Trains.com

Pre War American Flyer Pictures - An Invitation

42773213 views
2560 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2021
  • 2 posts
Posted by AF Prewar on Friday, December 3, 2021 10:25 PM

Hello all--Just wondered what contributors to this thread think of the new hardcover book "American Flyer Wide Gauge Sets" by Fritz VonTagen and Alan Schuweiler.  I think it's great--160 pages with every wide gauge set illustrated in full color.  Every prewar train collector should have this book.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Monday, December 6, 2021 1:29 PM

Welcome

AF Prewar.

I have not personally seen the book yet.  Everyone who comments on it or has seen it has raved about it. Knowing both of the contributors it can only be excellent.  The book is on my Christmas list.  I wish I had been able to go to York this year, it would have been #1 on my list of things to look pick up. Have you seen the videos that Fritz has posted on You tube at the daveclarklumber site?  They are outstanding.

Feel free to show us some photos of what you collect.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Middle o' Nowhere, MO
  • 1,108 posts
Posted by palallin on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 7:56 AM

The book is waiting to be wrapped to go under our tree this year.  I haven't been able to sneak a look yet, but I am eager to see it!

I wish I oculd find a copy of the AF WG Greenburg book for less than a house payment.

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • 913 posts
Posted by mersenne6 on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 11:34 AM

Palallin, I wouldn't waste my time looking for the Greenburg book. There was only the one edition and a great deal has been learned about AF WG since its publication.  I haven't seen the new book mentioned in this thread but with von Tagen and Schuweiler as authors their book has to be superior in every way.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Middle o' Nowhere, MO
  • 1,108 posts
Posted by palallin on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 8:49 AM

Interesting.  Schuweiler is the one who did the Greenburg book, and it is the only basic reference that I know of.  The new book lists the sets, but I don't think it provides details of the individual engines/cars/accessories.  If you know of another source that does, I'd love to hear about it!

  • Member since
    December 2021
  • 2 posts
Posted by AF Prewar on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 10:09 PM

Northwoods Flyer

WelcomeWell I hope that Santa brings the book and leaves it  under the tree.

AF Prewar.

I have not personally seen the book yet.  Everyone who comments on it or has seen it has raved about it. Knowing both of the contributors it can only be excellent.  The book is on my Christmas list.  I wish I had been able to go to York this year, it would have been #1 on my list of things to look pick up. Have you seen the videos that Fritz has posted on You tube at the daveclarklumber site?  They are outstanding.

Feel free to show us some photos of what you collect.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

 Well I hope that Santa brings you the book and leaves it under the tree. REgarding pictures, I found some nice ones with a Christmas theme.  Please send me an e-mail address so that I can forward them.  I'm not very computer literate.

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • 913 posts
Posted by mersenne6 on Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:50 AM

I see.  You are correct. If you want information on specific cars then it is the only reference out there.  It does have an accessories section but about all it is good for is just a basic listing of accessories offered - the text in that section needs a major revision which I suspect you will never see.  There's a fair amount of updated accessory information in the earlier sections of this thread and there are several long posts over on the other magazine forum. If you check their Tinplate Toy Trains section and run a search on "American Flyer Stations" you will find a great deal.  In a similar vein a search on "American Flyer Tunnels" will provide additional updated information.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Thursday, December 9, 2021 3:25 PM

Trains at Christmas

I know that I have mentioned several times in this thread and in other places that I was born into a family with trains and that the trains preceded me. As I was going through family papers and memoribilia recently I found some photos of the trains at Christmas.  As near as I can tell these photos are from the mid to late 1950s.

My Dad loved Christmas and especially tinsel.

This is the layout that was put up every year around Thanksgiving and stayed up until Valentines Day although the tree never lasted that long.

