I re-wheeled my 3198 engine that is with my 1930 Man-o-War set. It runs like a thoroughbred! It looks ready for the Derby!
NWL
What train is on the inner track?
Thanks
Charlie
@CPC posted:What train is on the inner track?
Thanks
Charlie
The inner track is the American Flyer 1938 Hudson streamline set
NWL
Fatman, what a great find. The HWN engine and cars is really beautiful. The KD crane wagon is also rather neat. Did you notice on the end of the crane cab was stamped "Made is US zone Germany" over the KD trademark. That would date the toy from 1948-1955 although Arnie has mentioned that toy makers were sometimes slow to remove the "zone" stamp. Beautiful cars/ engines for sure.
Well I thought I would start off the New Year, 2022 with something about one CENTURY old (1922-25) just for fun. These are the Lionel # 603 Pullman and #604 Observation car. Orange body and wood grained doors and trim date these cars from 1922 -1925 (IAW Greenbergs reference on Lionel Trains Vol 1). They have, what I find most interesting, Type 1s "latch / combination" couplers. These were made so that the newer latch coupler cars could be coupled up but the older tab/slot cars could still be attached.
I found these in an Antique Mall in or near Springfield Ohio. It was an enormous place but mostly held furniture (My wife's passion is turn of the century oak much of which we can no longer afford but still love to admire) . These cars were about the only toy / train items I could see and were stuck in the back of a rather dusty display cabinet. After a rather long search for some staff member with a key to that cabinet, they were mine!! They have what Fatman has labeled "Patina" which I like, it shows sometime in the distant past, some young person really played with them to great joy I expect.
Here is the #603 Pullman. Note that both these cars were illuminated which would have made them a premium offering in the day. The lamps on the inside pick up power from center rail contact rollers between the wheels of one of the trucks. With a proper bulb, they still work.
Here is the #604 Observation Car.
The observation railing on the rear platform. Yes I apologize for the accumulation of "patina" (i.e. dust) in the corners.
Here is what I think to be an interesting period detail. The so called "latch combination" couplers. Note the traditional latch coupler which was just beginning to be put onto cars in the 1920's plus the ability to use the older tab/slot type couplers by using the piece that extended outward from the latch.
Well here is wishing everyone a happy and HEALTHY new year!!
Don
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Howdy Folks!
I trust the New Year is treating us all as good as it can .... I was kinda happy to see the end of 2021 and full of hope for 2022 to finally turn the corner , well its only 8 days in ... and here's hoping for a really good 2023 LOL!!!
Its funny how life throws you curveballs .. it wasn't long ago I finally completed my 5 year search for a set of tracks to go with some pre-war technofix locomotives I had ... it didn't matter that they were in Spain ( of all places) and due to Covid and airplane interruptions would have to come to me via Dutchboy in Holland as there were NO freight flights whatsoever from Spain to Australia for literally months! ... I think it was over six months before they finally arrived to me here in my little island hideaway 
That set of track were the only set I ever saw in those 5 years ... and bugger me dead if one of my U-Beaut searches on ePay didn't throw me up another one this weekend ! Seller had no clue even tho it was complete with locomotive as well!
So.... well... It's mine now ...
....
I didn't even mind paying ePays extortionate GSP shipping .....mainly because the final price was low low lowww! 
(a "mere" 22£ " ... but by the time everyone had a piece of me it was just under 100AUD all up )
1938 Technofix Rangierenbahn ...
Interesting little fellows ... the track is straight and the loco trundles back and forth controlled by little raised centre track tabs at each end which slams the transmission gear into fwd or rev . Seen here on the moveable axle with the tabs Simple but really effective , no fancy trolley electrics required here folks !
Naturally that's NOT an O Gauge offering , so I better sweeten the post with a marvelous offering from a mate of mine in Queensland who is letting me be the next custodians of some super early Hornby ...
