1936-1937 Hiawatha AF Train

[Four-Rail]

Can anybody tell me where I can obtain information pertaining to a 1936-1937 Hiawatha American Flyer Train? I have the complete set including the engine, tender car, (2) passenger cars, observation car, transformer and track. I also have a depot, crossing lights, two tunnels and most of the original boxes. The train does work. Something unusual is the track has a fourth rail used to power the whistle located in the tender car. I'm new to this hobby and would appreciate any information you can offer.

[Northwoods Flyer]

Hi ,

  to the forum.  What kind of information are you looking for?  An excellent resource for information is a book by Alan Schuweiler: American Flyer Prewar O Gauge.  It is out of print, but available on the secondary market.  If you let me know what information interests you I might be able to help you out.

Is this a family piece?  I will tell you that you have one of the popular sets that most folks interested in Flyer know about and appreciate.  The 4 rail track is unique to the years 1936 -1937.

 Northwoods Flyer

[mackb4]

   The fourth rail is for the whistle in the tender.

 The tin tender is the same as the die cast Hudson's tender,only orange and cream in color.

 Hang onto the track,because the slider shoe pickup is off-set on the tenders truck for the fourth rail.

 I'm converting my Hudson's tender with a Lionel whistle relay,and using the pickup from an A.F. prewar caboose,to put the pickup in the center for use on three rail track. 

[Four-Rail]

Yes the train belonged to my father. I use to have a nice HO setup but was destroyed in a tornado a few months back. Now that I'm in our new home I thought I would try to rekindle the passion in a new scale and era.  My knowledge of O-guage and of this train in particular is near zero.  I was trying to find out some history in order build an appropriate layout as well as how collectable this train set is.

 

[mersenne6]

Here's a copy/paste of the answer posted to the same question over on the other forum:

 

Hiawatha Engine Catalog #1682 (1936-1937) (engine tender combination number is 1683)

First appeard in 1936 catalog. It was used as in both a freight and a passenger set. Used the new for 1936 40 inch diameter track. The track was 4 rail. The U shaped whistle pickup on the underside of the tender rode on the 4th rail. This rail provided power for the whistle. Engine gave the appearance of a 4-4-4. Front wheels - early front two articulated rear two fixed on frame. Rear truck -two wheels only. In 1937 engine offered without whistle.

1936 front pair of pilot wheels are small, nickeled brass turnings while second pair are larger wheels same as in the trailing truck. Motor brushes hidden by a bulge in the casting - according to Greenberg this version does not track well.

1937 all 4 lead truck wheels are cast, same size, and mounted on a pivoting truck so all four wheels move. Boiler casting modified so brushes are visible through an elongated slot.

Set components

#1641 Coach (1936-37) orange, gray, maroon. Lighted by means of contacts on semi-vestibules from pickup in the observation car.

#1642 Observation (1936-37) same colors as coach has beaver-tail rear per the prototype.

Sets:

#1741-RW (1936) Locomotive and tender, whistle in tender, two 1641 coaches and 1642 observation.

#1742 (1937) same as above but no whistle in tender.

The whistle powered by the 4th rail appeared in 1936 only and could be found in the Hudson tender, the COD coach, and the aluminum Zephy coach.

[ogauge]

 That Hiawatha is a nice set, I have a City of Denver that I need to finish restoring .

 

I wish I had gotten the Hiawatha engines the same guy had, but I passed

Someday!