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Northwoods Flyer
Northwoods Flyer I recently received the new American Flyer Wide Gauge Sets book by Fritz Von Tagen and Alan Schuweiler. All I can say is that it is superb. If you have the least interest in American Flyer Wide Gauge it should be in your library. I have been doing research on items in my collection and it has helped me identify several items. I now know where some of the pieces belong in sets. I have had two #4151 Pullmans in my collection for years. They have red roofs instead of the more common green roofs. I originally thought that a previous owner might have swapped out the roofs. However when I did a thorough reading of the Wide Gauge book by Schuweiler (copyright 1989) I found them listed there as a variation with NRS and a request for confirmation of their existance. In the new Wide Gauge Book on sets I found a photo of the entire set listed in the section on Uncataloged Sets on page 138. The authors identify it as the Modified Statesman Set from Circa 1932. If you have the book take a look. (I won't post a photo here because I don't have permission). Now I know what to look for to complete the set. I'll be looking through the other items in my collection to see what other sets I can assemble or complete. Thanks Fritz and Al! Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby Northwoods Flyer
I recently received the new American Flyer Wide Gauge Sets book by Fritz Von Tagen and Alan Schuweiler. All I can say is that it is superb. If you have the least interest in American Flyer Wide Gauge it should be in your library. I have been doing research on items in my collection and it has helped me identify several items. I now know where some of the pieces belong in sets. I have had two #4151 Pullmans in my collection for years. They have red roofs instead of the more common green roofs.
I originally thought that a previous owner might have swapped out the roofs. However when I did a thorough reading of the Wide Gauge book by Schuweiler (copyright 1989) I found them listed there as a variation with NRS and a request for confirmation of their existance.
In the new Wide Gauge Book on sets I found a photo of the entire set listed in the section on Uncataloged Sets on page 138. The authors identify it as the Modified Statesman Set from Circa 1932. If you have the book take a look. (I won't post a photo here because I don't have permission). Now I know what to look for to complete the set.
I'll be looking through the other items in my collection to see what other sets I can assemble or complete. Thanks Fritz and Al!
Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
The Brigadier
The Brigadier 1931-1932 Set #1474
For a number of years now I thought that I had the Brigadier set. Now that I have the new Wide Gauge Sets book it turns out that I don't. My set just looks like the Brigadier.
My set was on display for quite a few years and has been packed away since we moved. I finally dug it out and discovered that the cars are correct.
#4331 Pullman
#4332 Observation
The engine that headed up The Brigadier is a #4644/RC (Remote Control). I have a 4644 Manual Reverse as you can see by the reversing lever sticking up through the roof.
Not only that, after closer inspection I discovered that my #4644 is actually a repaint. Oh well, now I have something else to hunt for. The WG book is a great resource.
Sorry I haven't posted here in a while. I recently bought a 1936 Hudson 1680 and whistling tender with several cars that I know didn't come with them in a set. The 3010 tank car circa 1925-28 and the 3006 log car from the same era. Both of the freight cars below are from earlier in the Chicago Flyer timeline but these are the first two complete versions I have had and they look really good. The Hudson needed some work to get running but the whistling tender worked when I bought it.
Hi all, what a fascinating thread and just a mountain of information!
I've recently picked up a 3/16 Royal Blue 556 set - the paint is pretty rough but the price was right.
Parts availability seems to be a maddening spectrum from easily found to unobtainium. I'm really struggling with a few parts, and am wondering if you fine folks might know where to look? Specifically seeking a new reverse unit drum (the teeth that engage the solenoid mechanism are broken), "chrome" journal covers, and the headlight/bulb socket assembly that clips to the shell.
My first thought, is try Portlines Hobby Supply. They have flyer parts for both pre and postwar, and I'm positive you can get a new drum from them- not 100% sure about the other parts but if anyone has them I feel like they would.As far as those journal box covers go, you can resort to looking for a junk car at a show that you can steal some off of if you have no other choice.-Ellie
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
Sorry if this is redundant. I am looking for information on the offerings of American Flyer wide gauge track.
Is there a reference out there? I have been searching for a while with no luck.
Thank you in advance.
Can you be a bit more specific about what kind of information you are looking for?
Hello Northwoods Flyer! Would you be kind enough to look at the posted photos of my Dad's prewar AF train set? Any help you can give concerning the year the set was sold or any other information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
These responses were posted on trainsrfun's thread:
Hi trainsrfun,
I have both editions of the Greenberg guide and it is interesting to see that the information about your engine differs in each edition. Generally the second edition by Schuweiler has better information and uses a different identification system for engines.
There is no 616 listed in the second edition and I am not able to identify your engine. Is your engine sheet metal or die cast? It looks to be sheet metal. The illustration in the 1932 catalog looks like your engine and I think that your assessment is correct that someone cut down the side rods. The copper top of the boiler and the engine cab also have me puzzled. I've never seen that before
I have a set of cars exactly like yours that came with a different engine, which I don't think started out life together. Was your father the first owner of the of the set? I think that a good guess would be that the equipment is from circa 1932. During that era American Flyer marketed their trains through a number of store accounts and other catalog companies. I don't have access to those resources to do the research. Mersenne6 and NationWideLines are both much more familiar with that area of American Flyer production and marketing.
There is a set of cars that come with a #614 and the same green cars but with orange roofs that have rounded or square roofs. I have a set of each of those cars, and I know that Mersenne 6 has an identical set.
