Northwoods - How could you not love that steam engine.
Thanks strains,
That is a beautiful example of a #15 clockwork engine. Its been good to have you on board for this journey through American Flyer Prewar equipment.
2023 has been great for adding to the collection. I have found a #4622-6 to head up the blue cars posted above.
The 4622-6 Locomotive-Tender Combination combines a Type XV Pacific die-cast engine and a 1623 Type XIII tender. It was cataloged in1938.
The engine returned in 1939 - 1940 as the #436
Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby
Northwoods Flyer
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
Northwoods Flyer, congrats on 15 years going strong, still the best forum on Pre-war American Flyer Trains.
Americam Flyer Type 5 No. 15(C/D); this loco has the early body (Version C) but the motor has 10 spoke wheels (Version D)
Americam Flyer Type 5 No. 15(D)
Americam Flyer Type X No. 15
Looking forward to 15 more years
strainst
January 22, 2008 - January 22, 2023
Celebrating
15
years
Pre War American Flyer Pictures
Each year when this day rolls around I am amazed that I am still making additions to this thread. It has been a great joy to participate in this hobby and to take stock of the friends that I have made because of it. One of the things that I have noticed is that there is much less participation in postings here, as I mentioned last year. It should come as no surprise when I consider that I don't find very many "new" items to add to the collection after 15 years. I have discovered many other sources that have sprung up on the internet that provide photographs and information about Pre War trains and I know that those who used to post here have moved on to those sites. It is still great fun to see the enthusiasim of those of us who participate in The World's Greatest Hobby.
I intend to participate here for as long as I can or for as long as the thread exists answering questions and posting new finds. There is still great stuff to find out there. In honor of year 15 let me post some photos of set #315 from 1939
Cars with 6 wheel trucks
I would have liked to post set No. 15 from 1938 but I don't have the complete set.
At this point I have the cars - 4 wheel trucks. I don't have the engine for them yet. So my quest for the next year is to find the No. 4622-6 locomotive.
See, the quest never ends.
Greg
Northwoods Flyer Now all I need is a Presidents Special in two tone Roles Royce blue Edit: The Wide Gauge stock car also came in a two tone blue color scheme. Somewhere in my collection I also have street lights that are in the same two tone color combination. Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby Northwoods Flyer
Now all I need is a Presidents Special in two tone Roles Royce blue
Edit:
The Wide Gauge stock car also came in a two tone blue color scheme.
Somewhere in my collection I also have street lights that are in the same two tone color combination.
As I was sorting through photos in the archive I came across the #2209 street lights that I mention above that came in the blue color scheme.
palallin,
Ah yes the beautiful blue Flying Colonel set. It has been on my list for years; ever since I picked up this orphan from the 1927 lithographed Presidents Special.
I've had to be satisfied with these repainted cars in O gauge (rare birds in my collection) until I find the rest of the family
I, too, like the two-tone blue, but I *really* like the military blue of the Flying Colonel, my Flyer Unicorn-made-of-Unobatnium set.
There is a vey reasonable Persidential Specicial on the Evil auction Site right now.
Interesting. Ward's also had special run blue Lionel 33's with matching 35 and 36 passenger cars. Although the Lionels are usually referred to as "midnight blue". I wonder, was blue a prominent thing with Ward's the way red was with Macy's?
Same me, different spelling!
Hi strainst,
Thanks for the doing the work of restoring your photos. I still need to take on that daunting task for the early part of this thread.
The photos of storage under the Blue Board Central are from the archives. The layout came down 3 years ago. The new layout will be named "The Arrowhead Division of American Flyer Lines". At least it will be when it finally gets built.
The 318X cars are most frequently seen in the Potomac Set
As I posted above the; Montgomery Ward set came in the two tone blue color scheme with Golden State brass name tags on the 318X cars.
And here are the 328X cars in the boxed "The Jeffersonian" set that I have. The set is also in two tone blue.
Northwoods, that is one fine looking set. I have always loved the two tone blues that Flyer used on their trains. I spent the Chrismas holidays finding my prior posting and was able to update all of my photos so they no longer have the photo-bucket water marks. A couple posting back where you are showing the boxes you have collected, is the blue board up and running at your new home?
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 engine that would have headed the set.
And the tender that would have accompanied the engine pulling these cars,
Its nice to find somethiing new in the reference book I thought I knew pretty well.
I have the steam eangine that would have headed the set.
(posting problems - I'll be back)
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.
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).
Eros Arrow
The Love Machine
Cupid's Comet
Thanks for the suggestion fife.
I can give it the name of "The Valentine Special"
Well...looks like you're all set for Valentine's Day.
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,
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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 a nice touch but it certainly doesn't look like factory paint.
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.
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