American Flyer O-gauge trains

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 9:11 pm

I picked up a second Flyer 3012 recently, this one a bit nicer than the first. I polished it up and it looks pretty good considering the age:

I have an old bottle of Meguiars cleaning wax I use for this. After a bath in soapy water the Meguiars does a decent job of removing the remaining accumulated dirt and buffs out nice without damaging the original paint.

Paul II

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Wed Feb 01, 2017 7:06 pm

paulrace wrote:That should even be within MY skill set.

One would think, but I'm having a tough time finding stock that is malleable enough to bend the small loops at each end. I tried using an old bicycle spoke cut to length but it was too stiff to bend properly.

Howard · Post by **Howard** » Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:07 am

Paul ll...

what part are you trying to find metal stock to make?...

howard...

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Fri Feb 03, 2017 11:51 am

Hi Howard...I was trying to make the retainer clips that fit the stakes to hold a load in place on the 3046 flat-car. I went to Lowes yesterday and found some pins in the specialty parts bins that I tried to use...see here:

The originals had a loop on each end, but these steel pins are extremely difficult to bend. I managed to form a loop on one end but just cut them off at the other. It works, but doesn't look the best. If I could find some rod that was a bit softer it would be easier to shape them.

Paul II

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 10:49 am

Picked this up a few days ago at a local antique mall...cost a buck:

Looks like it was stored in a rock-tumbler. Not sure of the number, but it's late prewar with those link-couplers.

Paul II

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:25 am

Visited the York meet this past week. Had nothing on the list, just a care-free walk around, lol. Found this Flyer 401 in a guy's junk bin:

The tender is in rough shape, but serviceable. With link-couplers so it's probably late 1930's vintage.

Hope to get it on the track soon to see if it's a runner.

Paul II

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 11:03 am

Talked to some folks about the 401 and it turns out to be 1940-vintage.

I picked up a couple of the cars that go with the 401 in a set:

Flyer 484 cabin car:

Flyer 478 box car:

I need to track down a nice 476 gondola and it's complete.

Paul II

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:08 pm

Here's a few updates for prewar Flyer.

In an effort to complete the Pioneer set for the collection, I found a nice 476 gondola:

Here's a copy of the catalog page for the 1940 Pioneer set:

This was the last sheet-metal locomotive set manufactured and sold by Flyer...the rest of the product line had moved to the die-cast 3/16-guage locomotives in the years after A. C. Gilbert took over, just prior to the war.

Here's a neat Flyer warning sign I've had for a number of years:

This one goes back a few years earlier, probably late 1920's.

Paul II