Let's get the ball rolling. I'll post a photo a bit later but in the mean time. Let's see your tinplate! 
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I have made some pictures to be used in the TCS calendar. Here are 2 that were not used.
JEP Nord express:
Rossignol CIWL train:
You can see this TCS (Train Collectors Society - Any make, Any gauge, Any age) calendar here:
http://traincollectors.co.uk/t...-competition-results
Regards
Fred
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It's 1925 and you are in the market for a basic electric train. Set #1102 in the American Flyer catalog appeals to you
so you order it up...and this is what you get
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Nothing much new for me. Just been working on my stretched 265E. It's up on the high line running light in the buff...
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Was just looking at the Stout auction tomorrow. Wow, target rich environment for tinplate hunters. If only.......
Yeah, and I live in Lafayette not far from the Indiana Stout auctions... never been but man is it tempting... I'd probably get into a lot of trouble 
A couple of Flyer 314X wide-bodies from the project pile:
So many projects, so little time...
PD
American Flyer Trains, any gauge and any age, will always be my first love in collecting. However, I have a fondness for any toy train. Reading this column weekly has also helped me to develop an interest in the "Toy Trains of Other Lands". Thankfully I have been able to resist acquiring any of them - so far 
.
I do have examples of other brands of trains including Ives, Marx and Lionel. I started acquiring some Ives pieces because I wanted to have some examples of American Flyer's contemporary manufacturers. I should have known better. I have the collector gene, I am an amateur historian, I like to have "completeness", and I like to teach . I have found that to be a very dangerous combination. Once the brand barrier is broken I just continue to add "examples". I hope to have a toy train museum some day; in the basement, or in a larger train room, or perhaps a separate building. A guy has to have dreams and goals you know.
My desire to have some examples of Ives started with a freight car or two. It didn't take long until I had to have a representative train:
At the same time I was doing research about Ives (and buying books). I discovered that Ives had only had the short caboose to use on their trains, until the joint bankruptcy purchase by American Flyer and Lionel.
With the take over, the Ives Railway Lines got a 9 1/2" caboose to go with its longer freight cars.
An American Flyer 3211
disguised as an Ives 121
So now my Ives freight train had an appropriately long caboose.
If you have followed this thread for a while you know I didn't stop there and there are photos of the Ives portion of my collection scattered among the weekly threads. In fact I just purchased another Ives engine that will make its debut here on the thread in the future.
Thanks to all of you who post photos of your trains. At least I can do some of my collecting vicariously, and its great to know that there are others who enjoy their hobby as much as I do.
Have a Great Tinplate Weekend.
Northwoods Flyer
Greg
Purchased this loco this week, which I believe to be a customized Flyer 3112 box cab. Roof, frame and motor all seem to be Flyer. Note porthole windows and oversized vents. It runs, but can't wait to open it up and see what's inside. Headlight has to be fixed anyway.
Looks sort of like Hornby or JeP BB-8101.
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GREAT TRAINS, everyone! - Please keep 'em coming, and THANKS for sharing with this vicarious "collector"! :-)
Andy,
Love the early AF stuff, it's just great.
The building of our Train room is coming along, when the new battery charger for my Camera comes in, I will take more picture.
PCRR/Dave
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pd posted:A couple of Flyer 314X wide-bodies from the project pile:
So many projects, so little time...
PD
Tell me about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Early Lionel 248 pulling 600/2600 cars with 1682 caboose.
What attracts me to prewar are the bright colors that were used and the simplicity of these toys.
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Greg, i always enjoy your posts on American Flyer, they are always so instructives. It would be a great pleasure to visit an AF museum, with some Ives and other manufacturers it would be great. AF trains are not the most easiest one to collect, year of manufacture is often an enigma for me...
I have bought two wide gauge freight cars some time ago with 8 million plates, i think they may be around 1936, end of production. They have, for me, a much better size than Lionel ones.
Now i have to find some more....
Have a great tinplate weekend; Daniel
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holding off until I get back from a train show Sunday......
great stuff guys
NICE CARS! The AF Wide Gauge freight cars always looked less European than the Lionel SG cars with those round roofs, and were also more realistically proportioned than the comparable Lionel versions!
Jim, Your layout is great.... Please post so additional so we can see it all! Thanks.
Dieseler posted:Early Lionel 248 . What attracts me to prewar are the bright colors that were used and the simplicity of these toys.
Dieseler,
Ives (American Flyer and Lionel) used the Lionel 248 body and turned it into the Ives 3260 from 1928 through 1930 in a number of sets.
I agree with you; no matter who the manufacturer is, the bright colors of tinplate are truly fun and appealing.
Have a Great Tinplate Weekend
Northwoods Flyer
Greg
