those are beautiful!
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
Northwoods,
The 4108 Tower that is shown is not mine. A friend sent me the photos of his. There was one at York a couple of weeks ago, but it was not as nice as the one in the photo and I passed on it, due to the seller's high price. The one at York did sell, but not to me.
NWL
NationWideLines,
I finally had some time to look through my catalogs. I never noticed that the listing for the 108 Switch Tower House had a paragraph offering the item you show in your photo. Nice find!
Your photo is of the #4108 "Tower House" offered only in the 1932 catalog. The catalog describes it as being the same as the #108 except without the knife switches.
Now I'll be looking for either version.
Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby
Northwoods Flyer
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
Actually, it is not the 108 Switch Tower.
This is a picture of the same view of the 108 Switch Tower, the differences are easily spotted when compared side to side.
This is a picture of the other side of the 108 Switch Tower
I showed a picture of the entire item, because this is not an easy question or item to find.
I suggest you consult your catalogs. I will give you a hint, this item was cataloged only 1 year.
Here are pictures of both sides of the mystery item. Compare them to the 108 above
What year was it cataloged and what is its correct catalog number?
That would be the ever elusive #108 Switch Tower House. Hard to find and quite expensive when you can find it. Catalogued from 1929 - 1934. Catologue says that in 1929 it was priced at $8.00 and by 1934 it was $6.00, which was a bit more than their lowest priced set.
Ray
Bayville, NJ
Life is what happens to youWhile you're busy making other plans - John Lennon
Trivia Question
What is this (catalog number) and what year / years was it cataloged?
Good find! I have one of those in orange also, but the 2013 lettering is much smaller.
I have heard of one other orange one that has lettering the same size as yours.
As for the Yellow lamp posts, to my understanding, there are some questions as to if the Yellow ones were only produced for American Flyer. I believe someone reported to me that they have a boxed Yellow lamp, that is in mint condition and is in a Lionel box. Since the yellow ones are not rubber stamped on the bottom, unless you find one with a box, I would not recommend paying a premium for it.
I recently picked up an interesting item from ebay that I would like some help with.
For those of you familiar with Lionel pre war items this looks like their #57 lamp post.
Schuweiler lists a #2013 street lamp, marketed by Flyer in 1927-1928, in his Guide to American Flyer Wide Gauge book with this explanation:
"Lionel 57 BROADWAY lamp resold by American Flyer.....All painted in yellow." He goes on to quote an article from a TCA Quarterly that the 2013 lights were to be delivered unstamped to American Flyer and that American Flyer would stamp them. "The one observed sample was hand lettered AF 2013 on the base."
So my lamp is orange (not yellow), and it has a stamp on the bottom
The orange color is the same that Flyer used.
But it also appears similar to the orange color that Lionel used on these lamps that I have seen in photos.
Does anyone have an AF 2013 similar to this? I am wondering if this is an original piece.
I didn't pay a lot for it so I am not out much if it is someone's handiwork. I think its a great piece and an interesting part of the early collaboration between competitors in the early years of toy trains.
And it lights too.
Northwoods Flyer Somewhere back on the thread I did a post about Wide/Low profile cars and how Flyer made changes to them and this set through a number of years. When I have some time I will have to go back and find it and post a link to it.
Somewhere back on the thread I did a post about Wide/Low profile cars and how Flyer made changes to them and this set through a number of years. When I have some time I will have to go back and find it and post a link to it.
I went back and found the group of postings that I did on the Wide/Low Profile cars.
I hope this link will take you there. If not, it is on page 42 starting a few posts from the top.
http://cs.trains.com/ctt/f/95/t/116423.aspx?page=42
Enjoying the World's greatest Hobby
Oregon Ace,
Welcome to the thread.
Unfortunately your photo isn't showing up. Could you try again?
I assume it is a set like this that you are trying to post'
Prewar American Flyer Minnehaha train, repowered with a Marx motor.
We have a winner! Nicely done vintageflyer.
The set pictured above is as it appears in the 1937 catalog illustration. And you did a great job of identifying the similar sets pictured other years.
Ok, I'll bite. The set as it appears in the photo, is from 1937 and is numbered No.1735 on page 8 of the catalog and is called the B & O passenger. In 1936 a very similar set is shown on page 5 as set 1720-R, BUT the 1936 set is shown with a 3199 common coal tender and appears to have the Aeolus plated coaches with the rounded end pieces attached although the description states that the cars are "finished in full enamel with brass trim. (Color subject to change.)" and called the B & O passenger as well. Also at the top of the page, the tender is illustrated as a Vanderbilt type. In 1935 the set appears as it did in '36 but the cars were described as having a "silvery finish" and "close coupled vestibules", and is set 1326-RCT YUKON on page 9. From the catalogues.
