# Help with AF



## Rob Snyder (Oct 31, 2009)

Ok Reckers,

I told you I was going to look into S. Now that flea market season has begun, I'm at it looking for the stuff. My problem is, I need a little knowledge on what is good AF stuff and what is crap. I found a game train on Sunday but left it there due to the $45.00 asking price for the box of junk it was in. I don't mind fixing and repainting that doesn't bother me. Just don't want to get taken to the cleaners on my venture into S. Any help you guys can give me is greatly appreciated.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Thats the same train I gave reckers.

The box of junk sometimes has a piece of gold in it.
I like boxes of "junk".

Did you try to haggle with the seller?

Wait till his highness the KING OF S (bow,bow, curtsy) reads this I am sure he will have some suggestions for you.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

*grins*....thank you, Ed! Rob, it's good to hear from you and I hope life is treating you kindly. 

AF sort of breaks down into 5 groups that fall into a time line. There's three-rail stuff I know nothing about and you don't see much of it. Then there is prewar, which is pre-WWII, It has a coupling system (link coupler) that drops down over a bar. This was before anyone had knuckle couplers. I'm going to give you a good site to look at for identifying the characteristics of the engines and cars: http://www.americanflyerexpress.com...ucts-directory-rolling-stock-flat-cars-02.htm

If you look at it, you'll see the older cars all have 3-digit numbers: those beginning with 6 and 7 have link couplers and the ones beginning with 9 are knuckle couplers. 

Post-war usually refers to the ones with knuckle-couplers, although the links were still being made. So, we have three groups so far: 3-rail, pre-war, and post-war. The last two groups I call bankruptcy AF and Flyonel. The company came on hard times in the late 50's and early 60's and finally went bankrupt. During that time, they made their worst stuff: the game train engine, for example, cannot reverse and is not made to be disassembled. Those items generally have 5-digit numbers, so stick with 3-digit numbers and you'll do fine. American Flyer's name and molds were eventually bought by Lionel, and they make some AF stuff today----it's referred to as Flyonel to distinguish it from the original stuff. Again, 5 or 6-digit numbers.

If you look at that same site, you'll see the bars at the top allow you to bring up steamers, diesels, etc. I stay with steamers because that's the era I like. The most expensive are the dockers, switchers (both made in limited quantities, apparently), as well as the larger ones like the Northerns, Hudsons and K-5's. However, you can build a nice fleet of Pacifics and Atlantics without breaking the bank. Being shorter, they also are known for handling turns better.

On ebay, you should be able to get either a decent Pacific for about $50 with shipping included, and about $40 for an Atlantic. Steamers that smoke or make the chuffing noise can be gotten for that price, but usually a bit higher. Tenders normally come with the engine; separately, they go for about $30, shipping incl. Cars....a simple caboose might go $15 plus ship, a high-production car like a gondola, box car, or tanker can go about the same. More interesting cars and rare ones cost more.

So, I think you made a wise call on the game train box, due to the reverse issue. Ed sent me a very nice one: I plan to modify the tender with a reversing unit and pickup wheels to get around that issue. It's a nice scale to work with---big enough and simple enough to be pleasant to work on, and doesn't have that gnat-like quality of certain gauges we won't mention *L* Someone recently suggested I stop picking on the the big, clunky Oversized trains, so I thought it was time for a cheap shot at the lil guys!

Best of luck on it: my suggested guideline is that cars and engines should have 3 numbers, and make sure your linkages match up.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

One more site: this one tells you if your steamer smokes or not, and where the smoker is located (some were in the tenders). S & CC colummn is smoke and chuff:

http://www.trainweb.org/s-trains/FAQ/locospecs.html


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

*And then there were three.........*

Rob, can't wait for you to pick up some Engines and tenders

If you need copies of parts lists or diagrams, I have a notebook full of American Flyer service bulletins and schematics, plus The Complete Service Manual for American Flyer Trains, by K-Line. We should be able to help you(if you even need help)

Be ready for, "The Boys", they have a hard time with the concept of, "Two Rails!" :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Jim


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Stillakid said:


> "And then there were three ..."


Rub a toot toot
Three men have a hoot
With their S train toys.
They're not quite O,
But fix 'em, and they'll go
Around for the happy boys.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

There once were three men who ran S scale
when they weren't out to drink and to raise hell
Said Sir Jim to Rob, "Ain't it rough as a cob
if all you can run is that O scale?"


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## imatt88 (Jan 31, 2010)

Wow, You guys need a hobby or something....:laugh:


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## Rob Snyder (Oct 31, 2009)

Thanks guys. Ed, I tried haggling with the guy but he thought he had a box of gold laying there. Stuff was alot of Marx pieces and we know they aint worth squat.
Reckers, things are going pretty good here. I spent most of the day today with my little girls, was good for the soul. I'm hunting out the S scale stuff because I now have the room to set it up once I get some. After I get some locos, the next on the list is an idler car and wreck crane along with a couple cabooses. From there all bets are off as to where it'll go.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

A man after my own heart: S scale and cranes! I'm glad to hear things are working out with the girls; even happier to hear things are coming together for you.  Those girls will add a lot to your life.
The flea market guy needs to do some reasearch before haggling---you made the right decision. if you want to get an idea of what things go for, go to ebay, pick out some items you like and then click on the "Watch This Item" thing. You'll see what it actually sold for once the auction ended. Also, scan through the sites with the data and get a feel for what's out there. Steamer shells fall into 4 categories: the very early cast metal, molded plastic, either of the two with the wire rails, and finally, the bankruptcy-era with cab windows that are painted instead of cut-out (actual openings). The last are the least desireable and cheapest. The more expensive will have the nickel-wire rails; it's a tossup to compare the cast metal to the molded plastic. The metal shells are pretty cool but relatively heavy, so you could like or dislike them for that reason. Tenders come either molded plastic or stamped sheet-metal, usually referred to as tin.


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

*Tin?*

Did I hear the word, "Tin?"
You know it's cruel to use that word around me without pictures!:laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Sorry, Jim----I forgot your addiction!


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## machinejack (May 5, 2010)

I got a S AF caboose that I got in a box of Marx that I bought. One corner of the roof is broken off other than that. Got any Marx junk laying around to trade?
Jack Adams


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## Rob Snyder (Oct 31, 2009)

Jack, you'll have a pm here in a minute.

On a different note; my ex wife asked what the girls should get me for father's day. I jokingly said S scale or N gauge train stuff. She said "Ok, I'll look for that when I'm in town with the girls." Talk about a shock!! I haven't had much luck finding anything yet but, flea market season has just begun and yard sales are just starting so it's time to look.


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## machinejack (May 5, 2010)

Rob:
I don't know if my reply to you made it. I got a not logged on message after I sent it. Let me know.
Jack


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## Rob Snyder (Oct 31, 2009)

Jack, I got it. You've got mail!!


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