All of the train equipment is American Flyer and was purchased second hand for my brother (although I think Dad enjoyed playing with it even more) and most of it is still in my collection.  The only thing that was lost was the #435 steamer which succumbed to zink pest.  In recent years I replaced it with a sturdy example.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby 

(especially at Christmas)

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    July 2020
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by pennytrains on Thursday, December 9, 2021 6:07 PM

Spectacular!  Thanks for sharing them!  Big SmileThumbs Up

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Middle o' Nowhere, MO
  • 1,108 posts
Posted by palallin on Saturday, December 11, 2021 3:11 PM

Well, this post failed (and I cannot even delete it).

I attempted to post a couple pics, but I find that a hosting site is required.  Well, I have none and have no interest in signing up for one.  Sorry.

If any of the moderators happen to come upon this post, please delete it.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, December 11, 2021 4:22 PM

palallin

Well, this post failed (and I cannot even delete it).

I attempted to post a couple pics, but I find that a hosting site is required.  Well, I have none and have no interest in signing up for one.  Sorry.

If any of the moderators happen to come upon this post, please delete it.

 

Palallin,

If you email the photos to me at the email in my profile I think I can upload them to my hosting site and then with your permission I can post them here.  I have done that before.

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 12:56 PM

Here are the photos sent to me by palallin -

"Both photos show the train under our living room Christmas tree this year. while the accessories are mostly Lionel, I have my eye out for a couple Flyer pieces. Rumor has it that a lumber car may be arriving on Christmas Eve if I am a good boy. "  -  palallin


Thanks for sharing your photos. I'll put in a good word for you with the Jolly Old Elf.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

 

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    July 2020
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by pennytrains on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 5:18 PM

Great pics!  I really like the platform too!  Big SmileThumbs Up

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Middle o' Nowhere, MO
  • 1,108 posts
Posted by palallin on Thursday, December 16, 2021 8:35 AM

Thanks, Northwoods flyer, for posting those for me!

Thanks, Becky.  The platform was inspired by Stu Shuster's layout, which has been in CTT a couple times. 

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, December 17, 2021 4:17 PM

I received an email and photos from Charles Seims as well.  He says

"Hello Northwoods--here are some AF photographs with a nice Xmas theme....(snip).  The color photographs of the fabulous Flyer display were taken by me at the late lamented Cal Stewart train meet in Pasadena California.  They date from November 2007.  Feel free to use them any way you wish, and I hope your readers enjoy them."


 

 

Thank You Charles.  There is a lot there to dream about instead of sugarplums.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Middle o' Nowhere, MO
  • 1,108 posts
Posted by palallin on Friday, December 17, 2021 9:52 PM

Oh, that 12-table layout; oh, my!  And the SG steam set behind the Hiawatha . . . .

Dream, indeed!

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, January 22, 2022 12:50 PM
Happy Anniversary
 

January 22, 2008  -  January 22, 2022

 

Celebrating

14

 years

of

Pre War American Flyer Pictures

 

I was just reading through the anniversary posting from last year and am surprised at how quickly the time has gone by and by how little I have accomplished in a year.  Some of the walls of the train room still need a coat of paint and I still need to add some adequate lighting.  I have done a few things but I am discovering the statement made by other retirees about being busier in retirement than when I was employed is definitely a truism.

I stalled out on reposting the missing photos project. That is on my radar for the rest of this frigid Minnesota winter. Mersenne6 has done an excellent job of fixing his posts and editing/re-writing others. You will notice that there have not been a large number of postings this year.  I believe that folks have found other places to participate in the tinplate area of the hobby.  I see lots of postings and discourse on Facebook groups. Another thing that I consider a setback for the thread is that I can no longer tell how many folks visit the thread daily. As the number of views was closing in on 1 million the counter went haywire.  It now shows tens of thousands being added in a day - not likely.  I have not been able to find anyone who can tell me what happened or how to fix it.

We have lost a number of readers and posters due to death. This is perhaps the saddest part of going back and reading the 83 pages of postings. It is a bittersweet experience to know that their postings, photos and questions are preserved here.  Just another one of those turisms in life. The only thing that remains the same is change.