Trivia Question #23
This set appears in the American Flyer Catalog for several years.
What year does it appear in this configuration? What is the name of the set? For extra credit: What is the number of the set?
Nice work stainst,
You definitely know your Wide Gauge trains.
The rivit holds the side rail to the stakes on the 4023 Lumber car and the 4022 Machinery Car
Personally, it is such a vague item that it could be on anything and is not worth making a guess on what the eyelet is even on.
These quizzes have become so vague that they have lost their fun and lost my interest.
A copper eyelet used to join two or more pieces together. One place you can find it is on the 4023 standard gauge log car side rail.
strainst
Trivia Question#22
What is this? Where will you find it? What is the number of the item(s) you will find it on?
Hmmmm, just a little fuzzy, but I think you can see it well enough.
Great guesses everyone. I had to go look at all of the pieces that you folks listed and the brass on black "American Flyer" appears on all of them. The piece that I had in mind is the Model #4180 dual switch controller. I'm fairly certain it was intended to go with the Wide Gauge Switches.
This piece has always fascinated me because it has the wiring diagram for a small layout right on the controller. I can just see it matched up with a set of switches that have the orange housing over the switch mechanism and the dark green shroud over the lights.
It is some sort of contoller, either for remote switches or for the large track control semaphore. Don't have any, so I can't say exactly what they go to.
Very good everyone, but I think its time for another clue. This should make it much easier.
One of the wooden bridges? Sorry not familiar with the numbers.
Northwoods Flyer Good Guesses NWL. The script is used on those items as well. But this comes from something else. Anyone else want to offer a guess before I give a clue (which will most likely give it away)? Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby Northwoods Flyer
Good Guesses NWL. The script is used on those items as well. But this comes from something else. Anyone else want to offer a guess before I give a clue (which will most likely give it away)?
Next guess 4010 Standard gauge tank car?
I would have to guess the 102 Central Station or 105 Terminal Station or 110 Union Station.
Trivia Question #21
Where will you find this? What is the number of the item(s) you will find it on?
As for parts, junkers/donor cars are a good source of parts. Unfortunately, my understanding is that the Trickel's no longer answer their phones and they have not had a website with any useful information.
I can say that the Trickel's have not been to the TCA show at York for the past 2 years, but have been delivering a limited number of cast parts to the gentleman who shared the booth with them in the Orange Hall. Essentially, I would not rely or count on getting any cast parts from the Trickel's going forward, unless you go to York and shop from the person who shared the space with them. However, that being said, given their past performance over the last 2 years, I am not sure that is even a long-term solution.
thanks for the info Northwoods! I replaced the missing journal with a Lionel...identical, just not brass. I'll take a look at Hennings. Mine looks tohave only had one brakewheel. I'm sure there will be more o Gauge Flyer. I worked midnight last night, and I was trying to think where in my already cramed basement where I can put more shelves for the comming addiction.
LL675,
Based on the trucks on your example of the 3208 Boxcar (which from what I can see are Type VII) your car is from the 1930-1932 time frame. It looks like the one truck is missing a brass jounral box too. The car had either one or two brakewheels. The brakewheel supports were spot welded on the ends.
I have the same car in my collection and it only has one brakewheel.
I did a quick Google check for parts. Trickle has always had prewar American Flyer parts but I am not sure that he has an website. I did a quick check of Hennings Trains and they have a nice assortment of parts.
https://henningstrains.lightspeedwebstore.com/search/results?q=American%20Flyer%20Parts
You can always watch ebay for the parts you need, they show up from time to time, or you could buy a doner car to replace your missing parts.
You picked up a nice example of the 3208. I like the variations that have the brass identification tags. And welcome to the world of Prewar American Flyer Trains. I have a feeling you will be adding more examples.
LL675 I picked this up last weekend at out local antique mall for $6. My first O Gauge Flyer. Missing a set of wheels and the brake wheel. Haven't had a chance to look for a parts supplier, is there a go to place for Flyer? I usually deal with Jeff Kane for my Lionels.
I picked this up last weekend at out local antique mall for $6. My first O Gauge Flyer. Missing a set of wheels and the brake wheel. Haven't had a chance to look for a parts supplier, is there a go to place for Flyer? I usually deal with Jeff Kane for my Lionels.
All I have to say, is nice one! I usually can never get my hands on nice flyer, especially not here. I wonder if you'll get the addiction, too?
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