For all you A.C. Gilbert Flyer aficionados, can you tell me what I have here and when it was made?

322 AFL SIT is a 1947-49 model. Can't see a set box which would have a set # on the end. Nice looking engine box and 716 unloader box.  629 MP stockcar, 634 diecast floodlight car and 630 reading caboose, all from 47-49. Transformer is a later model, mid 50's version.

Rich

What you have is a 1948 4611A set. However the engine is a 1947 production SIT and the caboose is 1947 with the unweighted link couplers. The other three cars have brass weights so they are 1948 production. There would not be very many sets with a mixed year content like this. The transformer was not part of the set, it was purchased in the 1950's. It is a shame neither of the visible cardboard boxes have a date on them, many do.

This set also came with 12 702 curve track and 4 700 straight track sections.

According to Doyle's "Standard Catalog of AF Trains", there are two nearly identical sets with this engine and cars: set 4611 sold in 1946-47 and set 4611A sold in 1948-49.  The transformer doesn't appear to be the original with either of these sets.  I'm inclined to agree with Tom that its probably the 4611A set, however, Doyle sez that the Hudson loco with that set was marked 322AC.  Not sure that's actually correct, as the 322AC is listed as being produced from 1949-51.  Just to confuse things a bit more, there were three variants of the 322, the first two (1946 and then 1947) had SIT while the 1948 version had SIB (all this according to Doyle).  However, its certainly possible that the early versions of 4611A might have shipped with the 1947 model of the 322 (SIT).

There are two other distinctions between the two sets.  First, (again, according to Doyle) 4611 had a 705 uncoupler, which was the black bakelite uncoupler incorporated into a track section (all one piece), while 4611A had the separate 706 uncoupler with either a yellow or green metal cover (as shown in your picture).  The second feature is the early model 716 side dump hopper car had the electrical contact inside between the wheels that matched the track section where the matching third rail was inside - between the two rails.  The later model car (which Doyle sez was produced from 1947-51) had the more familiar third rail pickup that stuck out from the truck frame to match the 712 contact rail mounted outside on a normal piece of AF track.  So take a look at where the pickup is on the 716...

Of course, all this assumes there wasn't any mixing and matching going on, either when the original set was shipped or later by the owner(s).  All of the above notwithstanding, you do have a very nice set that seems to have survived time quite well - no obvious paint chips, etc.

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, there is no set box. I have to keep my eyes open for an empty set box on eBay. 

richabr posted:

322 AFL SIT is a 1947-49 model.

Rich

Not quite accurate.

322 with smoke in tender was made in 1946 and 1947 only. 1948 saw the smoke moved into the boiler, the reverse unit moved into the tender, and the coupler equipped with a brass weight.

1949 saw the coupler weight changed to black steel.

The 1948 Hudsons were 322's. 322AC was used beginning in 1949. There may be some exceptions. The engine with the set (and the caboose) is a 1947. If all the contents are original to the set then the set box was packed for shipment after 1948 production began. It would have been really interesting to see if the box label was stamped 4611 or 4611A. I am betting 4611A so it could be sold as current catalog production.

Just for amusement, I have a 1950 4611A set, which was not cataloged in 1950. I am the original owner so I know the provenance. It was a gift for Christmas 1950. Gilbert was not using up leftover production because the 322AC is stamped Oct 1950 inside the shell. So there are a number of low volume oddities that are not documented in the reference books.

Tom -- I think you and I are in agreement - likely a 4611A set.  As I noted, assuming various pieces didn't change either in the original shipment or by the various owners, the two other 'give-aways' are the uncoupler and the location of the third-rail contact for the 716 operating car.