As a kid, I had a couple of American Flyer trains, a PRR 4-6-2 and a C&NW Baldwin VO-1000 diesel.
When I went off to college and then on to getting married and raising a family, my much younger brother took over. Between the two of us, we gave those trains quite a beating. So, back about 10 years ago, I pulled the trains out of storage and did some extensive repairs.
Here are couple of photos of a temporary layout that I set up to test the repaired locomotives. Nothing fancy, but it was at least as exciting as when I was a kid. Quite a bit of fun and a change from running HO scale.
Rich
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Looks great even without ground scenery laid! If I had a lot more space available I could build something similar to that size. Living in a house that maximizes livable space does a train guy no favors lol.
Nice, classic layout you have going there.
That simple layout is very attractive. The rubber roadbed makes is totally quiet.
There appears to be one or two link coupler cars missing from the original 312 set, if it was purchased as part of a set.
Depends on which set. I see a caboose and it looks like two boxcars that had links. The 1948 and 1949 312 cataloged sets had the caboose, a 625 shell tank car and a 632 hopper. Some had a flatcar rather than the tank car.
Thanks so much for your replies. Any chance to could post those pages from the 1948 and 1949 catalogs?
My parents, er Santa Claus, gave me a Christmas gift of the steam engine and several cars. Some time later as a birthday gift, I got the diesel and a few more cars.
At least the earlier cars had the linked couplers which I later converted to knuckle couplers.
Rich
The Gilbert catalogs are all online for your enjoyment at www.myflyertrains.net. The Factory Service Manual is also there.
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Ahh, I did not know that. Thanks so much.
Rich
It also helps to have this reverse lookup by engine chart.
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Now that is a very valuable chart. In what reference is that located?
Northwoods Flyer
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Incidentally, those 8 freight cars, 3 cabooses and two locomotives are all that I ever had. Nothing missing or tossed.
Rich
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Keep this a secret I posted that partial page picture here.
It is from the 95 page set guide by Robert J. Tufts, The Almost Complete Guide to American Flyer S gauge Sets. Mine is getting worn. It also helps to have the Volume III, Sets book from Greenberg. There are more. All these valuable books are long out of print.
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Great layout Rich it is nice to see you enjoying trains from your youth! after all that is what it’s all about.
Chuck
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Very nice layout, and collection! I like it!
Paul
Thanks, Chuck. I did have to replace the reversing unit in the tender and the entire motor on the diesel. When I got the smoke unit working once again on the steam engine, I was really excited.
Rich
Well if you ask me the hard work fixing them, looks to be well worth it. Great job Rich!
Chuck
If you haven’t seen it already there are a ton of great photos of Gilbert’s displays and halls of science here: American Flyer Displays & History
Well worth perusing for inspiration!
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