Two ML Carriages from 1921 ( the year AFTER Hornby started making trains , you don't get much earlier ) These are thought to be "Transitional " carriages using bases from the very first design with the chassis having new holes drilled in to accommodate the slightly changed 1921 litho sides ... Super Stoked to be given the chance to own these
@Fatman posted:...1938 Technofix Rangierenbahn ...
Interesting little fellows ... the track is straight and the loco trundles back and forth controlled by little raised centre track tabs at each end which slams the transmission gear into fwd or rev . Seen here on the moveable axle with the tabs Simple but really effective , no fancy trolley electrics required here folks !
...
Dear Mr. Fatman,
Congrats on yet another obscure find.
As a child (early 1960s), I had a cheap tinplate windup train that was somewhat similar. It looked European - was probably German but possibly made in Japan. Had a lithographed track that folded in thirds - single track, passing siding, and another offsetting single track. Two freight cars and a windup loco. The loco would move toward one car, couple to it, reverse direction, drop it on the passing siding, pick up the second car, reverse and move it to the other end, drop it off and continue repeating this operation until it needed rewinding. It's lost to the sands of time, but I've been looking for one at meets for years without any luck.
My question for you: What are the most effective keywords to use when searching for such a train on an auction site?
Today we are running a c. 1930 Montgomery Ward uncataloged American Flyer set with 3195 engine, Hancock tender, and Illini cars.
The engine last ran in the late 1990s and has been in a box or on a shelf ever since. I had the engine re-wheeled by someone else in the late 90s and it was sub-par work. Problem was a replaced axle that had sub-par splines, which resulted in the wheels slipping on the axle and super-glue being applied to try and get the wheels to not slip. I replaced the axle with no splines and the 2 drive wheels. I hate sub-par work, but when I first got into prewar Flyer, I did not do my own repairs. I quickly realized it was too expensive to have others do the work for me and began doing my own repairs.
@Mallard4468 I can go one better and give you the actual names of some of those sets ... Having collected a few myself . You are right they could be German, Japanese, or more commonly today Hungarian/Czech manufacture even ...
Going by your description what you are looking for is ... a Technofix set which comes in different layouts etc but most likely is set No.241 ( also called the Technofix Nova 241 Shunting-train ) made between 1950 and 59 !
They also produced the set under the no 289 as Rangierbahn
( I bolded search terms which should find you one ) add in things like tin, wind up, or clockwork to further narrow it if needed.
Ignore the valuation in the video , he's an Italian collector and they pay a LOT for tin toys lol ... you should easily pick one up for much less .
I have this set in my collection too !
There are numerable variations in the theme as I hinted above , other fun sets are clockwork examples from
Tolato Mozdony
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This alone in the search bar of ePay will yield you several results most times ... these are far more common than technofix originals)
(Eastern European manufacturer)
Which is a straight rip off of technofix ( I also have this one)
Differing variants used the same principle to deliver loads
RAKODO VONAT
( Also East Europe)
Also from my collection
This one carries little tin logs on a trolley behind the vehicle and loads and unloads then to the platform going back and forth .
From the same time period you also had wonderful battery operated things like the set below from Alps Japan.
This is my set ... but the video is from Fred ! (scnf231e)
Technofix also produced three dimensional sets such as the Coal Loader
For an excellent look at all of technofix's products with a photo and factory number as reference I recommend
( site is German but easily navigable 
)
@Fatman posted:@Mallard4468 I can go one better and give you the actual names of some of those sets ... Having collected a few myself . You are right they could be German, Japanese, or more commonly today Hungarian/Czech manufacture even ...
Going by your description what you are looking for is ... a Technofix set which comes in different layouts etc but most likely is set No.241 ( also called the Technofix Nova 241 Shunting-train ) made between 1950 and 59 !
They also produced the set under the no 289 as Rangierbahn
( I bolded search terms which should find you one
...I have this set in my collection too !
