American Flyer O-gauge trains

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Sat Jun 27, 2020 2:34 pm

Made a jig so I could cut a few faux lumber loads for my Flyer flat-cars:

: Flyer 3206; Flyer 3206.jpg (140.64 KiB) Viewed 50094 times

Now I need to try again at mass-producing the clips that hold the load in place. Easier said than done, lol.

Paul II

javinda · Post by **javinda** » Tue Jun 30, 2020 1:53 am

How extraordinary. I recently saw something quite similar to this online somewhere---fully restored--will try to find the link again.

BTW I have posted this elsewhere but thought you might enjoy seeing this again---- a scanned copy of the 1954 A.C. Gilbert American Flyer Train Catalog by A.C. Gilbert, New Haven, Ct. 48 full color pages of steamed up and ready to go trains. https://www.flickr.com/photos/blackcaps ... 2824942749

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:54 am

A recent project, a refurbishment of a prewar Flyer 3018:

Goal was to strip and repaint the 3018's badly chipped tank in a color approximating the original. Used a tank end-cap off a basket-case Flyer 1118 to replace a missing one on the 3018. Gold lettering decals are water-slides from K4. Replacement wheels, axle, and journals from the bit-box.

javinda · Post by **javinda** » Thu Aug 19, 2021 2:17 am

Oh wow, that's some restoration!

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 10:09 am

Flyer 301 passenger set from 1939:

Entry from the 1939 catalog:

Nice little set that has seen some good use and care.

javinda · Post by **javinda** » Fri Sep 17, 2021 7:05 am

Always very cool to see older trains.

javinda · Post by **javinda** » Fri Sep 17, 2021 7:06 am

Always very cool to see older trains.

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 3:49 pm

In the process of clearing away an accumulation of "stuff" that has piled up on the layout. To do that, I've been packing away some equipment, but not before we get them back into running order. I have a pair of Flyer 401 steamers that I'd never put power to...figured I'd give them a good cleaning, lubrication, then a spin round the test track:

The top one is from the 301 set of 1939, trimmed in copper/brass and includes a fully functional E-unit (which worked straight away). The bottom one is from a 3/16-gauge set sold in 1941 or 1942. It is trimmed in nickel, but runs forward only (no E-unit). The 401s are a bit of a throw-back to the Coleman era for Flyer, as everything else introduced and sold by Gilbert during the run-up to the war was diecast.

Both could stand a good polish, and the nickel-trimmed loco needs a bit of a touch-up and a few trim pieces replaced. They will look great on the layout once we get everything cleared away and back in service.

javinda · Post by **javinda** » Mon Jan 31, 2022 7:20 pm

keep us posted. i love seeing "restoration"/renovation/whatever word is applicable

winced36 · Post by **winced36** » Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:48 am

Got this Flyer 1109 sand car from my eBay friend Tony Hay over in Huntington, WV:

I think this is the earliest version, so 1920-ish or a couple years before. Remarkable shape, considering. I've gotten a lot of wonderful things from Tony over the years.

EDIT :: Turns out this is far from the earliest version, the 1109 going back quite a few years into the early 'teens.