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Pre War American Flyer Pictures - An Invitation

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Posted by vintageflyer on Sunday, April 10, 2016 10:13 AM
Not sure it's true, but I have read that '42 catalogs were just '41's with an updated price list included.
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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Sunday, April 10, 2016 8:15 PM

Nicely done vintageflyer!  Bow

The correct answers:  It is the "Frontier Town", set #1469, cataloged in 1930 and 1931.  The catalog cover in the hint is from 1930.

As for what is missing.....in the photo all of those accessories are missing. (OK that was a trick question.)

Here is a representation of the items that were included in that "completely equipped railroad system"

Using the right sources is what trivia is all about, particularly if it postpones the dreaded "honey do" list.  Wink

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Thursday, April 14, 2016 11:26 PM

Trivia Question #9

What is this and where will you find it?

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Posted by tinplatacis on Friday, April 15, 2016 6:21 AM

Northwoods Flyer

Trivia Question #9

What is this and where will you find it?

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I am going to go with a boxcar.

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, April 15, 2016 6:24 PM

Not bad for a first answer.  Lets see if someone can be more specific.

Here was the first clue:

 

Lets broaden the view a bit for clue #2

Good Luck

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Posted by Nationwidelines on Saturday, April 16, 2016 3:28 PM

I think if you widen the shot just a bit more, we will all know!  Smile, Wink & Grin

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, April 16, 2016 5:18 PM

NationWideLines,

I've been  wondering where you have been. If I do that you might recognize something that at one time belonged to you.  Wink

But since you asked, here is hint #3

Now who will be the champion?  Bow

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Posted by tinplatacis on Saturday, April 16, 2016 5:35 PM

Well, it is a wheaties boxcar, no doubt. Probably an error of some sort, based on Nationwidelines penchant for them. Beyond that, I haven't the foggiest

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Posted by Nationwidelines on Sunday, April 17, 2016 5:19 AM

Northwoods,

I knew what it was, just did not want to give it away for the others.

I have been in York for the past week and my hotel had terrible wifi, so I have not been able to follow the postings.

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Posted by Nationwidelines on Sunday, April 17, 2016 5:36 AM

In the beginning, American Flyer had a very simple offering for buyers.  A simple windup engine, tender, and coach.  The set pictured here is representative of a 1907 set.  I say representative, because the tender pictured is not a true 1907 tender.  The 1907 tenders had unpainted frames, like the coach.

 

The 1907 engines have a couple of distinctive features that are not found on later engines.  First, there is no speed governor on the bottom.  Second, the wheels are not the iridescent red/purplish colored wheel spokes and the flanges are much shorter.  Lastly, the engines have more trim paint, such as the red painted smokestack. 

 
 
 
 
I found the engine and tender at York to go with my lonely 1907 coach.  Made a nice birthday present to myself.
 
NWL
 
 

 

 

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Sunday, April 17, 2016 9:44 PM

The answer to the trivia quiz question is of course that it is a Wheaties box car.  

It is the Wheaties car. It is an uncataloged car produced by American Flyer

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, April 23, 2016 12:15 PM

NationWideLines,

Its nice to see some our toys that have reached the century mark.  Many more will be reaching that milestone in the years ahead.  Thanks for posting.

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, April 23, 2016 12:16 PM

Trivia Question #10

What is this?  Where will you find it?

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Posted by tinplatacis on Saturday, April 23, 2016 1:45 PM

Air tank on a coach

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Posted by vintageflyer on Saturday, April 23, 2016 5:10 PM

Green cast tank from a 3380 series coach. One of I believe four variations?

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, April 23, 2016 6:47 PM

Nicely done folks.  

 

Now lets add a bit to the question.  What did American Flyer call the color of the coach?

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Posted by Nationwidelines on Saturday, April 23, 2016 9:29 PM

Ruby Slipper Red?

Nosebleed Red?

Fire Engine Red?

Absolutely no idea and I am too lazy to look at the original boxes I have.  In fact, I do not recall there being a special name for the color.  However, there probably is one. 

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Posted by tinplatacis on Sunday, April 24, 2016 6:17 AM

Hamiltonian red?

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Posted by vintageflyer on Sunday, April 24, 2016 7:50 AM

The 1928 catalog says two tone Victory red. 

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Posted by tinplatacis on Sunday, April 24, 2016 8:23 AM

vintageflyer

The 1928 catalog says two tone Victory red. 

 

Probably the most accurate lol. We're these cars part of anything sets that might have used Hamilton's name?

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Posted by Nationwidelines on Sunday, April 24, 2016 11:13 AM

vintageflyer

The 1928 catalog says two tone Victory red. 

 

 

Must be correct.  My original boxes do not specify a color or the rubber-stamping is so weak that I cannot read it. 

I know the original boxes for the Golden State cars typically have Rolls Royce Blue stamped on them and the boxes for the Potomac cars often say Kakhi Brown on them. 

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Sunday, April 24, 2016 8:09 PM

Nicely done everyone.  The car is one of the Ambassador cars from the 3380 series, and that green item is the die cast air tank.  The answer I was looking for as to the name of the color was Victory Red.  Nice sleuthing vintageflyer.

The Ambassador cars are from the O Gauge (Narrow Gauge) line.

tinplatacis,

In the Wide Gauge line (Standard Gauge) there is a passenger train called the Hamiltonian.  However I don't recall that it is referred to as Hamiltonian red.

Side by side you can see that the color of the Ambassador and the Hamilton cars is the same.

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Posted by Nationwidelines on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 9:16 AM

Trivia Question 11

 

Where does this appear?

Should be fairly straightforward?

 

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 9:10 PM

NWL,

You have found another item I can't remember seeing before.

Nice job. Bow     As for guessing what it might be; here is the first one -

It appears to be on a red back ground, and I have a feeling its from early in Flyer's history.  I can only think of a few items that were that red.  Could it be a decal on the back of an early tender for a windup engine?  It would be "fairly straight foward" in front of you if you were looking at the back of the tender from an ealy passenger car. Wink

I have several other guesses.

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Posted by Nationwidelines on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 5:49 AM

Northwoods,

Keep guessing.  You are way off. 

I say fairly straightfoward as this may be a variation of something that is relatively common.

NWL

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Posted by tinplatacis on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 6:43 AM

All I can think is late 1920's and lithoed

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 9:27 PM

NWL,

Well, I have to admit that I am stumped.  All of my other guesses would have been of some fairly obscure items.  I have one more guess and then I will stop embarrassing myself. (Unless of course you give us another clue. Wink )

Is it a transformer that has a red case and the American Flyer label you have above?

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Posted by Nationwidelines on Thursday, April 28, 2016 6:11 AM

OK, here is another clue.  The original clue is from a variation of the item that is most commonly found with this.  There is a bit more of the surrounding field as well.

Last clue, Tinplatacis was very close in his analysis of what this is.

 

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Posted by tinplatacis on Thursday, April 28, 2016 6:27 AM

Nationwidelines

OK, here is another clue.  The original clue is from a variation of the item that is most commonly found with this.  There is a bit more of the surrounding field as well.

Last clue, Tinplatacis was very close in his analysis of what this is.

 

 

I can see a little green above and below on yours, so mayhaps an O gauge passenger car? North woods, I hope that observation might help you, as I have no clue. After a while theses pieces all start to blend together.

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Posted by vintageflyer on Thursday, April 28, 2016 8:33 AM

Ok, I'll take a stab at it and say that I think this is on the side of a mechanical locos' tender. From the shield background, I'll say late '20s. 

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