Hello all American Flyer introduced the #3020 late 1922, a copy of the NYC Class T ..used to pulled trains in and out of Grand Central. Early ads show the new engine as #3000 . In 1924 Flyer is pointing out their engine is built to 1/4" scale !!!!! Interesting that Model Maker magazine which would be the growing voice to the "model " train world who built scale models began publication in 1924. Flyer's #3020 is not what you would call scale ...but better proportions than many of the other engine offered by all the manufactures in O gauge in this period . Cars were offered with lights ...a hot pin hole at the back of the engine would be the source of power running a string of lights back through each car. Flyer advertised "automatic" reverse ...see that lever hanging under the engine ..you run that into a track trip and the engine races backwards ...Lionel had used this as early as 1907. This is an early #3020 dating 1922/3 ...
please see link for action packed video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNTAKeqxzM
Cheers Carey
