Christmas 1957 Photo

I had Flyer too  , I remember , sitting up under the Christmas  tree and the train going around me and the tree

My Flyer A-B-A five car North Coast Limited had the diesel roar and a great horn. Pulled itself and those five cars with those twin motors with no problem.

The diesel roar was a vibrator without a case. The same thing (with a case) was used in car radios.

Great photos - especially the first one. Looks like something from a catalogue.

OK - now I just have to find the Xmas morning '55 photos of me (age 7)  messing with my new layout that "Santa" had built for me - behind my back in the garage, I'll bet.

Great pictures, thanks for sharing them with us.

Yes, thanks for sharing! I also had a K-5 and loved it. :-)

Definitely some treasures.  Thanks for sharing.

Absolute magic! Thank you sharing this family gem!

Fabulous!

Peter

Thanks for all the kind comments fellas - Art, your NP was my most favorite and only saw one 'in person' once on the floor around the tree of a bank in New Orleans one Christmas.  My 360 never quite ran right and must have had smaller motors that the later versions. Along the way I had a Comet single A unit, the silver Geep, and a later K5 with smoke n choo-choo.

c.sam: My smoke and choo-choo K-5 was one of my favorite AF engines. Your childhood photo with yours is priceless!

Hi C.Sam,  wonderful pictures.  Nothing beats a mid-century B&W Christmas picture! Looks like dad kinda enjoyed the trains too!  I can't tell if that is a piano or organ in the picture. 

C. Sam I'll bet your diesel needed to have new bushings installed in both trucks. Its a common problem in old Flyer.

Love the photos!   A great slice of Americana!  I grew up with AF.  Fond memories for sure.  Oddly though, I never had trains around the tree.  My trains were hand me downs from my older brothers and relegated to basement running.  No matter, the basement was my railroad empire!   But my kids grew up with trains around the tree at Christmas and happy to report that the tradition lives on through my son and grandson.  Thanks for sharing such great memories

Always a pleasure seeing older photos of all of us with our trains. Nice photo c.sam

Nice photo CSAM!!  Love the icicles on the tree.  That picture  brought back a whole lot of memories. My DAD had us pick off every piece of those icicles when taking down our tree.  My brother still has them.  

Very sweet! Those photos are something to treasure — even more than the trains. Thanks for sharing!

My dad use to set this up for my brothers and I at Christmas. This is from 1958.

@c.sam posted:

My sister sent a box of old family photos and I came across this one - do not remember ever seeing it before! 1957 and Santa finally brought the Santa Fe I'd been wanting since I was really little. We started with a Flyer K5 steamer No. 310 freight set pictured below. The Santa Fe Alcos was a used set with the No. 360 AB pair from 1950 and my dad picked up a later B unit with 'diesel roar' and a dummy A unit with a coupler on the nose. It was beautiful but much to my disappointment, it could just adequately haul itself around the loop. With only a few cars, it almost needed an assist. Hate to admit it, but in retrospect I wish that I had started with Lionel...

Great Photos @c.sam

@jrstengel posted:

My dad use to set this up for my brothers and I at Christmas. This is from 1958.

Hey! How come there's no sound.....

My Dad had Lionel, I had HO and my Cousin had Flyer. I have to look for some old photos.

Great memories.

@jrstengel,

I don't think your American Flyer Trains had speed control but I loved them.

@jrstengel posted:

My dad use to set this up for my brothers and I at Christmas. This is from 1958.

Nice. Question: What's the motive power (the one other than the steamer)?

Looks like an NW2 switcher but am not sure. Maybe a UP?  Those are pretty rare if that's what it is.

That is a Gilbert 355 or 21801 Baldwin decorated for the C&NW. They were made in 1956 through 1958.

That C&NW Baldwin engine, N&W gondola, IC Reefer and American Flyer Lines caboose was a set cataloged for three years. If purchased in 1956 it was set 5605T, in 1957 it was set 20310 and in 1958 it was set 20410.

@AmFlyer posted:

That is a Gilbert 355 or 21801 Baldwin decorated for the C&NW. They were made in 1956 through 1958.

Ah, thanks. No wonder I was having trouble IDing it.

@RoyBoy posted:

The diesel roar was a vibrator without a case. The same thing (with a case) was used in car radios.

Ah yes, the "mmbuzzzzzzzzzz" sound when I turned the radio on in my 54 Chevy

@RSJB18 posted:

Hey! How come there's no sound.....

My Dad had Lionel, I had HO and my Cousin had Flyer. I have to look for some old photos.

Great memories.

@RSJB18 No audio input on the 8mm

@johnstrains posted:

Nice. Question: What's the motive power (the one other than the steamer)?

Looks like an NW2 switcher but am not sure. Maybe a UP?  Those are pretty rare if that's what it is.

@johnstrains No sure and unfortunately I do not have those trains.

@jim sutter posted:

@jrstengel,

I don't think your American Flyer Trains had speed control but I loved them.

@jim sutter 60 years later and I like to run my trains as slow as I can. Surprised those stayed on the track.