I am a real Flying Yankee fan, both the real thing and Lionel's mid 30's models. In my research of the un-cataloged units with a red power unit top casting, I have never seen a picture or reference to the red paint being used anywhere on the set except on the power unit top. There were several combinations of the passenger and observation cars with painted surfaces, chrome surfaces, fluted sides, flat sides and some with four doors and some with two doors. I have never seen reference to the rear module of the observation car being painted red in any of the combinations.
However, item 301010131292 on eBay shows a Flying Yankee with the entire front of the locomotive all red and the entire rear module of the observation car all red. Normally I would write this off to a user modification except the seller say the authenticity of the train as an original un-cataloged set was confirmed by a TCA standards committee member at the last York show.
I am trying to determine if it is authenic but I don't think so. If it is I have surely missed something in my research.
Any opinions out there?
Jim Lawson
