Robert S. Butler posted:
As long as I'm here - I do have another tunnel to add to the photo gallery. The label is missing but you can see where one was attached on the inside. It matches the #263 Hoosac dimensions and catalog illustration so I've always assumed that is what it was. However, as you can see the paint treatment is quite different from the one you have pictured. Given the differences in the paint treatment of some of the other tunnels you have shown I guess this isn't surprising.
The problem with matching the dimensions of the tunnels, is that Flyer cataloged several tunnels with similar dimensions over the years. A good example of that is the large O gauge tunnel, 19 inches 1925-1926, 16 inches in 1927, 15 inches in 1928, 16 inches in 1929-1934. However, your tunnel does match the Hoosac tunnel I posted a picture of, so I would guess that is what it was.
Generally my experience with the tunnels is that the tunnel molds are similar from year to year from about 1929 through 1934-35, so it is possible to identify a Hoosac tunnel by comparing the road/building orientation.
As for the paint of the tunnels, my guess is that all Flyer tunnels were hand-decorated, as the paint varies on all of the variations that I have. Some have more blue, some more red, some more white, it just varies between them. I have also discovered that some lose more paint over the years than others, so possibly some had thin paint or unpainted areas originally.
The other thing that significantly affects the look of the tunnels, is dust/dirt, as the tunnels will turn dark with lots of dust/dirt on them. I have learned how to clean them, but that is not perfect either, as sometimes it takes off lose paint.
One of the hardest things about classifying the American Flyer tunnels is that they varied so much over the years, especially from 1925-1929. I have been buying Flyer tunnels for the last 15 years, constantly searching for the different variations. One of the last acquisitions I made was the 1927 - 16 inch long tunnel. I was excited to see it offered due to the different road / house orientation. It was only tonight, when reviewing the catalogs again, that I looked closely at the photo of Billy's train layout in the 1927 catalog, that I noted the image of that tunnel, with the road/house orientation.
NWL
