy nwoodsnut AFBOXCAR rrlineman Major AF4EVER PHM
RockIsland52 - Questioning his own birthright at this time.
PHM
PHM Please add me to the list of AF lovers. And, while I do own several Lionel and Marx pieces, I too am hopeing that CTT starts to devote more space to flyer. I review the latest copy on my news stand on a regular basis, but rarely buy an issue brecause; 1. lack of AF content, and 2. too much emphasis on layout construction and not enough emphasis on classic toy trains.
So noted, PHM, you are now on the list.
RockIsland52 Rich......I don't belong on the list. Rich.....I originally posted I like both (AF and Lionel), have friends with both, but sady don't have both. As I said, so much choice, too little space. Jack
Jack,
Check the latest list. We have noted your identity crisis!!!
Northwoods Flyer RockIsland52 Rich......I don't belong on the list. . Jack I beg to differ with you Jack. I think that packed somewhere in your vast railroad holdings you own an American Flyer water tank from your childhood. All you need is a nice die cast Pre War steamer and you are good to go. That quailifies you to be on this list in my book. And besides, I predict Flyer in your future. I'm still working on you and Sturgeon to join the Pre War clan. Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby Northwoods Flyer I have to agree with you NF. Once someone mentions American Flyer, and in favorable terms, he deserves a place on our list. Jack needs to adamantly demand removal from the list if that is his desire and, even then, it would break all of our hearts to seem him leave. Rich
I have to agree with you NF. Once someone mentions American Flyer, and in favorable terms, he deserves a place on our list.
Jack needs to adamantly demand removal from the list if that is his desire and, even then, it would break all of our hearts to seem him leave.
Greg (Northwoods Flyer) - Your pre-war pictures are really tempting. I am drawn to the "toy like" appearance, and the tin lithography is very appealing. I have several times watched auctions for the pre-war items but have not taken the plunge! At this point there are still a LOT of AF pieces on my want list, and if I started a pre-war list, I KNOW I would be in trouble in a hurry! Self disciplice keeps me from straying, but your pictures do weaken my resolve. (Keep posting them)
Rich, with the listed people so far i have a question for everyone. does anyone know the name or website of the guy that was selling super magnets for Flyer DC motors earlier this spring on Ebay?
I lost the listing and trying to find out if he has completed the 3/4 inch super motor DC feilds and matching Armatures he mentioned in his auction.
thanks, Mike (AKA rrlineman)
Count me in. I've been collecting since 1950!!!!
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