Help to identify American Flyer Choochoo Tender

[rrswede]

Two American Flyer questions from me in two days!!

Have enclosed two photos and a Ebay listing link of American Flyer Choochoo Tenders. The photos are of "as found" parts. The link is for a AF tender described as "an early '40's" model 546C  x2051".

The Ebay post and my tender look the same except mine has sliding pickup shoes on the two trucks. 

Can you tell me what the model of my tender is, if there is a parts list or diagram available to help verify all parts are present and how to reassemble the choochoo mechanism?

1) Ebay link

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMERICAN-FLYER-564C-CHOO-CHOO-TENDER-PREWAR-O-GAUGE-NoX2051-/391694886863?hash=item5b32d5a7cf:g:EUoAAOSw-0xYlSbi

2) Photos

Thank you, swede

 

[USMCtrainman]

Swede,  It looks like a Pre-war O scale tender.  Not sure what model as I am only really familiar with Post-war Flyer.

Mike

[stebbycentral]

 

Doyle's AF catalog for pre-war 3/16 O-scale lists a "'564C tender with chugger" made in 1941.  It was a companion to the 564 4-6-4 locomotive.  Oddly enough according to the catalog a running 564 locomotive ranges in price from $1,250 to $2,750, but the tender by itself: $25 to $75.  The picture in the catalog appears to have the same overall profile as the one in the EBay pictures.  Obviously the trucks on this one are shot, so it's hard to say if there were power pickups or not.  The actual mechanism is simple enough.  The motor is attached to a crank that drives the piston back and forth in the sound chamber.  The one round piece with the slot is the end cap where the crank goes, the one with the small hole is the opposite end.   The washer with the hook on it, I have no idea.  Assuming however that you can get the motor to run, you should be able to figure out how to put it back together by trial and error.

 

[rrswede]

Thank you for the responses, Mike and Stebby.

Will have to look around for a 564 locomotive!!!

Stebby, if I insert the crank through the slot of the round piece and insert the plunger into the "sound tube", the round piece cannot line up with or be inserted into the end of the "sound tube". It must go some other place in the "tube". As for the "washer with hook on the end", the "hook" fastens to the outside of the tube upstream of its rectangular hole, with the "washer" centered in the "tube".

Hope to receive additional input before tinkering. The "sound tube" metalurgy leaves something to be desired. If I'm not careful, it will turn to dust.

Thank you, again, swede

 

[stebbycentral]

I found a link to a web page that describes how to repair these devices:

http://www.portlines.com/portlinesclinic8.htm

I was close, but no cigar.

[rrswede]

Beautiful, Stebby. I will bookmark that site. There is a ton of information available.

Thank you very much, swede

[USMCtrainman]

rrswede

Thank you for the responses, Mike and Stebby.

Will have to look around for a 564 locomotive!!!

Stebby, if I insert the crank through the slot of the round piece and insert the plunger into the "sound tube", the round piece cannot line up with or be inserted into the end of the "sound tube". It must go some other place in the "tube". As for the "washer with hook on the end", the "hook" fastens to the outside of the tube upstream of its rectangular hole, with the "washer" centered in the "tube".

Hope to receive additional input before tinkering. The "sound tube" metalurgy leaves something to be desired. If I'm not careful, it will turn to dust.

Thank you, again, swede

 

 

Swede,  There is a guy named Don Carver in Gettysburg, Pa. (Carver Toy Trains) who has a huge collection of Flyer parts (and Lionel and Marks as well) and he would be a good resourse.  If Port Lines does not carry the part(s) and Don Carver does not have it, my guess Don could still give you a few leads.  Good luck!        Mike

 

[rrswede]

Mike, thank you for the additional information. Carver's Toy Trains. Have it filed with other supplier information.

After receiving the Port Lines information, I am comfortable about where all the parts go. I'm not so comfortable about handling the "sound tube" too much. The tube is not perfectly cylindrical but the round parts that go inside the tube do fit. I did fasten the tube to the base, installed the crank and plunger and gave it power. The tube did not disintegrate, which was a good thing. Not sure if I'll use super glue or epoxy to secure the various parts to the tube.

swede