Lionel Blue Comet No. Appraising the Value of Toy Model Trains. You could try if you feel compelled -- search for American Flyer catalogs -- there are a few web sites that show the original books published by AC Gilbert for Flyer trains. Production of toy trains resumed in 1946. But it can be useful to do some basic maintenance to raise the bid value. Initially, there was immense fascination with trains among many. You can spot it by its copper content. c1950s American Flyer No. Trains were offered assembled or in kit form. It features brass plates and nickel trim, and sports two headlights and a ringing bell on its top. A lot of the stock cars range from $60-80 per car, the locomotives can start at $200 and full sets range anywhere from $500-$1200. American Flyer #480 Silver Flash B Unit and #479 Diesel, American Flyer Prewar Standard Gauge Presidents Special, American Flyer Pocahontas train set 5 pieces, American Flyer President Special No. Back with its 33 rd edition, the American Flyer Pocket Price Guide 1946-2023 is a customer favorite! The metal couplers, journal boxes, die-cast pilots, and metal wheels and axles are all good. An HO line first appeared in Gilbert's 1938 American Flyer catalog. The advice to check eBay for sold items like yours is solid. This rare orange American Flyer Shell oil tank has Shell written on ether sides as well as the piece number (625). One completely and properly assembled the train should move on its railroad, complete with functional lights and usual sounds. (test track) missing light cover on the engine and one rail post on the roof. Or for his recent Spotify boycott. The Collector's Guide to American Toy Trains gives the value of G.C.'s locomotive alone at $920. Greenbergs American Flyer Pocket Price Guide 1946-2019. | Browse our daily deals for even more savings! Source eBay. However, being a very early version and very rare, it is a very valuable American Flyer that will cost you $950. from 1938-1966. Well, that depends on the age of that model train. This American Flyer train consists of three units. Lionel Corp Lionel Trains & Accessories 1954, Lionel Corp Lionel Trains & Accessories 1956, Lionel Corp Lionel Trains 027 Super O HO 1958, Lionel Corp How To Operate Lionel Trains & Accessories 1954, American Flyer Trains, Erector and Other Gilbert Toys. Schuweiler, Alan, John Ross, and Barbara Morey. Gilbert lobbied (and won) against this, hence he was The Man Who Saved Christmas for WWI-era boys. They're also a pioneer of less common model train scales, including Standard Gauge and S Gauge. It also features a headlamp and a firebox lamp. The cadmium-plated Mayflower set, for example, ran about $100, a full months salary for an average person. American Flyer set for sale, circa 1960 If I did it right, 3 photos of the train should be attached. Train collectors impact the values of the items that they collect through their varying preferences. Before the 1900s, companies like Lionel mostly made large clockwork toy trains. Cleaning makes a great difference in the preservation of these valuable pieces. Lettering strong and complete. American Flyer Trains. Tcawestern.org. Or they may have moved the copper wheels to the same side of the train truck bed. Honesty and Integrity backed by Quality Service. vintage American Flyer Toy Train Set: 302 Loco,633,631,632,630,Track,Transformer C $203.38 VINTAGE 50'S GILBERT AMERICAN FLYER TRAIN SET #303 Engine Acessories 3/16 SCALE Working with William Coleman, who controlled the Edmonds-Metzel Hardware Company, Hafner and Coleman used Edmonds-Metzels excess manufacturing capacity to build toy trains starting in 1907. When Gilbert died in 1961, his son, Alfred Jr., took over the company, only to sell 52 percent of it to Lassie producer Jack Wrather. That same number appears in catalogs. This line eventually became the post-19454 S gauge. Wear and tear on the paint, scratches, rust, and other defects negatively impact a train antics value. The locomotive, which is one of American Flyers rarest, has four American Flyer plates, and a remote reverse. Keep an eye out for that, because while these other brands can be equally valuable to collectors, youll lose the sale if the buyer is specifically searching for AF trains. American Flyer trains made before the brand name came under the control of Lionel Corporation are vintage. All of this work to make the set very valuable. American Flyer used to be an independent company, the American Flyer Manufacturing Company. News about american flyer. The Flyer S-gauge trains are the most popular among collectors; these are the series of aluminum-like diesels produced in the 1950s, especially those with streamlined passenger cars. Pieces often were updated, such as switching the coupler, and were often enhanced. American Flyer is a brand of toy train and model railroad manufactured in the United States . American Tru Model 3/16-inch O gauge trains were made between 1938 and 1941. The American flyer trains was a popular brand of trains in America in the Mid-twentieth Century. This American Flyer train was manufactured between 1956 and 1957, so it is very hard to find, talk more of in a very neat condition. The American Flyer 4635 locomotive can be traced back to 1930 1933. More so if it is rare, in excellent condition and from a known brand, that is always a win for both the collector and the buyer. Connect it to the base terminal on your transformer. However, market forces of demand saw the manufacturers add more detail on its toy trains. Kalmbach Books. I have 5 complete sets with multiple accessories from the early 1950s and lots of tracks and switches. By 1936, AF closed its stores but still made O trains. Check carefully to make certain a piece is as made if buying a period example. Trains have some smaller wheel axles under the pilot cabin (pilot truck) and the tenders (trailing truck). Although impelled by Gilberts spot-on capitalism (he sold his products from the museum), this was one of Americas first museums of science and technology. S Gauge (1:64) is the most popular, with O (1:48) being larger and HO (1:87) being the smallest. The 1950s S Gauge were prestigious American Flyer trains of their day and still remain the most visually pleasing. In the 1950s, his company even made special displays for television shows like one hosted by Dave Garroways Today show, the shows main theme was that the Price is Right, and another one dubbed the American Bandstand.. The Gilbert Gallery. William Coleman died in the same year and was succeeded by his son William Coleman, Jr. An American flyer train can be identified on the basis of; How can you know the value of an American flyer antique train? Gilberts early sets and publications for boys reveal the breadth of his interests, as well as the ubiquitous blessing of never growing up. He was an avid collector of toy trains, so he pushed the hobby into the early 90s before cashing out. The Greenberg guides are the best information source for these variations. However, it shows signs of use like minor paint loss, and scratches. American Flyers first O gauge electric train in 1918. Friedman, 2002. eCommerce Bytes. . Simply put, the set is worth whatever a buyer would be willing to pay for it. The soft brush doesnt damage delicate parts. They even released a new batch in 2022. This new owner tried releasing a few train series in 1979, then resold to the Kenner Toy Company in 1984. C $230.56. It usually heads the #4693 tender, where together, they are called the #4694 unit. VINTAGE GILBERT S GAUGE AMERICAN FLYER ELECTRIC TRAIN SET. Train sets with all parts intact will sell for more than broken incomplete sets. The trains are valuable and are thus important items for sale. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Elizabeth Stewart, PhD. In fact, a single vintage piece (locomotive, tender, or car) can cost more than a complete set of a recent American Flyer train that comes complete with tracks and modern control capabilities. It has all the railings and ladder feature in place. In the United States this was popular through the early 1900s up to the Depression and World War II. I would like some idea what its worth. The #491 American Flyer passenger car is set in shades of green, with the top half being dark green, and the lower part being lime. The company sold off its stores through 1936. 1907. Madeinchicagomuseum.com. And unless youre a toy train expert, the wiring bit may intimidate you. You want two copper wheels on one disc and two more on the opposite side of the other disc. View more in our American Flyer Trains Price Guide. When A.C. Gilbert took over American Flyer, it was a good trade and the business stayed profitable for the next few decades. The Polar Express FlyerChief Ready-to-Run Set. or Best Offer. You may have to rewire it, and any cord will do. The set is also in very good condition. American Flyer #2019010 Bangor & Aroostook FreightSounds Boxcar. This is one of the RAREST American Flyer boxcars out there- the # 24416 NORTHWESTERN REFRIGERATOR LINE. It is one American Flyer train that is priced over $1,000. American Flyer #480 Silver Flash B Unit Diesel VERY RARE ORIGINAL 1955 works Sold $3,000.00, 15. They offer a wide variety of trains, accessories, and track. Identify your American Flyer Trains Marks. By visual example, they taught young boys mechanics, the American landscape and the glories of American technology. Whether you're looking add a new freight car, track, or track . The American Flyer train launched measures to enable it to compete with the Ives, Lionel, and Dorfan line of electric toy trains in 1925. #2 75 watt transformer This vintage American Flyer is priced at $765. 