Texas Special and American Flyer

[Razorclaw]

Can anyone tell me why these two brands or types are so expensive and hard to get? Another year,another Heisman and Oklahoma didn't get it this time,maybe next year[swg]

[Anonymous]

Do they even make American Flyer anymore?

QUOTE: Originally posted by Razorclaw
Another year,another Heisman and Oklahoma didn't get it this time,maybe next year[swg]

Another year,another OU Big 12 Football Championship and Texas didn't get it this time,maybe in another 5 years[;)]

[retsignalmtr]

never heard of texas flyer as a manufacturer. american flyer was made by ac gilbert co and is no longer in businness. my first ho set after i switcher from american flyer S was an ac gilbert NYC hudson with six cars. the loco was a good runner and was all metal. the cars had good detail and had sprung trucks. except for the loco i still have them along with some revelle and lionel also with sprung trucks. i don't remember what happened to the engine. i think thqt my father took it to a lhs for repairs and never got it back. i have some lionel passenger cars that are decorated for the texas special.

[leighant]

The Texas Special was a real (prototype) train that ran as a joint operation of the MKT and the Frisco.

My file says there was a photo of the Texas Special at Dallas Union Passenger Terminal in Trains magazine, Feb51 p. 35

A photo of the Texas Special in 1952 southbound from Dallas is in the book 400,000 Miles by Rail by Blanton p.109, northbound out of Dallas in 1946, p.102.
entering Austin 1949, under steam motive power, p.160

Article on locomotives and paint scheme of Texas Special in Model Railroader July88 p.124

modeled in N scale by Russell Straw of Sugarland ModRRer Dec97 p.101

Texas Special @St Louis in the Don Ball book America's Colorful Railroads

As retsignalmtr mentioned American Flyer was a brand of model trains made by A C Gilbert. The classic American Flyers were tinplate S gauge. I have somewhere heard of a prototype "American Flyer" as the name of a sleeping car but I am not sure.

[IRONROOSTER]

American Flyer is the S scale toy train (or tinplate trains). The scale was started prior to WWII, but really took off after the WWII when AC Gilbert decided to use it for his American Flyer trains. Eventually, the company went bankrupt and was sold to Lionel. Lionel in turn went bankrupt and has had several owners. Lionel still makes American Flyer trains, but is no longer the major player. American Models and S Helper are now the big two in S scale - their products are made to scale standards but have Amercian Flyer compatible wheels and couplers as well as scale wheels. Kadee makes S scale couplers.

This site: http://www.trainweb.org/crocon/sscale.html will give you a pretty good idea of the state of S scale today. While quite a bit is available, not a lot of hobby shops carry it. But mail order and trains shows are good ways to get S.

Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

I think that the Texas Special train that you are referring to are the ones made by Lionel in O gauge back in the 1950's and 60's. These were models of the train leighant is talking about. The one that collectors want and the one you are probably thinking of is the #2245 F3 set. This train has two large red and white F3 diesel engines (an A unit with a cab and a B unit without a cab). The one from 1954 is worth $220-$455, depending on its condition. The one from 1955 is worth $400-$720, depending on its condition. The reason these are worth so much is because they are are old and examples of some of the highest-quality engines that Lionel made in the 1950's. However, Lionel also made cheaper Texas Special diesels. There are the Alco FA diesels. They are also red and white Texas Special, but they are smaller and more cheaply made engines. These were sold as sets of two A units. There are the #210 or 211 sets which are both worth about $100-$150. These are much easier to find than the F3's. Lionel also made a plain red Texas Special Alco FA engine, which was sold only by itself and never with a mate. It's the #1055 and is the cheapest, being worth only $35-$60. This one is very common. Lionel also made an HO Texas Special train, which consistedof Alco FA engines and matching red and white passenger cars.

For pictures and more information on these engines, chech out these links:
http://www.postwarlionel.com/cgi-bin/postwar?ITEM=2245
http://www.postwarlionel.com/cgi-bin/postwar?ITEM=211