326 Hudson just like to watch it run.
I don't know, they are all pretty neat. I'll mess this up and say my favorite 3/16ths scale AF engine's are my prewar 559 K5 Pacific, and 806 4-8-4 Challenger. Most of my AF engines are basket cases, but I do have running 312 and 322 engines both of which I do like a good bit. Here is the old 559, it should look really familiar to anyone with a 312.
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Now that I have had a chance to run it at our local Trainshow this week, my FlyerChief Berkshire is definitely my favorite AF loco (even though I'm still miffed about the cast on boiler handrails which are clearly stated in the catalog to be separately applied). The FlyerChief control system is terrific! My favorite O-3 rail loco is my LionChief Plus PRR Mikado, for similar reasons. I also have a LionChief O gauge Thomas that I'm pretty fond of, but I do wish it was a LionChief Plus loco.
In second place for AF favorites are their EP5's, especially after a club member brought his Milwaukee unit to run on the small loop at our local Trainshow this week.
Bill in FtL
21130 Hudson
Union Pacific Challenger 3985
My 332, refurbished many years ago by Don Carver of Gettysburg, Pa.:
Literally a basket of parts that we cobbled back together...runs like a champ!!!
PD
Probably the Coleman era Type XX engines, 2-4-0. They look pretty swell with most any tinplate.
I'll probably catch flack for this, but oh well... The only AF engines I like are the newer Lionel AF engines. 2-8-2, 4-6-2, 2-8-8-2, 4-6-6-4, ES-44, SD70, etc...
Of all I have, the 312 Pennsy K5 SIT runs perfect. Smokes nicely and runs smooth and quiet. I only run the old stuff for nostalgic reasons around the Christmas tree. Just started dabbling in AF a few years ago thinking it would be something fun to repair. Between the e units and SIT, I found out it can be quite challenging achieving nirvana! No interest in the new stuff, modern O-gauge has already claimed every last bit of space in the house available!
Rich
As much as I fancy all of the Gilbert die cast steamers, I have the warmest spot in my heart for the PRR K5s. The full-featured No. 316 is my favorite and looks great and so Pennsy heading up the 1953 K5345W Trailblazer Steam Passenger and Mail Train, which may be viewed strutting its stuff in American Flyer Legends in Action from TM. In the Lionel-AF Modern Era, I feel that the Y3 is the operational and visual knockout, particularly as the PRR version.
Bob
Earlier today I did a little project on my 293> I didn't like the plain front boiler cover, just felt it needed a little snap...I drilled two small holes and installed the GG1 red side marker lenses and the head lite lights them up perfectly. I would of liked to use something like Lionel used on the front of the 665 boilers with the clear markers that light up white. Will have to post a picture of it, it really stands out...
Marty
Here are some pics I did recently on my 302ac and 293. The red markers are GG1 side markers and the green are Lucite rods. I am pretty happy with the way they turned out, so of a eye catcher...
I did a couple of up grades to my 322 Hudson, I added two green G.O. W. bulbs rated 16v, wired in series so they only get half voltage and I should of turned the flash off. But they do look real good. And some shots of my color light signals from Z-Stuff, they work real well....
Marty
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As an outsider to AF, and realizing that I have zero "nostalgic connection" to AF, I will share with you the types of AF locomotives I see in pictures that pique my interest. That said, I'll break my opinions into two categories...
Vintage AF:
Almost any of the older premium die cast steam locomotive engines. Some of them are downright handsome. I can SO see why many of you enjoy the premium steam engines that AF produced. It would NOT take much for me to start a collection of them... but that is the absolute LAST thing I need to do.
Vintage AF diesels leave me cold. Too much compression and compromise. IF I had to choose a "favorite" vintage AF diesel, it would have to be the PA... but that gaping hole in the pilot is a real turn-off for me.
Flyonel:
The 2-8-2 Mikado. Great looking engine, and the videos I've seen of Carl Tuevson's (sp?) Mikes performing... well... those are just fine engines in anybody's book.
BUT... there is a caveat to the above: I think the new Berk is downright handsome. Further, the cast-on handrails don't bother me a bit. Besides, it's marketed as a TOY train... and almost all toy trains "back then" had cast-on handrails. So, the cast-on hand rails are a non-issue to me in regards to the Polar Express Berk.
In addition, like the vintage AF premium steamers, the little Berk set is sometimes tempting as a Christmas loop train. But, unfortunately, I'm suspecting that the wife and I are about finished with Christmas decorations, trees, et al. Christmas just hasn't been the same once the kids (kid in our case) are grown and gone. Shucks, even the grand daughter is old enough to drive. Christmas was primarily fun because of them.
So there you have it, a "for what it's worth" from an interested bystander/outsider.
