1216 steam engine

Electricity finally came to American Flyer rails in 1918.  Ives had gone the third rail route in 1910 and Lionel had followed in 1915.  The first Flyer electrically powered steam locomotives used the shell of the large #15 clockwork engine.  This style of engine lasted through 1924.  From 1924 to 1930 electrified steam disappeared from Flyer rails and all of their electric trains were pulled by electric outline locomotives.

  According to the Greenberg guide the choice of an electrically powered steam outline engine was a good business move because there was less competition.  Lionel didn't offer one and because of World War I none of the German firms who had been providing steam outline electric trains were exporting trains to the U.S. As for price- the difference between the clockwork and the electric steam engines was substantial.  The 1922 catalog indicates that, for the engine only, the clockwork #15 was $2.25 whereas the electric version (without headlight) was $4.00.  The steam engine with a working headlight was $4.50.

  Greenberg indicates there is some doubt concerning the actual catalog number for these first engines.  The guide indicates the engine without the headlight is #1094 and the engine with a working "headlight" is #1216.

 The treatment of the working headlight is definitely unique to American Flyer.  The headlight was referred to as a "protected headlight" ...and it certainly was. They took the clockwork boiler casting and left the cast iron representation of a headlight mounted on the top of the boiler.  Then they hollowed out the boiler front and installed a stamped steel reflector and a bulb that occupied the entire boiler front area. 

The engines came in a number of different sets which varied in terms of number and types of cars. One #1216 headed up a 4 car passenger set.  

First American Flyer Set

The first American Flyer trains were manufactured by Edmonds-Metzel Mfr. Co. in Chicago in 1907.  The first engine and tender combination looks like the freight engine of the dual train set.  The engine in the dual train set is the second version of that engine.  The first version has 4 thin boiler bands instead of the two broad ones, it has a handrail along the boiler, the overhang of the back of the cab roof is shorter and the connecting rods are a two piece hinged affair instead of the single piece metal stamping. It was manufactured in its first form from 1907-1910.  The second version was made from 1911-1914, and the third, which looks like the second except it has the addition of three rows of rivets around the boiler. The first cars were 4 1/2 inch, 3 window passenger cars with the lettering "Pullman" above the windows and the lettering "Chicago" below them.  The windows were either punched or unpunched.

Clockwork Dual Train Set M20

Over the years the various toy train manufacturers offered high end sets which included more than one train.  One of the earliest entries in this category was Flyer's set M20.  First  year that Flyer offered the set is unknown, but a catalog cut from 1914 indicates the set sold for $7.00 that year.

The set consisted of a passenger train and a freight train.  The engines and cars changed over the years the set was offered.  In addition to the two trains the set has a very interesting track plan.  It consists of an inner and an outer loop connected by two manually operated crossovers or "Double Track Switches" as the catalog termed them.  The inner and outer loops had curved track of different radii.  The curved track of the inner loop makes a complete circle in six segments whereas the outer loop curves need 8 for a complete circle.  Included in the track is an "automatic brake section" which, according to the catalog "can be used with interesting results where our large locomotive is part of the equipment." 

The passenger train in Mersenne's possession has a green 8 wheel baggage and a matching lithographed coach hauled by a "long" and low slung steamer. The freight train consisted of the red 5.5" gondola and its associated caboose. 

3008 boxcar/reefer, 9"

Appeared 1926-29 in the American Flyer catalogue, was lithographed in several different variations (red Baltimore and Ohio, green Great Northern, green Nickle Plate Road, and cream American Refrigerated Transit Company).

3010 tank car, 9"

The 3010 tank car, lithographed, shares its graphics with the equivalent 6" car (American Flyer Lines, grey color). Only the length is different.

9" flat car

Black, has 4 sets of stakes on either side. Load is separate pieces of varnished wood resting on a felt pad, these are held down by "clamps". It was catalogued from1924-29.

9" Gondola (Sand car): 3207

Flyer used several terms to refer to their gondola cars over the years.  They used the term "coal car" in some of their earliest catalogs.  Through the years they used the terms "gondola" and "sand car" interchangeably. Flyer produced enameled versions of the 9 1/2 inch cars from 1928 to 1938. There are several variations. 

The earliest version has two brass plates on each side, one reading "American Flyer Lines", and the other "3207".  The steps at the ends of the car are long, and are actually spot welded to the frame

The other major version has the steps stamped as an integral part of the frame, and has 2 American Flyer Lines decals in place of the plates on the previous versions.

The majority of these cars were some variation of green, although it has been confirmed that an orange variation exists. Rumors abound of a grey sand car, but these have not been confirmed to exist. Any confirmation would be excellent.