They are still out there-what arrived at my home today.

Fantastic find. Wish mine looked that good

What a great find. Let's see it running one day.

I have a similar story but with a M-10000 Lionel set that a coworker was looking to get rid of. He knew I was an O gauge guy and told me one day that he had some old trains that he didn't want. It was his fathers set, well used, but not abused.

Love the history of this hobby.

Nice find! How about some more pictures of the cars?

The two little flat top pieces go on the ends of the brush springs.

Thanks for the compliments and the help. I have never worked on O gauge Flyer before.  How do the little flat tops go on the ends of the brush springs- which way do they contact connect/insert to the spring ? A simple picture would really help me.

I am still in the state of shock seeing O gauge flyer from the 1930's- what a time warp. Wonder what the Dad and his boy(s) did when they saw this for the first time and saw it go down the track...? right in the middle of the great depression? This is obviously a higher end set and someone is spending money on toy trains, track, transformers?

The cars are just as nice as the engine-the roofs are so bright(chrome like) the fingerprints show very clearly on the top of the cars. Wondering what to gently clean and softly buff everything with- the sides show the graining of the casting which is darker(more porous) so more dirt and darkening from handling- the raised part of the castings are polished smooth. What is the best way to clean and preserve the porous parts- with no abrasion or chemical cleaners?

When I get them done in a day or two-(depending on my back) I will shoot more pictures, on the track, hooked together and lit up and post them.

I wonder what else is out there to discover, enjoy and preserve( the best part of the hobby IMHO) .

How do the little flat tops go on the ends of the brush springs- which way do they contact connect/insert to the spring ? A simple picture would really help me.

When packing the brush tubes, the parts go in the tubes like:

brush

spring

flat tops with the flat tops out

ends of the wires to the brushes hold everything in place. Bend the protruding end over.

I think the idea is that the springs do not work themselves out around the ends of the brush wires.

On the postcard picture of the real train, “electric shot welded”. Is that supposed to be “electric spot welded”?

That's a neat story GrandpaChooChoo. There really is a Santa Claus. Is your nephew going to start his collection or give/sell the train to you?

TJ

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

On the postcard picture of the real train, “electric shot welded”. Is that supposed to be “electric spot welded”?

Shot welding is the original name for spot welding.

Just like rustless steel is the original name for stainless steel.

Thanks everyone for the responses. My nephew wants to sell them- needs tires for his car. Bah humbug!  The newer generation wants everything "now" and "new" and doesn't appreciate significant history of the past. They also don't think generationally much about family traditions (i.e. an electronic toy train going around the Christmas Tree under the lights). What a buzz is that- especially laying on the floor with all the lights in the room off.

This is a rare piece in very good condition.   I am trying to convince him to keep them. You can always buy tires but acquisitions like this maybe once in a lifetime... Found out it is the 1935 version-made just 1 year.

It brings joy in my heart to see the simplicity of the construction- the "best efforts" of factory workers to make a quality piece in 1935. I also like it's original condition and the "crisp" factory paperwork. Many were going without the necessities of life during the depression and some (few) had money for a toy train...

Anyone out there got a solution for cleaning/polishing the cast aluminum surfaces without harming them? Would still like to do that for him.

The OGR Forum platform enables us to share the greatest hobby in the world.

Regards,

Glenn Spencer

Yikes! The train will last forever and opportunities for such a nice piece are not common. The tires will be long forgotten. Maybe a certain Uncle can work out a tires for train deal!

I polish the Zephyrs with aluminum wheel polish.  Just use a soft rag and do not do the sides of the car (do the roofs only).

A few years ago a friend asked me if I would install TMCC and Railsounds in his favorite train which was an American Flyer Zephyr. It turned out to be quite a challenge to fit everything into the head car. It turned out quite well with TMCC speed control LED headlight, horn, bell, and diesel sounds. The smoke output was used to control the interior lights for the whole train since they were all connected through the vestibules.