There are numerable variations in the theme as I hinted above , other fun sets are clockwork examples from
Tolato Mozdony
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This alone in the search bar of ePay will yield you several results most times ... these are far more common than technofix originals)
(Eastern European manufacturer)
Which is a straight rip off of technofix
Differing variants used the same principle to deliver loads
RAKODO VONAT
( Also East Europe)
...
Also from my collection
...
This one carries little tin logs on a trolley behind the vehicle and loads and unloads then to the platform going back and forth .
From the same time period you also had wonderful battery operated things like the set below from Alps Japan.
This is my set ... but the video is from Fred ! (scnf231e)
...
Technofix also produced three dimensional sets such as the Coal Loader
...
For an excellent look at all of technofix's products with a photo and factory number as reference I recommend
( site is German but easily navigable
Many thanks! When asking about them at meets, I've always struggled for the most descriptive words; since they're not in the wheelhouse for most collectors, I've gotten a lot of dumb looks.
I removed most of the pics and videos from the re-post, but left two of them. I'm fairly sure that the first pic (blue steamer with red and white boxcars) is the same as what I had back in the day. The video of Tolato Mozdony shows the track configuration I had, although the box does not look familiar (but then again, I can barely remember what I had for breakfast yesterday).
Now the searching begins.
@Mallard4468 , It is totally possible that Technofix in the day had a bulk order from a chain store in the US and might have had different box art than depicted in the video .... the blue steamer rake I showed IS an actual technofix one from the right period that you explained , so pretty sure its a " Technofix Nr.289 shunting train " I just popped that exact phrase into google and it returned encouraging results for me so its pretty specific ... as to ePay , currently there is only one set on there in the US , and its wrong! lol
It has a track ( in poor condition) the loco ( again not so wonderful) and instead of the two carriages is packaged with two other little technofix trolleys , so totally not usable or correct .. they do turn up pretty regularly ... there is currently a Mozdony at a very friendly price listed ...if you have an email in your profile I will send you the link
(edit .. sent ! check your hotmail ! )
A video of my Lionel 100 trolley…
Trainfam
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Got this ugly duck on its way hopefully...
When would this have been made?
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Hi Dennis,
Nice little ugly duck, and with some TLC it may look fine. A Marklin Queen Mary for the British market, made 1919-1925. You will have to find a three axles tender to match with. I think the tank car is Krauss-Fandor but not totally sure, Arne will have more knowledge than me about it.
All my best wishes, Daniel
Well I have this little tender I could stick with it for now. I think it is a Bing though.
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Yup, it's a Fandor tank car...and now that you have one you will surely want to have the rest.
For example:
...and, of course, there are still more
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Lovely Ugly Duck indeed! @Dennis Holler
I think we would all love a duckling like that !
Speaking of Ugly Ducklings ... yesterday I scored a couple , one is just for the heck of it , the other was a "Can't believe my eyes " moment ... Both were locally found here in Australia .
"Just for the Heck of it "
An Orobr floor train ... missing his funnel and a little sad but I couldnt let him sit there ...
( Bic lighter for scale )
( Man I collect some crap don't I ? lol! )
and now to the ...
"Can't believe my eyes " selection ... I almost fell over when I saw this listed
Oh God its rough ... its been abused , look at the "Patina" ... but how in the **** does such a rare little piece end up all the way here ... Seller was just your average Joe, not a train fellow ... but somehow he came across the loco for a Karl Bub Circus train .. the Pre-war variety ... and these just are rare in any condition , I certainly have only seen a couple of sets for sale and they command a price ... if it was super lovely ( and I could not afford it ) it would look like this
Michael Bowes in his book "Issmayer and Bub Trains ( The Secret History)" postulates that this set was made for Bub by Issmayer .
