Number produced of Gilbert Sets

http://www.american-flyer-train-sets.com/default.htm

ENP1976 posted:

http://www.american-flyer-train-sets.com/default.htm

 

I don't see how this link answers the OP's original question, have I missed something here?

Roundhouse Bill posted:

Gang:

We got a question from a reader of the S Gaugian that I was asked to research.  I looked at Bob Tufts book and he doesn't have any listing of sets produced.  Please look at his question below and let me know if anyone knows of a source.

Thanks,

Bill

I have been wondering about the quantities produced of American Flyer
items. With all of the collectors over the years some good estimates
must have been made. Maybe there have even been articles published that talk
about this, or maybe actual sales numbers have been found. In
particular I am curious how many of the expensive pieces were sold per year in the
50s, like the Northern steam loco for instance.

Do you remember anything published on this topic?  

This site claims to have a book that might have production records?

https://www.hobbysurplus.com/repairbooks.asp

Painstaking research utilizing previously unavailable A.C. Gilbert factory records and production ledgers obtained by Vincent Amato with his purchase of the factory parts department has allowed the authors to create exclusive new drawings and parts lists for locos that were never documented.

I remember reading an interview with Maury Romer where he talks about this (I have been wondering about the quantities produced of American Flyer items. - OP)   He claimed that there were books in the American Flyer offices in New Haven where the total number of each set produced during the year was recorded.  After the sale when the offices were being cleaned out the books were thrown in the garbage.  He said that he went through the garbage and had the books in his hands and hoped to take them with him.  A security guard discovered him in the process and told  him to put the books back and they went to the dump.

I wish I could remember where I read this story.  I wonder if it is in one of the Editions of  "The Collector"

Greg

Thanks Guys.

Bill

Greg, that is my recollection also but I think I read it in the S Gaugian in the 1980's.

Rich,  Nope it was not in the magazine in the 80's.  It was the editor/publisher who posed the question to his writers.

Bill

Ukaflyer posted:

ENP1976 posted:

http://www.american-flyer-train-sets.com/default.htm

 

I don't see how this link answers the OP's original question, have I missed something here?

Click on the link and find out. It was not meant to answer the question, but rather guide someone else on the path.....   It is a neat site that lists a lot of the old flyer sets. So if you wanted to know how many sets Gilbert produced there you go. Whats the worst that could happen, you discover a neat site that somewhat pertains to the OP's question. 

The interview of Maury Romer referred to above was conducted by Paul Nelson in October of 1981. The interview is reprinted in the book A. C. Gilbert's Heritage, edited by Don Heimburger and published by Heimburger House Publishing. I have the First Edition, copyrighted 1983. 

Maury confirms the production record books were destroyed. He does provide rough estimates of a few items. Common boxcars could run into the hundreds of thousands. Popular accessories ran into "many" thousands. 

The best published source I know of today for relative rarity is the book written by Bob Bubeck and Dave Garrigues back in 2000. I have heard people try to estimate numbers of a few Gilbert items but there are no credible published estimates I have ever seen. 

Tom,

You beat me to it.  I have been looking for that article since I posted last and I finally found it last night after skimming through years of "The Collector".  It was time pleasurably spent I might add.  I thought that I remembered it being in an interview that Paul Nelson did with Maury Romer.  I just had the wrong source.

The story is not quite as I thought I remembered it .  I quote from the interview as published:

Nelson:   When you  mention production amounts, like the Rocket "B" units that never really got into production, how about some other items, Maury?  I'm not speaking of very limited production items now, but a rather typical item, lets say a No. 293.  Any rough idea of  how many of those were produced in a given year?

Romer:  No, I don't know, and I don't like to guess.  There was a book available at the factory which listed all items and all production.  I used to get letters from collectors wanting to know how many of a certain item had been made.  I would go up to a girl by the name of Evelyn Lucky and say, "Evelyn how many of this or that did we make?"  She'd go over to the book and give me the figure right like that.  I often thought if something ever happened to that book without me getting  hold of it, I would feel terrible.  Well, I did get three books out of the plant that really came in very handy, but the production list I would also like to have obtained.  But they were destroyed: they were burned.

Nelson:  The three you mentioned then, are the one on uncataloged sets , and two others?

Romer:  Yes, I unloaded a big truck full of garbage to get to these at the bottom of the truck.

The article is filled with all kinds of interesting stories.  I recommend it as an entertaining read.  I know when I first started collecting Flyer in earnest in the early '80s I read that book from cover to cover several times.

What is the name of the book by Bubeck and Garrigues?

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

Greg

Greg, the book title is:

American Flyer

S Gauge

Illustrated Price Guide and History

1946-2000

2000 Edition

It was published by TM Books and Videos. 

AmFlyer posted:

Greg, the book title is:

American Flyer

S Gauge

Illustrated Price Guide and History

1946-2000

2000 Edition

It was published by TM Books and Videos. 

The more recent and updated version with more entries and variations is the 2012 (3rd) edition of our TM American Flyer S Gauge Illustrated Price Guide and History. The 1st edition from 2000 has a color photo insert, however.

Thanks for the friendly citation. 

Bob Bubeck

Bob, it is a great publication that adds value to the hobby. Now I have to find a copy of the 2012 edition. I was not aware of it.

Over the years I've read a number of interviews with Maury Romer. I've found each of them to be very interesting, even though my interest in Gilbert American Flyer is rather casual.

AmFlyer posted:

Bob, it is a great publication that adds value to the hobby. Now I have to find a copy of the 2012 edition. I was not aware of it.

Amazon, Portlines Hobbies, a book retailer at a local train show, or the TM Books web site are four among many good sources of the guide. Have fun.

Bob