What is your favorite American Flyer locomotive?

My favorite is the Silver GEEP that does not have any couplers, just a bar for the link couplers to hook on to. I think it is a #370

Here is one on EBay: American Flyer 370

T&P Swamp Holly orange Geeps, any numbers, then 326 Hudson and finally any of the real roadname PA's but especially the 484/5/6 SF blue & yellows.

Rich

4-6-6-4 Challenger....(ahhhh you never said Gilbert only)!

Ben 

My #21140, 4-8-4. Have it since I was 11. 

My American Flyer 0-8-0 switcher. I've wanted one for years and finally bought this one a couple of months ago.

322 or 326 NYC Hudson, what a face!:

Regards

Fred

The Polar Express.  For the 3rd straight show I've done with North Penn S Gaugers, the engine has performed excellently. The only problem I experienced was with the American Models Passenger Cars: 1) kept derailing (found wheel had slipped out of socket, 2) keep decoupling - no reason.

First one is my 322.  I have added Pul Mor wheels and Command and it runs and pulls great.  Second up is my 293 which I put a can motor in.  Runs like silk and a good puller also...

Marty

My favorite engine is the 295 4-6-2 steam engine. I think it was made in the 1950's, it has smoke and sound(speaker in the tender).

Lee Fritz

Francine posted:

The Polar Express.  For the 3rd straight show I've done with North Penn S Gaugers, the engine has performed excellently. The only problem I experienced was with the American Models Passenger Cars: 1) kept derailing (found wheel had slipped out of socket, 2) keep decoupling - no reason.

Francine,

The AM cars usually stay coupled very well.  If you're experiencing unwanted uncoupling, check the height of the little "weight" that uncouples them (it isn't a weight, but on Gilbert couplers it is).  It must be above the rail head while the coupler is closed, or it will strike the guard rail or closure rail of a turnout, or any obstruction between the rails such as at a crossing.  I had the same problem with some of mine until I looked at the coupler height carefully.  The solution is to remove the coupler and give it a hard upward bend.  They are made of Delrin type plastic, which is a tough, but flexible plastic which can be bent a bit without breaking while retaining some of the bend.  But duon't bend the coupler near the head, but rather on the shank of the assembly.  You only need about a 1/32" of clearance to allow them to pass over anything between the rails.  If you happen to break one, they're available from American Models, or I can send you one (gratis) if you take my advice and break it.  Since "fixing" any offending coupler, I've had no problems with unwanted uncoupling.  Good luck, and let us know if this helps!

And to answer the question posed in the title heading, my favorite engine is the Gilbert Hudson.  But asking such a question is like asking who is your favorite child!  As far as the Flyonel line goes, they all rank very low in my opinion.  The only ones that still run on my layout are the simple Geeps and EP5's without TMCC or Legacy, which only add to the cost and complexity while giving me nothing in return.  With Gilbert items, I have been able to get even some of the most neglected items to run as good as new, even get stubborn reverse and smoke units.  Getting electrical contacts, relays and cams to function is easy.  Fixing an integrated circuit isn't.  Parts are available for the mechanical stuff, not so much the electronic. 

Four piece die cast 302. They sure did a nice job on the starter locomotive in those days.

Couple a string of green New Haven passenger cars on it and you have a very nice train.

Recently acquired my first S gauge set from a fellow forum member, I am very happy with my 293 steam engine. Even though I am O gauge first, I must admit, S gauge is the perfect size.

 

 

 

 

Hands down, any of the PAs.  I have some from Gilbert and some from Lionel and they all run great and look fantastic.  My favorite, favorite is the Missouri Pacific Eagle set.  I have all of the cars plus some duplicates allowing me to run a 12 car train!  Really looks great snaking its way around the layout.

Rolland

I'll go for the Hudson, which first got me eyeballing American Flyer.

However, I will admit a liking for the four-piece boiler Atlantic with the valve gear. I have a basket case in a box with a geared can motor a la Carl Tuveson waiting for it. 

Hudson. Gilbert made a great looking model.

Hi Jerry,

People at the show said to do the same thing (bend the coupler up).  I did, but it didn't make a difference, do you have to take the truck off the shell to bend it?

And I guess I should have said the New Berkshire, definitely trying to get another one.

Francine

The best way is to the tool used to bend the Kadee coupler hook.  You need to bend or curl the hanging piece , can also be done with small needle nose pliers .

     Bob G.

EP-5 in various flavors:

Rusty

My original 1948 #312 keeps going and is a great engine. 

Rusty,

You need the latest one 6-48075 with black trucks and twin vertical motors. Smooth and a real puller.

 

Rich

Francine posted:

Hi Jerry,

People at the show said to do the same thing (bend the coupler up).  I did, but it didn't make a difference, do you have to take the truck off the shell to bend it?

Francine

You do not have to remove the truck, but you DO have to remove the coupler from the truck.  Easy peasy.  A small Phillips screwdriver is all you need.  Once removed, it's a LOT easier to bend more than it it were on the tuck.  Check both couplers to see if they're meeting the same plane.  One may have missed its flight (sorry, I couldn't resist the silly pun).  But you DO need to see if the little "weight" is hanging too low.  That's the usual reason the AM couplers open up since I've found that they're quite reliable.  Another fix is to replace them with the AM's "snap coupler" which is a scale sized one.  But they're small and need to be adjusted VERY closely.  In a "unit train" like a passenger one on a display layout, keeping the whole train together is a topmost priority. 