This is a set that was never designed to outlive the children who owned them , cheap cheerful , and at the time marketed solely for kids , which was unusual .. highly colored great graphics and animated with figures in both the loco and the carriages moved by linkages as it trundled around the track .. a true novelty set in rather serious times . This was not a staple of production , but rather a whim and only marketed for a year or two period . I would suspect it was made in the hundreds rather than tens of thousands? ... That thought is postulation on my behalf but it was marketed by Moses Kohnstam in their 1928-30 catalogue .
The locomotive evolved into the famous "Wassamatter " loco , where the drivers head popped out sporadically as the train chuffed along
Two questions arise ... "How the Heck did this get here" ... and " OMG this means SOMEWHERE in Australia .. there might well be two carriages sitting somewhere ! " .... Mission Accepted!
That's awesome @Arne I have only seen the tender in a grainy scan of the Moses K catalogue !
( edit .. as an aside I contacted the fellow who sold this to me again today asking on the back story as to how he got it ... he is a second hand dealer and was called out to the home of an old chappie who was moving into an old folks home , his Grandchildren were clearing out "His Stuff" some of which was brought out by the family when they emigrated in the late 1930's ... apparently the old chap , who he estimated to be in his late 70's early 80's 4 or five years ago, turned up and was most irate his kids were selling his stuff and demanded they put it back ! The dealer naturally was sympathetic to the old fellow , and cancelled the transactions he had made and got the money back off the kids! In gratitude the old fellow agreed to sell him this train and another old Hornby as an offering so he didn't waste his time .. only for a few $'s apparently ... SO it would appear this loco was possibly this mans fathers or an older brothers? as he doesn't seem quite old enough to be the original owner , but it was in the same family here in Australia and in Germany all its life it would appear... Oh and no carriages sigh... who knows where they are now )
Fatman: What an incredible find. I personally have only ever seen pictures of this set. Thanks for posting.
P.S. I have the same "Shutling Set" from ALPS that you pictured in your post above and have all the pieces but no box. Thanks to the video I can now put it together properly !!
Don
Spent this AM servicing a few prewar motors, the Flyer 1096 and a pair of Ives 3251's:
Long stories on each, but the 1096 (top) is a family heirloom, one that has likely not seen track-time in more than 80 years. A bit of clock oil along with a judicious squirt of control-contact lubricant/cleaner got it running, albeit quite roughly. Anyone know how to crack one of these open for a thorough cleaning? No screws in sight, and I hate to think bending tabs to remove the shell is required.
PD
@pd posted:Spent this AM servicing a few prewar motors, the Flyer 1096 and a pair of Ives 3251's:
Long stories on each, but the 1096 (top) is a family heirloom, one that has likely not seen track-time in more than 80 years. A bit of clock oil along with a judicious squirt of control-contact lubricant/cleaner got it running, albeit quite roughly. Anyone know how to crack one of these open for a thorough cleaning? No screws in sight, and I hate to think bending tabs to remove the shell is required.
PD
Sadly, bending the tabs to remove the shell is the only way to do it. The tabs will likely handle 1 removal/reinstallation only, so be careful and make sure you service it properly, while having the shell off. You should be installing new springs and brushes and repairing any wiring that needs it, as well as re-wheeling if needed.
NWL
Ugh, my worst nightmare. The tabs here look like they may have been bent once before. This, combined with a bit of corrosion, makes for a risky proposition. The wheels look good, but seeing up to the commutator and brushes without removing the body is tough. At some point we’ll give it a shot. Thanks for the info.
A King and a Queen, a Marklin and a Bing...
1912 Bing King George V
1920 ish Marklin 4 volt electric Queen Mary
Both made for the British market.
I've had the King for a while and he is in pretty good shape. The Queen just showed up on my doorstep looking a little worn out
Will have to see if I can revive the little 4 Volt motor or not. I didn't get a tender with the Queen so I had to pose her with a loose sort of matching tender I had. Not sure if it is a Bing or Fandor or what but it actually fits pretty well.
