American Flyer 355 - What is it?

[richhotrain]

I have owned an American Flyer #355 Baldwin Diesel since I was a kid.  Here is a photo:

http://americanflyershop.com/american-flyer-s-355-cnw-baldwin-powered-diesel-loco

I have often wondered what type of diesel it was meant to represent.  As far as I can tell, it is not an exact match of any specific prototype.  It looks somewhat like a VO-660 or a VO-1000.

My guess is that A.C. Gilbert didn't want to model a specific prototype for copyright reasons or, maybe, he was just too lazy or indifferent to get the plans from a diesel manufacturer.

Any thoughts on this?

Rich

[Timboy]

Rich:

It is my understanding that the American Flyer Baldwin Switcher was modeled from the Baldwin S-12.  American Models is currently reproducing them in an assortment of road names.  Now, for those who have converted their's to DCC, good luck finding an appropriate sound package.  You may have to settle for the VO-1000.  That is precisely what I did with a Loksound decoder.  I liked the sound package but had no clue as to how close of a fit it was for the S-12.

Here is the American Models link:  

http://www.americanmodels.com/locos/s-12.html

Here are some S-12 images:  

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=crmas&va=baldwin+s-12

Regards,

Timboy, The American Flyer Nerd

[richhotrain]

Timboy

It is my understanding that the American Flyer Baldwin Switcher was modeled from the Baldwin S-12.  

Tim, thank you much for that info.   Well, I'll be.  I never gave any thought to the possibility of it being modeled on an S-12.  But it sure does look like it.  And, it was built from 1951 through 1957.  The American Flyer model was first sold in 1956 or 1957; I cannot remember which year.

I have a roster of C&NW road numbers.  There was never was a #355 for any C&NW engine.  The S-12 carried road numbers 1073 through 1076.  So, American Flyer did not seek to be prototypical.  No big deal, but in the HO scale side of the hobby, the road numbers correspond to the actual prototype.

Thanks again for that big lead.  I have always wondered about what the American Flyer diesel was modeled after.

Rich

[Timboy]

Rich:

You're welcome!  It is also my understanding that while the Gilbert company used many prototype examples as  the basis for their models, they took liberties as well.  They simplified details and made other alterations - such as whitewall wheels on some models that did not have whitewalls in prototype.  As far as their naming and numbering system, there were many deviations from prototype.  After all, was "American Flyer Lines" from prototype?  Of course not.  That and the cab numbering system was theirs, not necessary following any prototypical system.  

Regards,

Timboy, The American Flyer Nerd

[lionelsoni]

It was customary before the modern era for the number on the model to be the manufacturer's model number and rarely a realistic prototype number.  I don't know how many times I have seen questions posed here in which the owner of a steam locomotive ignored the number on the cab and identified his engine instead from the metal plate underneath the pickup as a model "027"!