Hello My friends, I really like that most people are still running their trains on original old American Flyer track to me that is cool and I have a lot of that track too and will continue to use for my American Flyer trains to run on. I find that other s gauge track to expensive for a person on a pension. I buy my original American Flyer track on Ebay , you may have to clean it a bit so you can use it but a lot cheaper too. Thanks longbow57ca.
Although the Gilbert "choo choo" effect is really quite effective (considering it's mechanical as opposed to electrical), I grow tired of it easily, so my vote(s) are for the #300 and #310. I hope to land a #320 one of these days... for the same reason. 🙂
Mark in Oregon
The UP 4-8-4, in three rail or two rail .
A six year old thread has been reawakened! I like most anything with choo choo and a lot of smoke, original Gilbert AF scent of course.
@Strummer posted:Although the Gilbert "choo choo" effect is really quite effective (considering it's mechanical as opposed to electrical), I grow tired of it easily, so my vote(s) are for the #300 and #310. I hope to land a #320 one of these days... for the same reason. 🙂
Mark in Oregon
You can take the piston out of the chamber and stop the choo-choo if you want to.
322 AC ,….my dad’s favorite ……that thing runs like a Swiss watch to this day …..
Pat
@AmFlyer posted:1. A six year old thread has been reawakened!
2. I like most anything with choo choo and a lot of smoke, original Gilbert AF scent of course.
1. Yeah, I only just earlier today saw this thread, sorry about that... 😐 🙂
2. I will say: I do think the Gilbert smoke effect is as good as any the Lionel Corp. came up with ( before or since); and perhaps...even better...(?) 🤔 🙂
Mark in Oregon
I loved my AF O tin plate, but will always cherish My AF S gauge and then scale, fond memories Of all the guys from Badgerland, the early S fest, S conventions , but my favorite engine had to be my 302.
Thinking about it, along with my EP-5's, the next favorite would be my 302 Atlantic:
It was cobbled together by the repair guy at an LHS, being the 4-piece metal boiler with a plastic tender (never cared for the sheet metal tenders.) It's been my only link coupler Flyer, I keep thinking about changing the tender trucks to the cast ones with a knuckle coupler and changing out the trailing truck for a later one, but never seem to get around to it.
Rusty
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@Rusty Traque posted:Thinking about it, along with my EP-5's, the next favorite would be my 302 Atlantic:
It was cobbled together by the repair guy at an LHS, being the 4-piece metal boiler with a plastic tender (never cared for the sheet metal tenders.) It's been my only link coupler Flyer, I keep thinking about changing the tender trucks to the cast ones with a knuckle coupler and changing out the trailing truck for a later one, but never seem to get around to it.
Rusty
I never liked the metal ones either
@Dave Koehler posted:I never liked the metal ones either
... while I prefer the metal tenders! 😁
Mark in Oregon
Rusty, that 302 must bump along on the code 100 track! If I had to pick a favorite steam engine it would be my original 322AC Hudson from 1950. That 4 piece 302 is nice as well, plus the 1952 342 5 wire, the 1951 332AC and..., well you see my problem.
My first one, the Franklin General #88!
Any GP7/9 and the NH EP5. I like electrics but I like the NH because of the paint scheme. The clincher is any that have a matching caboose. An L&N GP7/9 with a matching caboose would be great.
Steve
300AC, 336, 21115, 21130, 234 C&O, all Legacy steam engines, 370, UP GP7, oh what's the use...... all of them........... Oh, I almost forgot the overland Class A.................
Jackie
Although the only Flyer that I own is one plastic Hooker tanker (might be converted to On2½ one day), I would have to say that my favorite would be the Gilbert EP-5.
Speaking of Flyer smoke, I could never stand the stench of it, Lionel was much less odiferous! At the 2014 Tallahassee train show I took this photo of a flyer steamer with its smoke unit cutaway:
I also shot a short video of the engine's smoke unit operating:
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My oh My, seeing this thread revived, I had previously mentioned that the 4-6-2, #282 Chicago Northwestern was my favorite, that's true yet for Gilbert production. My Big Boy, which of late, has been a little troublesome, is over all my favorite S gauge locomotive but I really love them all.
Ray
@Dave Koehler posted:I loved my AF O tin plate, but will always cherish My AF S gauge and then scale, fond memories Of all the guys from Badgerland, the early S fest, S conventions , but my favorite engine had to be my 302.
Dave,
I had heard the name, Dave Koehler mentioned by BSG members and had wondered if you were him. I don't know if we ever met but I must say you are well spoken of. Thank you for clearing settling the question in my mind.
Ray
Limiting my choice to ACG Flyer, my 1948 0-8-0 with link coupler on the tender and Kadee #5 on the front.
Tom Stoltz
in Maine
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