American Flyer Question

Look at the sold listings on ebay and see if there is something similar.

Thanks Don, I have looked on e-Bay but pictures don't always say a thousand words.  In addition to the photos I am looking for some first hand advice or information from someone here who owns or has owned these 9900's.

The first thing you want to know is if it is the cast aluminum version

or the tin version.  

Both sets are from the late 30's'

I believe that the tin version is a lithographed design on the cars.  The aluminum is usually buffed to a shiney finish.  There is a substantial difference in the "heft" of each.

The cast aluminum cars have two trucks to each car,  the tin cars have one set of trucks per car, except for the tail car.

Judge them by their general appearance and if its important to you, how well they

operate.  

My opinion is that you should only pay for a vintage train what you feel comfortable paying.  I know I tend to go by eBay values but if its too much for my train budget its too much.  There are hundreds if not thousands of these out there.

Northwoods Flyer

The cast aluminum version came with a power unit and 2, 3 or 4 cars depending on the set number. The later version was available with a whistle. I first see it in the 1934 catalog. The tin version came with a power car and 2 or 3 cars depending on the set. It came as both electric or clockwork.

Steve

Well....tomorrow has come and gone... don't keep us in suspense - which one was it????   

Tomorrow is not gone yet.  I ended up with them.  It is the 4 piece aluminum set, they are in very good condition with one of the sliding doors missing on the powered unit, otherwise complete with the hooks, etc.  They light up but the engine doesn't run.  I noticed a lever similar to a e-unit lever on the bottom that is bent and wire that is bare.  When I get time I'll get into it and hopefully find what the problem is.  My camera takes photos but won't stay on when I try to load them into my computer.  I am buying a new one and as soon as I get it hooked up I'll post a few photos here and will most likely have a couple AF questions as I have never worked on one before.  I took Northwoods Flyers advice and paid what I felt comfortable with and also got a real nice Lionel KW with the set and it does work.

Thanks again for the replies.

Bum

I have a American Flyer 9900 five car tinplate metal set. The engine has a manual forward/reverse lever. It has only one sliding shoe pickup to the rear, it doesnt look like it had a forward pickup, is that correct?

Here are the photos of the 9900, it is 5 pieces not four.  I also go it running, I didn't realize that the lever goes in and out not left to right and I thought it was bent.  It runs in forward only and it runs well with a very bright light.  These are, in my opinion, in very good condition.  Can anyone tell me if the power unit is supposed to go in reverse and if so, what should I do to change direction?.  Also, where would I go to find the missing sliding door? One of the photos shows the lever.

Thanks again,

Bum

Wow! That is a beauty. It's got the later/rarer/fatter power car/loco and more cars than most sets. It looks clean inside, too. What ever you paid, was most likely a bargain.

Yes, it should have an e-unit for reversing.  Yours is the 1935 set with the modified power car.  The 1934 power car is much thinner and a closer approximation to the look of the Zephyr.  The size change was due to the need for the reversing unit. Mine runs like the original BOH and all it has ever needed was lubing and oiling....great find.

Will this change directions by using the directional control on the transformer like the Lionel e units or is it done manually?  Again, I know nothing about American Flyer.  You can see the lever on the underside photo it has a dab of red paint on it.  How many positions does that lever have?

Thanks again,

Bum

You have what I like to call a the "Flyer Flying Reverse". The red lever is a lockout for the reverse. it has 2 positions, up and down. If I remember correctly all the way up locks out the reverse and all the way down enables it. When the reverse is enabled, there is a "hook" that catches on a "T" shaped plate on the side of the idler gear. It catches when the train is moving  and the power is shut off. When it hooks, the momentum causes the reverse unit attached to the hook to switch to the opposite direction. If you are not moving fast enough, or if you reverse several times quickly is can get caught between directions. I think many people used the lockout to prevent nuisance trips. if the reverse is enabled and it gets stuck between directions the easiest way to get it going would be to push the loco in the reverse direction with the power off until the wheels stop turning. when you turn on the power it should be in forward.

On the regular steam locos there was a rod that usually stuck out of the top of the loco that would move up and down with the reverse unit (this could also be used as a manual reverse) they could not bring the lever through the top on your Zephyr because the motor swivels.

The reverse unit on your loco is at the back of the motor. Manual reverse lever, if it is there will be located at the top of the reverse unit (near the roof) and should point to the rear of the loco. the reverse unit slides up and down.

Roland

Thanks Roland,

 I've never read a description of how the reverse units work on the Zephyrs. Great information.

Greg

Roland.  I just read your reply, for some reason I don't get notified for all of the replies.  Anyway, I too thank you, I printed it and will keep the information with my 9900.

Thanks again,

Bum

Hi Greg,

I believe this is only true for the wide bodied Zephyr, the narrow bodied Zephyr would not accommodate the reversing motor, and has a manual reverse.

The motor may be unique to that loco.

If you want to see a true Rube Goldberg affair look at how the early reversing electrics locos reverse unit works (3185, 3186  and 3187 locos).

Roland

Bum,

glad to help

Roland

Roland,

I only have an example of the wide bodied Zephyr, and I believe that some one has altered the motor.  There is no lock out lever.

I agree with you about the  Rube Goldberg mechanisms.  I have a 3185 and a 3115.  The mechanism on the 3185 is very touchy and will reverse of its own volition. The track activated reverse mechanism on the 3115 is interesting, but it works reliably.

Greg

I have about 10 of these, yup, you read right, TEN, in various states. I discovered an interesting thing on a couple of them. There is a lever mounted in the baggage car that is a reverse unit. Very similar layout to the Lionel manual reverse units of the early 30's. e.g. 262, 253, etc... If anyone could shed more light on this configuration, i would be grateful.

My baggage car has that lever and I thought it was for a whistle then someone told me it was for a light, this is getting confusing.  I did manage to pick up some 4-rail track for it as i thought that's what I needed for the whistle???  I have yet to put it on the 4-rail track as they need some work.

Bum

Bum:

According to the Greenberg O Gauge American Flyer book, there IS a whistle in some of the later baggage cars (9911) and you DO need the 4 rail track to activate the whistle. But it is not clear the switch is for the whistle, as the switch was also included in an earlier version of the car....curiouser and curiouser....

I am hoping that somebody out there can explain this...

  What we have here is an issue of baggage car vintage.

   The first 1934 baggage cars have a lever on the side which is a light switch for the cars.

   Above is one of these cars.  The arrow points to the screw which holds the switch mechanism in place.  

Below is the instruction sheet for this car.

Flyer uses the term "trolleys" to refer to sliding/rolling pickups. Flyer dropped this switch but still had cars with milled slots and screw holes drilled in the roof as well as cars with screw holes in the roof and no milled slot in the side and for the rest of 1934 and 1935 the baggage car was just a baggage car.

  Below is a picture of a 1935 baggage with the extra hole.

In 1936 the baggage car carried a whistle and had the forked pickup on the trucks for current from the 4th rail.  The center strut of the car door window on these cars has been removed to permit air passage for the whistle.

Thank you, thank you. Quick response. Great information. The Power of OGR!

great looking set!