I'm not sure how heplful this information is but if I find out anything else I will be sure to share it with you.
Mersenne 6 wrote:
The engine superstructure and tender are identical to the engine pictured with The Dictator over on page 7 of Northwood's American Flyer thread. The motor, however, looks to be different. As for the valve gear, I agree, it looks like someone cut down the valve gear on the engine on the Flyer thread.
PS
Nation Wide Lines pointed out that the engine is a Type XVIII Variation B on pages 92-93 in Schuweiler's edition
OK-- thanks for your help!
I have been through some of the boxes that I packed up 3 years ago when we made our move. I discovered that I have quite a few variations of the #1096.
I believe that this is the #1096 from 1927 as it was used in Set #1102 "The Suburban"
Here is another version of the 1096 that I dug out of storage. Notice that this one has red cowcatchers. It also has 2 brass pantographs that I suspect are reproductions. I have it matched up with an 1120 coach and an 1120 observation, both with red roofs.
The red pilot is a nice touch but it certainly doesn't look like factory paint.
Same me, different spelling!
I actually have two of the red 1096 with red pilots. The second one is in the queue to be photographed. I will have to take a closer look at both of them. The 1096 on the cover of the Greenberg Guide has a red pilot too. The example shown in the text is difficult to see and it appears that it has a red pilot too. I'll be back,
The red pilot is correct - I have two of them and both are in boxed sets. The pantographs in your picture do look like reproductions but the engine did come with two different roof configurations - a bell and a pantograph or two pantographs.
Here is another variation of the 1096. This one is black.
I have it paired with two of the green "Seattle" 1120 coaches.
I believe that it is one of the earlier versions because of the roof mounted brass headlight housing.
Notice that it also has a roof mounted bell.
American Flyer Fast Freight Station #91
This small litho station is relatively easy to find in my experience and I see photos of it on many layouts. It was produced and available separately in 1931 and 1932.
It is not often found in its original box.
It is found on other trackside accessories in conjunction with other stations.
Since Northwoods was posting photos of the 1096 variations, here are a few more
c. 1925
c. 1926 lithographed
c. 1926 overpainted lithograph (as evidenced by the few chips to the black paint)
c. unknown Empire Express 1196
NWL
To diverge into some of the earlier examples of the predecessors to the 1096,
the 1101 c. 1922 with cast iron frame
The 1101 c. 1923 and later with sheetmetal frame
The 1101 transitioned into the 1095, which came in black, green, and the very difficult to find brown.
I believe the 1095 transitioned into the 1096 in 1925
NWL,
I am always amazed at the depth of your collection and the condition of the pieces. Thanks for the postings.
Here is another boxed accessory that I picked up in the train set that I bought. Its the #2020 Water Tower. Even though the box is water stained I enjoy that American Flyer used it as extra advertising space.
The two boxed items above (the #91 Freight Station and the #2020 Water tank) are part of a train set that I purchased a while ago from a person who bought them from the original owner. Below are some of the other items that came along with them. The Watchman's Tower is pictured with the box that it came in, however the box is not correct for that piece and unfortunately the box has lost the original number that was on it.
I'll be back to post photos of the engine and cars that came with these accessories.
Here is the set that came with the accessories posted above.
Its not a cataloged set however it has an iteresting story to tell about how it was assembled and how it was marketed,
Well...looks like you're all set for Valentine's Day.
Thanks for the suggestion fife.
I can give it the name of "The Valentine Special"
Cupid's Comet
The Love Machine
Eros Arrow
Those boxes are beautiful! I remember as a kid AHM boxes that had images on them of other items to get, and I think it both funny and interesting to see the same thing on boxes many yearws older. The AHM boxes on me, so i suspect these Flyer boxes were effective in their own time.
Usually, if I have the choice between a boxed item and an unboxed item, I go for the unboxed, not because I don't admire or even treasure the boxes, and not usually becasue of price, but because I just don't have the room to store the boxes.
My only exception to that policy is Marx sets. I have a few target sets, and I like them to be in boxes (which actually make storing the sets easier when they ar ento on display).
Pallalin,
Over the course of my collecting career my attitude toward boxes has changed. I used to go for the unboxed examples because of the price. Now if given the opportunity I look for boxed examples. It cuts down on the number of things that I buy. My collection long ago exceeded the amount of space that I have for display so much of the collection gets stored in boxes; either the original boxes or the wonderfully uniform free postal boxes. I rotate the items on display so eventually every thing gets its time to be admired.
I like the boxes because of their age and the realization that they have survived a long time doing their job of protecting their contents. I have even been known to buy empty original boxes to put some of my unboxed items into. And I have a few empty boxes that are waiting to be filled; the most exciting one is the box for the engine for the American Flyer Presidents Special. It will be a day of celebration when I finally add that to my collection. I find it easier to store items in their original boxes.
Here are some photos of storage under the Blueboard Central Division of American Flyer Lines.
318X Cars
Recently I spotted the cars below on ebay.
I was a bit puzzled by them because they are the size of the 8 1/4" cars that come in the Potomac set that are rookie tan and green, but they were the colors of the 9 1/4" Golden State set, and included the "Golden State" name boards.
I went to my Greenberg guide and on pages 150 -151 I found the information that cleared up the mystery. The cars are part of a set that was marketed through Montgomery Ward circa 1930. The cars were headed up by a 3116 in matching colors or by a 3191 locomotive.
I have the steam eangine that would have headed the set.
(posting problems - I'll be back)
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