Streamline by Design
The Chicago History Museum is featuring a temporary exhibit about streamline design by Chicago area designers/firms. The exhibit begins tomorrow October 27, 2018 and runs through December 1, 2019.
As a lender of an item to the exhibit, I was invited to a preview of the exhibit today and I am sharing the photos of the entrance to the exhibit. The entrance gallery is devoted to the Zephyr. I loaned my American Flyer model of the Burlington Zephyr to the exhibit, as my Zephyr was presented in 1934 to Ralph M. Budd, President of Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy RR by American Flyer MFG., per the engraving on the top of the power car.
Here are some photos of the exhibit.
My Zephyr is to the right in the above photo. The following picture shows a view of my train. The video screen above it is running a copy of the movie "The Silver Streak" from 1934.
NWL
Hello guys. It's been a while since posting here. My brother-law and I have been going to York for years. Unfortunately this coming week we will not attend as my nephew's wedding is Saturday.
I wish I could have met up with you guys.
Ray
Bayville, NJ
Life is what happens to youWhile you're busy making other plans - John Lennon
that's quite the problem you have there Greg...discovering trains you didn't remember having. And I definatly like the operater quality.
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
1938 Set No. 5
Northwestern Passenger
As I posted earlier, I have been going through the collection and reorganizing it. One of the results is that I discovered that I had all of the components for this set.
It comes with two of the wide/low profile #3171R pullmans and a #3172R observation.
The cars are definitely in the "operator quality" grade, but they are only found in this variation in one year - "1938". This is the first set that I have ever come across.
They are lighted.
It is the only year that the red variation of the cars came with the automatic couplers. (Type #10 Curly cue couplers on Type 12 trucks)
All of it is headed up by the #4677 Engine/Tender combination.
I guess maybe I should do some more re-organizing. Who knows what else I might discover.
Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby
Northwoods Flyer
P.S. I'm looking forward to meeting some folks who post here at York in 2 weeks.
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
strainst
Check your email, I am sending you one now.
Northwoods / NWL
I am unable to attend the early show this time around. Full time jobs can be a real pain at times. I will be at York, but not selling. I will be walking around looking for parts and looking for some Flyer treasures. When I am not walking around I will be in the White Hall. I have several friends selling just inside the door, first full row to the left of the door and others in the far back corner. I am looking forward to seeing you at York and meeting Northwoods, which I have wanted to do after being able to enjoy this wonderful forum he started. If you would like to email me, I can give you my cell phone number and we can text to meet, of course outside of the halls.
strainst,
Are you going to York? Will you be at the early show?
Northwoods and I are traveling together and will be there for the week.
strainst A really neat set in outstanding condition. Guessing set was from 1931-32? Do you had any idea who sold the set. Did you find it in the Chicago area? strainst
A really neat set in outstanding condition. Guessing set was from 1931-32? Do you had any idea who sold the set. Did you find it in the Chicago area?
Unfortunately, I do not have any idea what retailer sold the set and I found it on ebay, so it may not have come to me from the original area that it was sold in.
My guess on the age, would be 1932 due to the locomotive casting and the truck style of the cars.
Here is a more unusual version, which I believe dates to 1932.
It is a 3357 Locomotive, which does not appear in the Greenberg's Guides. The number appears on the original engine box, which came with the set/engine.
What sets this engine apart from other variations, is the bell on the casting, which is the earlier style brass bell that is held on with a screw, instead of being a copper bell that is inserted into the casting and peened over on the underside. Additionally, the motor is a style that was commonly found in the earlier cast iron engines. Note that the engine does not have trailing trucks, which is due to the earlier style reverse unit that is mounted at the rear of the motor and prevents the mounting of a trailing truck.
The tender is the variation that would normally have the square standard gauge style plates, but instead has decals covering the holes for the brass plates.
This engine/tender came with a set of late Illini cars, which were uncataloged at the time the set was made. The cars feature gray trucks and are one of the latest sets of Illini cars that I have observed.
Die-Cast Engine Type X
I have been going through the collection and reorganizing it....again. I discovered that I have a number of variations of the Type X Die-Cast engine. I was surprised to see how many variations I actually have collected over the years.
I pulled out my Greenberg Guide to identify them; which I thought would be a fairly easy process. That has proven to be a more difficult task than I thought it would be. The engines that I have do not exactly fit the descriptions in the guide. (You have to love Flyer's diversity.) Let me give it a shot.
#3308 (in combintion with a tender; by itself the engine is a #3307) It has a ringing bell, but shouldn't.
#4677 (in combination with a tender; by itself it is #7715) It should have a ringing bell but doesn't.
#420 Should have a ringing bell but doesn't. When Gilbert took over American Flyer in 1938 they started including a #420 without a tender in some Erector sets. This one came to me without a tender so I have wondered if it was originally included in an Erector set.
#420 No ringing bell, but it has running gear like the #3308 but no green stripe on the running boards.
#420(B) Gilbert started using nickel trim in 1940. These do not appear in the catalog and may have been used in the Erector sets or uncataloged sets.
I usually run it with a #421 tender with nickle trim.
#437 Locomotive-Tender Double Header Set (Type X -#420 - die cast engine and Type XX sheet metal engine) 1939.