So enough of this gloomy talk.  I am looking forward to the next year with vigor and enthusiasm.  There is still plenty to learn about Prewar American Flyer and many more photos to post.  I am looking forward to ordering the new Wide Gauge book by Alan Schuweiler and Fritz von Tagen.  That should make the cold evenings go by more quickly.

In honor of Anniversary 14 and in anticipation of the new Wide Gauge book let me post some photos of passenger sets in my collection that highlight the 14" cars that were the backbone of the Wide Gauge passenger fleet.

The Lone Scout

The Hamiltonian

The Eagle

Frontier Town

4331

4332

Have a great year of collecting.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

Greg

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • 8,039 posts
Posted by fifedog on Saturday, January 22, 2022 1:43 PM

Northwoods --- Happy Anniversary, from one of your millions of fans...

YesCool

  • Member since
    July 2020
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by pennytrains on Saturday, January 22, 2022 6:13 PM

I second that sentiment! Happy B-Day

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Middle o' Nowhere, MO
  • 1,108 posts
Posted by palallin on Monday, January 24, 2022 8:26 AM

I'll third it!  My favorite thread EVER!  Thank you to all who have contributed and particularly to Northwoods Fyer for starting, maintaining, and inspiring it!

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, February 5, 2022 9:36 AM

Thank You folks for the congratulations here online and offline too.  

fife,

I am happy for the couple of dozen folks who do follow the thread and contribute.  What would I do with Millions of Happy followers"   Confused

I am quoting one of my posts from last September...with an update.

 

Northwoods Flyer

Type XXII Sheet Metal Steam Engine

Mersenne6 pointed this engine out to me some time ago on ebay. I recently found the appropriate matching tender.  It is an uncataloged electric steam locomotove from the mid 1930's according to the Greenberg Guide. It is described as a simple 0-4-0 sheetmetal locomotive with stamped steel drivers.

I am still looking for the appropriate cars.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

 

With collaboration from Mersenne6 and diligently watching auctions I have completed one of the uncatalogued sets that this little engine headed. 

He has a great story and background information about this set that I will let him tell when he has the time to post it here.  Collecting toy trains is definitely a communal activity.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 58 posts
Posted by strainst on Friday, February 25, 2022 10:29 AM

Little late, but Happy 14th Anniversary.  This is still the best source of information on Pre-War American Flyer trains.  I am so happy I found this forum and have enjoyed all of the postings.  I hope you are able to finish reposting the lost photos in the earlier posts.  I see my photos are still showing with the photobucket water marks.  I have all of the photos in a folder on my computer and am willing to repost.  Is there a way to search for my posting so I know where to insert the photos?  Thanks 

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 58 posts
Posted by strainst on Friday, February 25, 2022 10:38 AM

Thanks for showing which cars came with the uncataloged Type XXII locomotive and No. 121 tender.  I have the loco/tender but never knew what cars came with them.  I have owned most of the 500 series freight cars in the past.  I will need to check to see if I still have these.  Do you know what other cars came with this loco/tender in the other uncataloged sets?  Thanks

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 58 posts
Posted by strainst on Friday, February 25, 2022 3:43 PM

It has been a while since I posted a photo, so I thought I would see if I could emember how to do it and post a couple photos of one of my favorite clock work loco, an Amreican Flyer No. 7.  I had no luck using Flickr which I used after photobucket stop free hosting.  I do have a shutterfly account, but I don't see how copy the photo from that site to this site.  Northwoods Flyer, don't you use shutterfly?  Did you give directions on an earlier page on how you post pictures?  What page was on, or can you go through ther process again.  Thanks

 

 I think I just figured how to post.