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Well I encountered something fairly unusual recently ( I hate to use the word "rare" with Marx)...concerning the metal FM diesels that Marx produced in the middle 50's and up until about 1962 with some of the models. There were three RR selected for small lithographed FM diesels, Kansas City Southern (KCS), Seaboard, and Monon. Marx made both electric and wind up A units for all these RR over different time periods. They all started with A units in or around 1955. However with all 3 Marx produced B units lithographed to match the A units. These were very much more scarce, in fact IAW an article titled "spotlight on Marx Diesels from Fairbanks Morse" in the Nov 2021 issue of "Classic Toy Trains" the Seaboard B unit is the most scarce piece of the series. Well I did not find a Seaboard B however I did recently find a Monon B unit, the 4 wheel variety (in Monon and KCS 8 wheel B units were also made), however ANY B unit is scarce and was only made for a portion of the run of the A units. In Monon the A units were made 1955-56 and 1958-59 however the B unit was only made in 1958-59. Given that the B units had no power, no lights, no smoke, no noise and had to be paired with an A unit to pull a train, you can see why mom and pop might have hesitated to fork over the funds for one. Anyway it makes the B units tough to find.
Here from 1958-59 is the Marx metal lithographed FM B Unit. This matches the powered and unpowered A units in livery.
This shows the end design
Here after considerable period of searching is my Monon A-B-A FM diesel locomotive. This one is electric although they made the locomotive in wind up as well. The only power was ever in the A units, the B units never had power of any type.
Here is the handsome A-B-A again getting ready to leave the depot on a caboose run. The caboose is also Monon although not the matching tin lithographed caboose made for this set which remains a "search item".
Best wishes for a great weekend
Don
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OK Don, Marx B units it is - Here's the KCS version. If I remember correctly Steve Eastman has the Seaboard diesels with a B unit...maybe he'll drop by and show us the Seaboard version.
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Robert thanks for showing the KCS version. If Steve has the Seaboard unit I hope he shows it. IAW the Classic Toy Trains article it’s the most scarce Marx FM piece.
Don
Here is my A-B-A.
Steve
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@pd posted:Spent this AM servicing a few prewar motors, the Flyer 1096 and a pair of Ives 3251's:
Long stories on each, but the 1096 (top) is a family heirloom, one that has likely not seen track-time in more than 80 years. A bit of clock oil along with a judicious squirt of control-contact lubricant/cleaner got it running, albeit quite roughly. Anyone know how to crack one of these open for a thorough cleaning? No screws in sight, and I hate to think bending tabs to remove the shell is required.
PD
I I I just wanted to share some of our pre-war fun on display this year. It kind of follows your great post. 😎
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@WRW posted:
I I I just wanted to share some of our pre-war fun on display this year. It kind of follows your great post. 😎
Very sharp. One of these days I’ll find me a nice Lionel 8.
@Don McErlean posted:Robert thanks for showing the KCS version. If Steve has the Seaboard unit I hope he shows it. IAW the Classic Toy Trains article it’s the most scarce Marx FM piece.
Don
Just curious as to why Marx chose three less-well-known roadnames. Any theories on this?
No complaints, as they're all different, very colorful, and I'm a fan of the Monon.
Mallard4468 - No hard evidence, but Marx like both Lionel and Flyer was throughout their history always trying to broaden their appeal to buyers outside of the NY metropolitan area or the east coast. To me that might explain the selection of Monon and KCS but not Seaboard of course. The other, more simple explanation, concerns the toys themselves. They had no attempt at scale or detail, were way under size, and clearly designed as TOYS not model RR items. Thus they were designed to appeal to Mom's and Grandma's (all these companies knew the ladies mostly actually bought most of the toys in that era) and so bright, colorful, liveries attracted attention. The fact that these were really designed as toys, makes them somewhat more difficult to find. They were cheap, played with HARD, and easily disposable. Thus today they can be somewhat scarce.
