My newly arrived American Flyer O gauge Hudson (2-6-4). Posing alongside is a Flyer 1686/4629-729 Type XXI streamlined 2-4-4 steam loco. Looking the Hudson up in the Greenburg American Flyer prewar book, it appears to match the photo on page 59 of a 1936-39 1680/4680 Type XII locomotive (B) with 1620 Type XI tender. However, it has a vertical firebox light (as opposed to a horizontal one), so perhaps it is another closely related variant. These engines have many of the interesting Flyer O gauge steam loco features such as a front coupler, and a very long tender drawbar that is attaches to a pin on the engine's trailing truck (instead of a pin under the back of the cab). Also the rear truck on the engine only has one wheelset in it, although it's made to look like it has two. The tender has a whistle, but it's designed to actuate off Flyer's 5-rail whistle track section so I haven't tried it yet.
The engine is original with some minor touch-ups, and the motor runs and reverses great. The front truck is somewhat troublesome (it likes to derail), but overall it's a sharp looking engine. Also, something's up with the front headlight- although I installed a tested working bulb, it won't come on. Now I need to find some Flyer heavyweight Pullmans to go with it!