 

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, February 26, 2022 11:20 AM

strainst

Thanks for showing which cars came with the uncataloged Type XXII locomotive and No. 121 tender.  I have the loco/tender but never knew what cars came with them.  I have owned most of the 500 series freight cars in the past.  I will need to check to see if I still have these.  Do you know what other cars came with this loco/tender in the other uncataloged sets?  Thanks

Hi strainst,

Its nice to see you back. I don't have a very good knowledge of the uncataloged sets that American Flyer put out.  To my knowledge the Type XXII engine was accompanied by only two consists; the freight set that I posted above and a mail/passenger set.

The illustration of the mail set is shown below which is from information that mersenne6 sent to me from a 1936 price list.

 As usual I am putting a set together to have a reasonable facsimile of the set.  There are no colors given in the description however what I am putting together are some cars with "attractive colors".

Just 2 mail cars and the engine to go.

I see that you figured out how to post photos again. Posting from Shutterfly has always been simple for me.  Go to your shuutterfly account. Select the photo you want to post. Double click on it to expand it. Right click. Click on Copy. Go to the site you want to post the photo on. Place your cursor where you want it to appear. Right Click.  Click on Paste.  That should do it.

I have found that the restoration process for my missing photos has been a labor of love. I go to the post where the photos are missing, then go to my stored photos on Shutterfly and hunt for them and then re-post them to the thread.  

Your #7 is gorgeous.  As you know it is listed as NRS in the Greenberg guide. What a great piece to have in your collection.  Thanks for making it your inaugural photo in your return.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

 

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • 913 posts
Posted by mersenne6 on Sunday, February 27, 2022 12:22 PM

I'm glad to see Northwoods is going to assemble the consist for the 7467-RT set. That will be something to see when it is finished.  I provided pictures and a brief discussion about the uncataloged freight set back on page 7 of this thread and I really don't have anything more to add.  As I mentioned then I do wonder if the set was supposed to be a freight version of the 7467.  The only issue I have with this thought (other than the fact that I have zero evidence for the current one) is, if it was supposed to be the freight equivalent - why not 3 cattle cars? 

   In one of the other posts to this thread I noted Chicago was the "hog butcher of the world" and I wondered in that post why Flyer didn't offer some really impressive cattle cars in their lineup instead of the very nondiscript cars they did field.  A train set made up to resemble one of the long cattle car drags that had to have been an everyday fact of life in Chicago at that time would at least have been a toy train nod to Chicago reality.  I'd like to think this little set had that in mind but, as I said, this is just so much wishful thinking on my part. 

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 9:09 AM

Thanks for the post and musings mersenne,

I thought that I would repost a portion of your posting from page 7 here to keep the information together.

mersenne6

(snip)

The last of the sheet metal steamers is a small uncataloged 0-4-0 which is believed to have been made in the early to middle 1930's.  It was not cataloged or numbered however in the Ameerican Flyer Electric Train Special announcement for 1936 it was shown heading up set #7467RT - Electric U.S. Fast mail train which was a consist of 4 wheel mail cars, a coach and an observation.

 

 ...and this where it gets interesting.  Many years back I purchased the set shown below.  

  It came in a nondescript box with no markings.  Given the time frame (well before the time of this original post) and my then general lack of knowledge about pre-war Flyer, my only interest was that it was a Flyer engine I had never seen.  In light of the Fast Mail special in the 1936 pamphlet I have to wonder if this set wasn't supposed to be the freight equivalent of the Fast Mail.  Since there is zero evidence of this, I'll just focus on the fact that it is a very interesting little set with no pedigree to speak of.

As you can see my set differs a bit from yours.  My cattle cars have green doors.  

I do have a third livestock car with a yellow door. So here is that hypothetical set with a third livestock car.

Thanks again.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • 913 posts
Posted by mersenne6 on Saturday, March 5, 2022 7:24 AM

Ok, 3 cattle cars - NOW we have a Flyer/Chicago cattle car drag worthy of the name! Smile

  • Member since
    July 2020
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by pennytrains on Saturday, March 5, 2022 6:29 PM

Moooo!  Thumbs Up

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,963 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Monday, March 7, 2022 10:18 AM

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 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

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month