Steve "Papa" Eastman - Thanks for showing the Seaboard and its B unit. Really appreciate the posting. As all us collectors say..."someday" !
Don
pd - the method I use when dealing with tabs is to carefully straighten them, remove the shell - do whatever maintenance is necessary and before putting the shell back on, take parallel flat nose pliers and really flatten the tabs in the vertical position. Then just slip the shell back on and, again using the parallel flat nose pliers, very slightly bend in the tabs on one side only. I've found this gives a snug fit and it allows you to remove the shell in the future without having to do anything to the tabs.
Another possibility - I've never tried this but somewhere I read about someone doing the same thing except instead of the slight bend they just took a small cotton swab and applied a dab of Loctite to the area where the tab pressed against the frame. This was supposed to hold everything in position and, of course, that small Loctite seal could be easily broken the next time you needed to remove the superstructure.
This weekend's project was re-wheeling and servicing the 3195 engine in my American Flyer 1930 Iron Horse set. I have owned this set for approximately 10 years and it has been a non-running shelf queen until now.
NWL
@Robert S. Butler posted:pd - the method I use when dealing with tabs is to carefully straighten them, remove the shell - do whatever maintenance is necessary and before putting the shell back on, take parallel flat nose pliers and really flatten the tabs in the vertical position. Then just slip the shell back on and, again using the parallel flat nose pliers, very slightly bend in the tabs on one side only. I've found this gives a snug fit and it allows you to remove the shell in the future without having to do anything to the tabs.
Another possibility - I've never tried this but somewhere I read about someone doing the same thing except instead of the slight bend they just took a small cotton swab and applied a dab of Loctite to the area where the tab pressed against the frame. This was supposed to hold everything in position and, of course, that small Loctite seal could be easily broken the next time you needed to remove the superstructure.
Thanks for that, Robert. I’ve disassembled/reassembled numerous Lionel prewar freights and rarely had a problem. The one instance of broken tabs occurred when disassembling a Lionel 653. I repaired that using some Loctite GO2 on what was left of the tabs.
Other than a 3018 tank car, I’ve not taken apart any Flyer equipment. That came apart and went back together pretty well, but the 1096 looks a bit more fragile. If I can get the tabs bent straight, then I’ll feel pretty good about getting it back together later. The suggestion for a glob of Loctite to hold things in place rather than bending the tabs over seems a good one.
@Mallard4468 posted:Doesn't stay on the track too well, but it didn't break the bank.
I think the Hungarians call that "Value adding "
Well I have quite a long post for today but I hope everyone will enjoy it. While working on an effort to inventory some of my collection, I have been going through some storage boxes that have sat unlooked at since we moved to Texas some 15 years ago. What I found, according to a note I left in the box, was something that I purchased when I was first starting to collect in Dayton, Ohio from a train show in the late 70's. So this item has been moved around the country waiting to be "discovered" again for some 45-50 years!! Anyway I hope you will enjoy this.
This is the outer or set box...it never had a locomotive or tender while I had it, likely missing from the set or perhaps it was not part of the set when purchased new. Note that the label reads "A.C.Gilbert Company, New Haven, Conn" so it post dates Gilbert's acquisition of American Flyer in February 1938 and the move of train production from Chicago to New Haven.
Inside the outer carton, are the component boxes. Still nearly fully intact they contain the individual cars that made up the set. These cartons bear the notation..." B750 Copyright 1938 by the A.C. Gilbert Co. A..C. Gilbert, New Haven, Conn"
The front of the component box.
The side of the component box
The ends of the component boxes, clearly stamped "3171 Pullman" and "3172 Obs". Note the "R" designation on the box. IAW Greenberg's Guide to "American Flyer Prewar O gauge" by Alan R. Schuweiler, Kalmbach Publishing Co, 1997 these 8 1/2 inch cars were offered 1930-33; 1934;1936-38 in various colors and configurations and this configuration, which you shall see, which has the Type XII trucks and Type X coupler was listed as #3171R in the catalog but not on the car (which in fact carries no number).
