Best AF O-gauge reference books?

No such guide that I'm aware of, but that would be a good thing for the collector to have. I'd be interested to know about the 3-rail scale pieces made then, such as the 0-6-0 switcher and the PRR K-4. The few I've seen at shows compare fairly well to Lionel.

Perhaps someone here could write one.

There is a Greenberg's Guide To American Flyer Prewar O Gauge.

I am by no means an expert but I find it very useful.

There is also a Greenberg's  Guide To American Flyer Wide Gauge, also

very good.  Occasionally find them on the bay. 

Perhaps I am missing something here but there is a David Doyle's Standard Catalog of American Flyer Trains in which he covers American Flyer Pre-war Wide Gauge and O Gauge in Chapters 4,5 and 6 with about 100 pages of photographs and descriptions of Wide Gauge and O Gauge Motive Power and Rolling Stock.

There are two Greenberg guides to AF pre-war, one O gauge and one Wide Gauge, both are out of print.  They show up from time to time over on the bay.  As for reprinting - it's my understanding that is not a possibility.  The O gauge version went through two printings - an original and an upgrade.  They are both very useful.

Jim,  I read a Greenburg book in the downtown library in OKC a couple weeks ago.     It was good on info concerning prewar AF.  I have an O guage AF Hudson #1681 made between '36 and '39.  According to specific information in the Greenburg book, it is

most likely from 1937-38 due to the cast aluminum tender and four wheel trailing truck.  This AF Hudson was the first O guage six wheel main driver engine made, prior

to Lionel or other manufacturers, according to Greenburg.

Greenburg  10-6374  1987

TF197.G6742    625.1'9074    87-26662

ISBN 0-89778-014-0       ISBN 0-89778-064-7

Hope this helps out

Take care and may God bless

Jesse

Two books that I know of both by Alan R. Schuweiler

Greenberg's Guide to American Flyer Wide Gauge ( standard gauge trains )

Greenberg's Guide to American Flyer Prewar O Gauge

Enjoy

Frank

agree 100%...

the last edition with Schuweiler's Type/Number system.  the only volume that makes sense out of the extremely confusing prewar numbering of Flyer models.

pre-Schuweiler and interesting, but not very useful for specifying model types.

the only downside of the Schuweiler O gauge guide is the omission of accessories.  you'll find most of them here.

cheers...gary

Using www.bookfinder.com I found, used copies of ISBN 0-89778-064-7 go from $52.72 and up. ISBN 0-89778-014-0 price range is from $63.99 and up. New prices are thru the roof.

Enjoy,

Ron M

fyi... years ago i discovered that book resellers are very critical in regard to condition.  the slightest damage will usually downgrade the condition from LN or Exc to at least Very Good.  i tried this theory out buying a Bing catalog book where the $ difference between LN and VG was dramatic.  it turns out that the only damage to the VG copy i bought was a penned in note on the last page which actually added some information to the picture it was referencing.  the rest of the book was nearly pristine.

long story short, if you're only interested in the information it contains, lower condition used books are usually the best deals and you might even find a copy like mine where a few errors and omissions are corrected.

cheers...gary

thanks for the input. I will look for these to add to my library. Interestingly, I picked up this weekend a pocket book, the "Illustrated American Flyer Checklist 1927-1937 O and Standard Gauge" printed in 1970 by Ray Melzer via Ladd Publications. It lists the catalog number, brief description, date of original release and original selling price. How about a 964-T MinneHaHa 4-unit train from 1935 for $5.50 or an 832 Zephyr 4-unit set from 1935 for $2.25?

I guess it is a joke book.