SUNDAY PUZZLE FUN 4-19-20 AMERICAN FLYER

[Nationwidelines]

As expected Clue number 2 is incorrect.  Actually, Hafner's Overland Flyer brand started in 1914 after he left American Flyer.  

NWL

[Penny Trains]

Here are the answers:

1. William F. (HAFNER) and William O. (COLEMAN) started manufacturing toy (WIND-UP) trains in (CHICAGO) in 1907.
2. (OVERLAND) Flyer became (AMERICAN) Flyer in 1914 manufacturing (TWO-RAIL) mechanical locomotives with (CAST) (IRON) shells.
3. Refusing to use a competitor’s terminology, A.F. referred to trains running on 2 ¼ inch gauge track as (WIDE) and as (NARROW) for equipment operating on rails 1 3/8 inches apart.
4. When A. C. (GILBERT) purchased American Flyer in 1938 the company relocated from Chicago to (NEW) (HAVEN) and started making (THREESIXTEENTHS) (SCALE) trains.
5. Flyer’s (PIPER), as it’s 4693 is nick-named, pulled set No. 1493, which in 1932 had (THREE) of the same (ROLLS) (ROYCE) blue cars as the No. 1489 (PRESIDENTS) Special set.
6. A Chromium plated No. 4689 locomotive pulled the magnificent (MAYFLOWER) set.
7. It’s hard to say how many Flyer fans could afford the top-of-the-line No. 1499 set, which was priced at one (HUNDRED) dollars in 1932.  But for (TWO) dollars and fifty cents the No. 172 (LIBERTY-BELL) wind-up set could teach a boy (RESOURCEFULNESS) according to Mr. Coleman.
8. The 314AW pacific of 1949 violated Lionel’s patent, so Flyer’s (WHISTLE) had to be moved from the locomotive to a (BILLBOARD).
9. Flyer made the transition to (S-GAUGE) in 1946 with (LINK) couplers, smoke in (TENDER) and their (CHOO-CHOO) sound which was made by a bellows
10. The No. 336 4-8-4 (NORTHERN), often called the (CHALLENGER), came with a (PULLMOR) motor and sold for $47.50 in 1953.
11. (ALCO) diesels headed up the 5645TRH (SILVER-FLASH) set.  The P.A. locos were decorated in brown, orange and silver and had green (PINE) trees on their noses.
12. Three other impressive sets were the No. 20475 Mo-Pac (EAGLE), the No. 5002T (CIRCUS) train and the Frontiersman, pulled by the No. 88 (FRANKLIN) 4-4-0.
13. A.C. Gilbert died in 1961 and Jack (WRATHER) took over.  The last great addition to the Flyer line was the more realistic (PIKE-MASTER) track and the Scenic (PANELS) which made layout building much (FASTER).
14. Lionel acquired the ultimate in Flyer collectibles in 1966 but not before a multitude of starter sets pulled by 4-4-2 (ATLANTIC) locomotives with tenders lettered with both the (DIAMOND) shaped logo of the (READING) Lines had won the hearts of many.

[Penny Trains]

All of this just proves how much we've learned in the last 20 years.  Probably due to #1 CTT, #2 the internet and #3 better auction reporting in general whether web based or not.

[Nationwidelines]

Penny Trains

Nationwidelines

Clue 1 William F. Hafner and William O. Coleman started manufacturing toy (wind-up) trains in Chicago in 1907 (not 1900 as your clue indicates).

 

 

My resources suggested these variables:

1. O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains 5th Edition, 1999 Krause Publications: "American Flyer began in 1900 when William Hafner of Chicago, Illinois went into business as a toy manufacturer.  When wind-up trains were added to the line-up, William Coleman was brought in as a financial partner.  By 1910, trains were the firm's strongest line, and the company's name was changed to American Flyer"
2. Toy Trains of Yesteryear c. 1972, 1987 Carstens Publications, Inc.  Collection of articles written by Case Kowal for Toy Trains Magazine during 1953 and 1954: "Although the American Flyer M<anufacturing Company was founded in 1907..."  Article is primarily about the AF O gauge No. 3020 locomotive.
3. The American Toy Train by Gerry & Janet Souter,MBI Publishing Company1999:  Under the heading "Hafner Company Enters The Toy Train Market" in chapter 3: (Hafner) "put his mechanical energies into developing a wind-up motor that was both simple and reliable.  In 1901, the young mechanic formed the Hafner Company and put his motor into toy trucks, tiny doll swings, and a sheet metal automobile..."  And later in the entry: "Finally, in 1905, after seeing interest rising for toy trains, he put his wind-up motor into a cast-iron locomotive shell and never looked back."

So, I have 3 sources all giving different dates.

 

 

Nationwidelines

I am still not sure what Clue 2 refers to?

 

 

Clue 2 is about a UP train name and a country, if that clears it up.  It's really all about counting the underlines between the parentheses to know which word goes where. 

 

Sadly reference 1 is incorrect in that Hafner started American Flyer in 1900.  Hafner did start making windup items somewhere around that date, but is widely known to have made tin automobile/motor car items. 

There is no evidence of Hafner selling trains prior to 1907, with the name American Flyer apparently not settled on until after the first series of cars were produced.  