Note by an unknown individual on the bottom of one of the component boxes, perhaps by the original dealer, maybe relating to the "new for 1938" Type X coupler but this reads (written in cursive, with a pencil) ... "Special Coupler".
Here are the cars, # 3171 Pullmans and a #3172 Observation
A close up of the Pullman. Identifying and dating information for both the Pullman and the Observation are Color (Red over Red), Wording of the Name plates. (American Flyer Lines), position of the nameplates (over the windows and under the windows to the left and right), Type XII trucks and Type X couplers. This combination of characteristics dates these cars uniquely from 1938.
The matching observation
Here is something I find rather amazing. These cars are all illuminated, taking power individually from the track. But look at the undersides of the cars, they appear almost unused. There is some slight wear on the one pick up but there is not obvious wear any where else on the underside.
Well that was a long story and I hope you enjoyed it. Now I have to find out what locomotive pulled this set and then find that!! Likely a long process
Best wishes for a great weekend
Don
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@Don McErlean posted:Well I have quite a long post for today but I hope everyone will enjoy it. While working on an effort to inventory some of my collection, I have been going through some storage boxes that have sat unlooked at since we moved to Texas some 15 years ago. What I found, according to a note I left in the box, was something that I purchased when I was first starting to collect in Dayton, Ohio from a train show in the late 70's. So this item has been moved around the country waiting to be "discovered" again for some 45-50 years!! Anyway I hope you will enjoy this.
This is the outer or set box...it never had a locomotive or tender while I had it, likely missing from the set or perhaps it was not part of the set when purchased new. Note that the label reads "A.C.Gilbert Company, New Haven, Conn" so it post dates Gilbert's acquisition of American Flyer in February 1938 and the move of train production from Chicago to New Haven.
Inside the outer carton, are the component boxes. Still nearly fully intact they contain the individual cars that made up the set. These cartons bear the notation..." B750 Copyright 1938 by the A.C. Gilbert Co. A..C. Gilbert, New Haven, Conn"
The front of the component box.
The side of the component box
The ends of the component boxes, clearly stamped "3171 Pullman" and "3172 Obs". Note the "R" designation on the box. IAW Greenberg's Guide to "American Flyer Prewar O gauge" by Alan R. Schuweiler, Kalmbach Publishing Co, 1997 these 8 1/2 inch cars were offered 1930-33; 1934;1936-38 in various colors and configurations and this configuration, which you shall see, which has the Type XII trucks and Type X coupler was listed as #3171R in the catalog but not on the car (which in fact carries no number).
Note by an unknown individual on the bottom of one of the component boxes, perhaps by the original dealer, maybe relating to the "new for 1938" Type X coupler but this reads (written in cursive, with a pencil) ... "Special Coupler".
Here are the cars, # 3171 Pullmans and a #3172 Observation
A close up of the Pullman. Identifying and dating information for both the Pullman and the Observation are Color (Red over Red), Wording of the Name plates. (American Flyer Lines), position of the nameplates (over the windows and under the windows to the left and right), Type XII trucks and Type X couplers. This combination of characteristics dates these cars uniquely from 1938.
The matching observation
Here is something I find rather amazing. These cars are all illuminated, taking power individually from the track. But look at the undersides of the cars, they appear almost unused. There is some slight wear on the one pick up but there is not obvious wear any where else on the underside.
Well that was a long story and I hope you enjoyed it. Now I have to find out what locomotive pulled this set and then find that!! Likely a long process
Best wishes for a great weekend
Don
Outstanding!!!! Thank you for sharing your “new” find at home. 😎
Based on the 1938 catalog my guess would be this engine and set
The car numbers match and the couplers you have are 1938 issue - the only problem is the catalog insists the cars are two tone red enamel.