1. Est: $300- $500. Edmunds-Metzel Hardware Company made electric versions of these trains before rebranding to become known as the American Flyer. They might even have gone nuts and zig-zagged the copper wheels with one on each side of the disc. So check the section where the truck chassis attaches to the body. You might spot lots of conflicting dates online, but American Flyer trains came out in 1908 while the American Flyer Manufacturing Company was registered in 1910. They let you put just enough lube without messing your tracks (or your workspace!) For the recent American Flyer trains, a set usually range from $250 $600. Lionel, LLC, a new company was formed. Northern Pacific is written on either side of the car, and this is flanked by a red and white Ying Yang symbol. In Gilberts 1954 autobiography, The Man Who Lives in Paradise, the paradise is eternal boyhood. The Santa Fe Alco diesel 484 with two motors powers the #484 unit to give the train good locomotive power. Of course, you cant do that if the re-sale is for unopened boxes. These include: The brand name and model number feature visibly on the body of the trains, usually on the sides or top of the pieces. Use an applicator needle to directly grease the nuts on the moving parts of the wheel. Lets check out the most valuable vintage American Flyer trains out there today. Mkt #637 the Caty enclosed car Original instruction book In May 1967, A.C Gilbert Co., including the American Flyer brand name, was sold to Lionel Corporation. Remove any rust patches using soft circular rubbing motions. Although best remembered for the 'S' gauge trains of the 1950's that it made as a division of the A. C. Gilbert Company, American Flyer was initially an independent company whose origins date back nearly a . Shauger, Jr., Herbert. The engines on all American Flyer trains are universal, so the model doesnt necessarily make a difference. At first, the company made Chicago Cars, a line of passenger train toys with Chicago on the side. The rugged loco appeared in 1946, and is American Flyers postwar version of its O gauge #574. This influences its value to the sellers advantage. American Flyer Trains. Your email address will not be published. So if youre collecting toy trains to re-sell, look out for their original maintenance manuals. So lets dive into this discussion on tips that will come in handy and help with mastering the art of collecting old American flyer trains. In the past such enthusiasm earned one a tag in the society. The trains are also prone to corrosion. Only few of these sets were made as production was only between 1950 and 1952. This didnt really help. American Flyer collectors divide into subcategories. You may find a third knob marked 16V for accessories. The brass-trimmed locomotive also has brass plates, brass doors, brass steps, and two brass pantographs. 4611 : New York Central Freight Train with "Choo-Choo" and Smoke Feature: American Flyer : Train Set : No. These trains could run on Lionel's " Standard Gauge " tracks, which American Flyer named "Wide Gauge" (both were 2 1/8 inches between the rails). When World War I prevented the import of German trains, American Flyer prospered. Even individual pieces of vintage American Flyer can also be very valuable. But if you have one, how do you look it up? or Best Offer. This piece is the plastic version of the first Gilbert tank car. Gilberts revolution was his trains realism; American Flyers looked like real rail cars. After passing through Kenner Products hand, the American Flyer brand came under the ownership of Richard Knight. . You probably know that when you buy a model train, it comes as individual pieces that you have to assemble. So lets look into some tips and tricks to set you on the right path. Take time to re-lubricate and then wrap it in a newspaper before storing it in a dry and warm, Place the cleaned and dried flyer train in an airtight air sealed display case. Later the manufacturer of the American flyer switched to the production of die-cast locomotives and cars, which were more realistic, but still basically just toy-like. 16 watching. American Flyer trains had modern electronic features added. If an antique has great value, Auction houses have specialists in different types of antiques, so choose wisely if you want to maximize profits. If you stumble on an American flyer train antique and think it may be worth something, what do you do? Logo: AMERICAN FLYER in double line letters with yellow interiors . Bubeck, Robert. The 15 long locomotive has the 0-4-0 wheel configuration. These trains could run and were developed on Lionels standard Gauge tracks, which American Flyer named Wide Gauge (both were 2 1/8 inches between the rails). Get one with the instructions intact! And once you finish, the train moves on its railroad, complete with functional lights and choo-choo sounds.
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