The first cars sold by American Flyer in 1907 are as follows:

The above car makes no reference to the name American Flyer

The second series of cars, introduced in 1908, prominently show the American Flyer name

As do the boxes from 1908

 

Reference 2 indicates that American Flyer Manufacturing Co was founded in 1907, which is also incorrect.  The official company name was Edmonds Metzel Manufacturing (see Above box), which is a manufacturing company that was founded c. 1899, which was taken over by W. O Coleman c. 1906 and it was not until 1910 that the company name was changed to American Flyer Manufacturing Co.

As for Reference 3, I gave up on that source when I saw their referencing a Hafner Union Pacific City of Denver train as an American Flyer item on page 60.  There are simply too many factual errors in that book to take it seriously.  

 

NWL

 

[Penny Trains]

Nationwidelines

Clue 1 William F. Hafner and William O. Coleman started manufacturing toy (wind-up) trains in Chicago in 1907 (not 1900 as your clue indicates).

My resources suggested these variables:

1. O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains 5th Edition, 1999 Krause Publications: "American Flyer began in 1900 when William Hafner of Chicago, Illinois went into business as a toy manufacturer.  When wind-up trains were added to the line-up, William Coleman was brought in as a financial partner.  By 1910, trains were the firm's strongest line, and the company's name was changed to American Flyer"
2. Toy Trains of Yesteryear c. 1972, 1987 Carstens Publications, Inc.  Collection of articles written by Case Kowal for Toy Trains Magazine during 1953 and 1954: "Although the American Flyer M<anufacturing Company was founded in 1907..."  Article is primarily about the AF O gauge No. 3020 locomotive.
3. The American Toy Train by Gerry & Janet Souter,MBI Publishing Company1999:  Under the heading "Hafner Company Enters The Toy Train Market" in chapter 3: (Hafner) "put his mechanical energies into developing a wind-up motor that was both simple and reliable.  In 1901, the young mechanic formed the Hafner Company and put his motor into toy trucks, tiny doll swings, and a sheet metal automobile..."  And later in the entry: "Finally, in 1905, after seeing interest rising for toy trains, he put his wind-up motor into a cast-iron locomotive shell and never looked back."

So, I have 3 sources all giving different dates.

Nationwidelines

I am still not sure what Clue 2 refers to?

Clue 2 is about a UP train name and a country, if that clears it up.  It's really all about counting the underlines between the parentheses to know which word goes where. 

[Nationwidelines]

Penny,

Just one correction/answer

Clue 1 William F. Hafner and William O. Coleman started manufacturing toy (wind-up) trains in Chicago in 1907 (not 1900 as your clue indicates).

I am still not sure what Clue 2 refers to?  It appears to be a jumble of American Flyer history. 

Could Clue 2 possibly be referring to Edmonds-Metzel MFG becoming American Flyer Manufacturing in 1910?  Or is it referring to when William F. Coleman left American Flyer in 1914 to form Hafner (Overland Flyer) trains?

NWL 

[Penny Trains]

AMERICAN FLYER
48 WORDS

1. William F. (_ _ _ _ _ _) and William O. (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) started manufacturing toy (_ _ _ _ - _ _ ) trains in (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) in 1907.
2. (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Flyer became (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Flyer in 1914 manufacturing (_ _ _ - _ _ _ _) mechanical locomotives with (_ _ _ _) (_ _ _ _) shells.
3. Refusing to use a competitor’s terminology, A.F. referred to trains running on 2 ¼ inch gauge track as (_ _ _ _) and as (_ _ _ _ _ _) for equipment operating on rails 1 3/8 inches apart.
4. When A. C. (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) purchased American Flyer in 1938 the company relocated from Chicago to (_ _ _) (_ _ _ _ _) and started making                (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) (_ _ _ _ _) trains.
5. Flyer’s (_ _ _ _ _), as the 4693 loco is nick-named, pulled set No. 1493, which in 1932 had (_ _ _ _ _) of the same (_ _ _ _ _) (_ _ _ _ _) blue cars as the No. 1489 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Special set.
6. A Chromium plated No. 4689 locomotive pulled the magnificent                  (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) set.
7. It’s hard to say how many Flyer fans could afford the top-of-the-line No. 1499 set, which was priced at one (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) dollars in 1932.  But for   (_ _ _) dollars and fifty cents the No. 172 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _) wind-up set could teach a boy (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) according to Mr. Coleman.
8. The 314AW pacific of 1949 violated Lionel’s patent, so Flyer’s (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) had to be moved from the locomotive to a (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _).
9. Flyer made the transition to (_ - _ _ _ _ _) in 1946 with (_ _ _ _) couplers, smoke in (_ _ _ _ _ _) and their (_ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _) sound which was made by a bellows.
10. The No. 336 4-8-4 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _), often called the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _), came with a (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) motor and sold for $47.50 in 1953.
11. (_ _ _ _) diesels headed up the 5645TRH (_ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _) set.  The P.A. locos were decorated in brown, orange and silver and had green           (_ _ _ _) trees on their noses.
12. Three other impressive sets were the No. 20475 Mo-Pac (_ _ _ _ _), the No. 5002T (_ _ _ _ _ _) train and the Frontiersman, pulled by the No. 88          (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) 4-4-0.
13. A.C. Gilbert died in 1961 and Jack (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) took over.  The last great addition to the Flyer line was the more realistic (_ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _) track and the Scenic (_ _ _ _ _ _) which made layout building much (_ _ _ _ _ _).
14. Lionel acquired the ultimate in Flyer collectibles in 1966 but not before a multitude of starter sets pulled by 4-4-2 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) locomotives with tenders lettered with both the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) shaped logo of the                (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) Lines had won the hearts of many.