Do the cars uncouple at the same place, or is it more random?  If at a turnout, then it's definitely due to the coupler hanging too low.  That can help in troubleshooting the problem.

Another possibility is that the couplers don't swing enough on a tight radius track.  AM usually has a small paper insert to help folks modify the shank to allow more sideways movement. 

Keep in touch. 

 

 

This one.

With the possible exceptions of the Casey Jones steamers and the unfortunate F-9, I like pretty much all of the Gilbert locomotives.

Having said that, I'll have to agree with Rusty and put the EP-5 near the top of my list. I've got all of the ones Rusty depicts as well as the 499 and 21573. As a kid in the '50s I always yearned for the Northerns and Hudsons that were above my budget point. I settled for an Atlantic and have to agree with ROYBOY that Gilbert did a heck of a job in producing a great "starter" locomotive with the 4-piece die-cast  versions. Of these, the 302 from 1948 is probably the high point with its smoke and choo-choo,  but I still think the '46-'47 "short nose" version was the best looking. One of these days I'd like to select a specimen from my fleet of early 300s and add an LED headlamp, fan driven smoke, die-cast trailing truck, and TMCC.

If we expand this selection to Lionel production, I'd have to go with the Y-3.

 

jim sutter posted:

This one.

Agreed on this one, Jim.  One of the three or so Flyonel items that runs nicely, but the bell stopped working on it.  So it's joined the ranks of Flyonel blunders.  I wanted one back in the day, and finally got the reproduction version.  Simple reverse unit, and NO unwanted electronics.  A working bell would be nice, though.

And Rusty, the EP-5 electrics are the best in my modern Flyer fleet for reliability.  Simple reverse units with just a bell and horn, and they pull just  about any any train I put behind them.  And as a side note, I think Lionel missed the boat on NOT offering a passenger set to go behind the GN and MR units. 

Still, my vote for the best Gilbert one is the Hudson,  It really IS like trying to pick your favorite kid!

 

 

 One of my biggest regrets from my Flyer days, is I wish I had taken a lot more pictures. Here's my favorite.

Francine posted:

Hi Jerry,

People at the show said to do the same thing (bend the coupler up).  I did, but it didn't make a difference, do you have to take the truck off the shell to bend it?

And I guess I should have said the New Berkshire, definitely trying to get another one.

Francine

I had the problem on a few AM cars when they passed through one of my Fastrack turnouts. Instead of bending, I chose to grind the weight/push pin with a dremel to thin it. All work fine now.

 

Just getting into railroading this year, I don't have that many "children" to choose from, but I still find this difficult to answer.  As for ACG originals, I think both my 336 Northern and my 326 Hudson are fabulous. As for Flyonel, the Legacy SD70ace is fantastic in looks, sounds, power and other functionality, but when I eventually get a Y-3, that will probably take the top spot for me.

Thanks Jerry & Chuck,

I could see the AM coaches couples were lower then the Flyonel.  I will try Jerry's idea, and if that doesn't work Chucks'. 

Francine

My favorite engine is all of the above plus the Chicago & Northwestern #282 Pacific 4-6-2 which I received with my AC Gilbert American Flyer set in 1952.

Ray

Forever and always........The Royal Blue.

Then the Hudson and K4.

Flyer never made a K4.  I wish people would remember Gilbert made the K5. For the record the K5 was not a successful locomotive with just a few produced. 

Roundhouse Bill posted:

Flyer never made a K4.  I wish people would remember Gilbert made the K5. For the record the K5 was not a successful locomotive with just a few produced. 

Only two K5's were built.  Apparently there was little advantage over the K4's to justify building more.

Rusty

All of them!

My 322 Hudson and my recently acquired Hudson SIT.

My vote is for the 326 Hudson. Lots of detail and it runs great. The new FlyerChief Berks are not too shabby either.  Radio control is really the way to go.

Ed Boyle

Hi Ed,

It was good to speak to you at Allentown (North Penn S Gaugers) after so many years.  You guys really grew O Gauge Magazine and did Myron proud.

The Flyonel berks are keepers!

Francine

Tough question! As a Kid I always wanted the Northern (finally bought it from a kid in town when I was in High School. I also yearned for the 0-8-0 mostly becuase it had a front coupler. But for reliability, especially on a display layout, the Hudsons were the best. As for Flyonel, the Y-3s are amazing and the North Pole set is great--how long the electronics will last is anyone's guess. I'll bet my ACG locos will be running long after the Flyonels hit the ballast. As for dismals, the Santa Fes were something else, I also really liked the T&P two-unit Geeps.

This is a tough call, but for me my favorite Flyer locomotive is the #336 Northern. After seeing one on a local department store layout when I was a kid, I always dreamed of owning one and 30 years later I finally got one. But now I think the #326 Hudsons and the #313 K-5 Pacifics are not far behind the Northern......and then there's those beautiful PA's, especially the Northern Pacific.

My favorite has to be the 312 K5's. Because who doesn't like a Pennsy steam engine?