Sometimes I hook up two dummy engines to the #420 to have a triple header, just for fun.
This is the best I can do with my identifications. Because all the examples came as individual pieces without boxes or documentation I am sure that a few errors have slipped in.
Nationwidelines silentman Hey folks, quick question and this looked like the right thread. AF 9900 clockwork complete set with box. Was interested in buying from a gentleman and was just looking for a ballpark on its value? Sorry no pics but is in pretty good shape best I can tell. Thanks in advance Hard to say without examining it. I would guess in the $100 to $300 range, depending on condition of set and condition of box, also assuming the windup engine works.
silentman Hey folks, quick question and this looked like the right thread. AF 9900 clockwork complete set with box. Was interested in buying from a gentleman and was just looking for a ballpark on its value? Sorry no pics but is in pretty good shape best I can tell. Thanks in advance
Hey folks, quick question and this looked like the right thread. AF 9900 clockwork complete set with box. Was interested in buying from a gentleman and was just looking for a ballpark on its value? Sorry no pics but is in pretty good shape best I can tell. Thanks in advance
Hard to say without examining it. I would guess in the $100 to $300 range, depending on condition of set and condition of box, also assuming the windup engine works.
Perfect thanks. I'll post some pics when I get it.
After searching for years, I finally found the following tender on ebay last week.
If you are wondering what is special about the tender, note the unpainted frame. This signifies that it was made in 1907 and is the earliest of Flyer production. I needed the tender to go with my 1907 engine and 1907 passenger car (which also has an unpainted frame).
I do have the following 1907 tender variation in my collection
Unfortunately, it is with another very early 1908 set and I could not bear to separate it to put it with my 1907 set, so I had to find another.
I am just glad that I found both the red and blue variations.
Greg, You are correct as to that being a 252, believe it was designated as Olive Green model( just had to use the olive green text). If memory is correct these were in production from 1931+/- til 1936. Hopefully one of these years I'll break down and get the whole set refurbished, the loco has seen rough times as well as the passenger cars that make up the set. The outer box is in pretty good shape for it's age but the inner boxes are missing some end flaps but are still legible. It will give me something to do when I get older.
By the way, were you able to find a repair person for I believe it was a circus AF ?
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good excuse Greg.....
Doug,
Is that at #252? I have a smattering of pre war Lionel in the collection, but I am by no means an expert. I justify owning Lionel by telling myself I should have some examples of the products of the other manufacturers for comparison.
You know you could get that engine repaired and get it running as part of your Heritage Fleet.
Hi Gregg.
My BetterHalf surprised me some years back with a prewar Lionel set and those happened to be in the same trunk. Unfortunately time has really taken a toll on the set. The engine wiring insulation is disintegrating as well as other problems with the cars.
Hi Doug,
Its nice to see you here on the Pre War Flyer thread. I'm used to seeing your posts on the Coffee Pot.
You have two Lionel #58 Goose Neck Lamp Posts and a #69 Lionel Ringing Bell Signal. Its always fun to rediscover the things you didn't remember you had stored away.
Flyer had their own version of ringing bell signals
and lamp posts
in the pre war era.
Thanks for posting.
A few of the oldies out of the train storage closet. They still work !
Northwoods,
Interesting observation on the base variations. I guess I have never paid much attention to those variations.
Here is another variation in bases.
Note that the base on the first watchtower is a square base that matches the color of the mast and the base on the second watchtower is rectangular. Not sure of the reason for this difference.
Here are photos of the long based cousins.
As I said before; the signals oriented on their bases this way makes it easier to position them between parallel tracks.
American Flyer 2218/4218 Block Signal
I thought that I would update the family photo for the Block Signal. These are the variations that I have.
I am still looking for a green version with the head on the left.
American Flyer 2206 Crossing Flasher Signal
Another Variation
This is the most common version that I have seen.
This variation with the blue light fixtures is less common.
I have seen this third variation in the photos in the Greenberg Guide, but I have never run across an example of it until now.
Like the 2218 Block signal shown above it sits on its base the long way.
And the family photo.
I seem to recall seeing the variation before, but I don't know that I have one.
An odd variation?
I just purchased this recently. I have a number of these block signals and I wasn't really looking for another one, but this one caught my eye.
Can you identify what is different about it?
It isn't that difficult if you have ever tried to find a place for this signal on your layout between two tracks. The signal sits on its base differently. The signal is oriented on the long axis of the base instead of the typical mounting.
This one does not appear to be altered by a previous owner, but it could be, or it could be a factory error. I thought I had seen a sketch of this signal somewhere, but I can't remember where. In any case it fits much better between 2 tracks.
Does anyone have one like this?
AF53 Northwoods, I've been looking for a nice clock for sometime now and they're hard to get in great shape let alone ok shape. I too have been outbid so far, safe to say that I'm not the one outbidding you.
Northwoods, I've been looking for a nice clock for sometime now and they're hard to get in great shape let alone ok shape. I too have been outbid so far, safe to say that I'm not the one outbidding you.
Nice clocks are hard to find. I purchased this one a few years ago to upgrade the one in my boxed equipment set. I do not recall what I spent on it, but it was pricey.
The top of the green 4230 signal flasher is so-so. There is some expansion/decay, but it is original.
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