Unfortunately he passed away a couple years ago, but he had told his wife to give me his Zephyr. So now it is in my possession.

I am still learning about this train that I believe was only made one year 1935. I have enjoyed reading the paperwork posted in this thread, and look forward to seeing pictures posted of this set.

@David Nissen posted:

A few years ago a friend asked me if I would install TMCC and Railsounds in his favorite train which was an American Flyer Zephyr. It turned out to be quite a challenge to fit everything into the head car. It turned out quite well with TMCC speed control LED headlight, horn, bell, and diesel sounds. The smoke output was used to control the interior lights for the whole train since they were all connected through the vestibules.

Unfortunately he passed away a couple years ago, but he had told his wife to give me his Zephyr. So now it is in my possession.

I am still learning about this train that I believe was only made one year 1935. I have enjoyed reading the paperwork posted in this thread, and look forward to seeing pictures posted of this set.

Your train features the wide-body, longer engine (as noted by the sliding door), with that engine being cataloged from 1935 through c. 1938 or 1939.  Your set appears to be missing 2 cars, both of which would be coaches.  The wide-body engine was only cataloged as a 5-unit set, with engine, baggage, 2 coaches, and observation.

The narrow-body, short engines, which had manual reverse, were sold in 1934 and 1935.  The 1934 sets were 3 unit sets, with engine, baggage, and observation.  The 1935 sets were 4 unit sets with engine, baggage, coach, and observation.

Here is my 1936 set with whistle baggage car (1936 only)

NWL

Thanks guys- good advice on the cleaning aspect. I am healing as fast as I can but stuck right now( because of my back surgery November 22) can't sit for long with a back brace..  to work on my  3 Lionel F-3 Postwar projects.

I thought about buying the AF Zephyr from my nephew...so rare and unusual- but- I have a fairly good size box show up every 2 weeks from Amazon with F-3 parts (just acquired another 2343 AA plus real nice tops from MO- yesterday) and my wife gives me the look...and says "when are you going to start selling something?" (would be like selling one of the children). I am very nice about her stack of Amazon boxes...several times a week- so why can't she reciprocate about my ebay box on occasion?

So more money out for trains? Maybe. Yikes! So we'll see if I can't get my nephew to think long term-use other money for the tires.. they have a 5 year old daughter and an 18 mo. old boy so this would be a perfect start for their own annual christmas tradition.

So many have a "flip it" mentality nowadays -people have seen too many quick buck shows on TV . There is no emotional connection to the item-just money. They also lack "the leave it better than I found it" gene and miss out on the fun of "fix up, cleanup"- one of the best parts of life IMHO. Items from the past are worth preserving .. I cringe at the plastic "ricky ticky" temporary thinking manufacturing processes running amuck in our current society.

So a couple of pictures to inspire us.

Regards,

Glenn Spencer

@GrandpaChooChoo posted:

Thanks everyone for the responses. My nephew wants to sell them- needs tires for his car. Bah humbug!  The newer generation wants everything "now" and "new" and doesn't appreciate significant history of the past. They also don't think generationally much about family traditions (i.e. an electronic toy train going around the Christmas Tree under the lights). What a buzz is that- especially laying on the floor with all the lights in the room off.

This is a rare piece in very good condition.   I am trying to convince him to keep them. You can always buy tires but acquisitions like this maybe once in a lifetime... Found out it is the 1935 version-made just 1 year.

It brings joy in my heart to see the simplicity of the construction- the "best efforts" of factory workers to make a quality piece in 1935. I also like it's original condition and the "crisp" factory paperwork. Many were going without the necessities of life during the depression and some (few) had money for a toy train...

Anyone out there got a solution for cleaning/polishing the cast aluminum surfaces without harming them? Would still like to do that for him.

The OGR Forum platform enables us to share the greatest hobby in the world.

Regards,

Glenn Spencer

Glenn, why don't you buy it?  You can match the best offer your nephew gets, buy it, then he gets the money for his tires and you keep this train set you love in the family. Arnold