What happened to American Flyer trains?
The company discontinued the American Flyer train line in 1966 and finally declared bankruptcy in 1967.
What year did American Flyer trains come out?
American Flyer toy trains first chugged onto the scene around 1907 as windup, tinplate, O Gauge trains, a cheaper alternative to the larger-scale electric trains made by Lionel and others. The firm that produced them, founded by William Ogden
How do you lubricate American Flyer trains?
Related Question american flyer train layout
Are American Flyer trains worth anything?
The Collector's Guide to American Toy Trains gives the value of G.C.'s locomotive alone at $920. But the value of the American Flyer is also the legacy of boys' education, building realistic mechanical objects in realistic American geography, technology American-style, 1920-50.
Did American Flyer make HO trains?
The most popular size of American Flyer is “S” Gauge, which runs on two rail track. It is scaled 3/16″ to the inch, slightly smaller than “O” Gauge. American Flyer was also made in “HO”, “O” Gauge and a scaled “O” Gauge of 3/16″ to the foot, by The A.C. Gilbert Co., after they bought American Flyer.
How do you identify American Flyer trains?
These freight cars are easily identifiable as on the bottom of each car is marked "Made for American Flyer Lines". The freight cars were produced for one year only and were not included in sets. American Flyer did not change the body paint colors from the original Lionel versions.
Is Lionel trains going out of business?
In 1969, they sold their model train lines to General Mills, but continued to operate until 1993 as a holding company for their toy stores.
Lionel Corporation.
| Lionel logo on a box from the 1950s | |
|---|---|
| Type | Public company |
| Founded | 1900 |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Fate | sold rights, Liquidation |
Can you use WD40 on model trains?
Summary. In closing, don't use 3-in-1, WD40 or cooking oils. Instead, use a dedicated model train lubricant such as Gaugemaster's lubrication fluid or Labelle oil and greases and your engines and rolling stock will run smoother, longer and more reliably.
How often do you need to oil Lionel trains?
It is a good idea to add oil when you get the locomotive or car. If you bring your train out only a few times a year, oil it each time you take it out of storage. And of course, the squeaky wheel should get the oil! If you notice any new squeaks, a small drop of oil usually does the trick.
How do you get rust off a Lionel train?
What scale is American Flyer?
S scale is often regarded as synonymous with the American Flyer brand of model railroad trains. S scale is defined as 1:64 or 3/16ths of an inch to one foot, and the S scale's track gauge is an unusual 0.884 inches.
How big are S scale trains?
| S scale | |
|---|---|
| Scale | 3⁄16 inch to 1 foot |
| Scale ratio | 1:64 |
| Model gauge | 22.48 (22.5) mm, 0.885 in |
| Prototype gauge | 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 81⁄2 in) standard gauge |
What is the difference between O Gauge and S Gauge?
S scale (sometimes called S gauge) is modeling in 3/16th to the foot or a proportion of 1:64 to the real full size model. "O" is 1/48th scale or 1/4" to the foot. "S" is 1/64th scale or 3/16" to the foot. "HO" scale, currently the most popular, is 1/87th scale or 3.5mm to the foot (a little over 1/8").
How do I pair my American Flyer transformer?
Who makes Lionel HO trains?
Lionel, LLC
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Products | Model trains |
| Revenue | US$62 million (2006) |
| Owner | Guggenheim Partners 80% Neil Young 20% |
| Website | lionel.com |
When did Lionel stop making trains in USA?
Lionel model trains experienced wide popularity throughout the 1920s, but business declined sharply during the Great Depression. Because people could not afford expensive model trains, the smaller Lionel O gauge trains became more popular and Lionel Standard gauge was discontinued in 1939.
Are Lionel trains made in China?
Train geeks are going to love this one: Lionel, the 114-year-old toy train manufacturer is now based in Concord, along with its new president. The company's O-gauge toy trains are made in China.
What do you clean model train tracks with?
A lighter method of how to clean model railroad track includes a paint stirring stick with a paper towel taped around the end and dipped in lacquer thinner. Modelers also use Goo Gone, an oil based cleaner that can remove dirt but leaves an oily film behind on the track.
How do you keep model train tracks clean?
How do you clean model train wheels?
How does the whistle work on a Lionel train?
Traditional Lionel whistles work by blowing a fan into an air whistle. This fan needs a motor. The motor has a relay in front of it that only responds to DC. The transformer has a DC rectifier in it to activate the motor.
How do you clean an old Lionel track?
Believe it or not, you can effectively remove rust from old Lionel track with a ball of aluminum foil. A small ball of aluminum foil plundered from your kitchen and five minutes of your time is likely to be enough to restore a loop of Lionel track from rusty, unusable junk to reliable operation.
Why does my model train slow down?
Model trains depend on the rails for their power. Trains will slow down or stall if that connection is broken. In most cases, your trains probably are not getting enough power, and you need to improve the flow from the power supply. A voltage drop can be easily corrected by adding more connections.
How do you get rust off screws in toys?
How do you get rust off model train tracks?
Apply some White Vinegar to a cloth until it's damp. Wipe down all your train tracks with the cloth, until the rust or grime has gone. Use another damp cloth with water to go back over the top of the tracks and remove the vinegar.
How do you remove rust from toys?
What scale are train models?
NMRA popular railway scales
| Scale | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OO or 4 mm | 1:76.2 | standard gauge |
| Sn3 or 3/16″ | 1:64 | narrow gauge |
| S or 3/16″ | 1:64 | standard gauge |
| On2 or 1/4″ | 1:48 | narrow gauge |
Why does O scale have 3 rails?
In the early days of railway modeling, some O scale modelers (the dominant scale at the time), made use of an outside third rail and a shoe pickup system for power. This system had the benefit of being more realistic by removing the central third rail common to O scale track, while retaining an effective power source.
What is the most popular model train scale?
HO Scale. HO scale is the most popular scale, and at 1/87 scale, is just over half the size of O scale model trains.
What is the difference between HO and N scale trains?
N scale is approximately half the size of HO scale. Since that size goes in all directions, an N scale layout takes up approximately 1/4 the space of a comparable HO scale layout. And if you like long trains, you can run longer trains in N scale than HO scale in the same space.
How big is an HO scale train?
| HO | |
|---|---|
| Scale | 3.5 mm to 1 foot |
| Scale ratio | 1:87 |
| Standard(s) | NEM 010 NMRA S-1.2 |
| Model gauge | 16.5 mm (0.65 in) |
What is the smallest scale train set?
T gauge (1:450 or 1:480) is a model railway scale with a track gauge of 3 mm (0.118 in), referred from "Three-millimeter gauge" or "Third of N scale". It was introduced at the Tokyo Toy Show in 2006 by KK Eishindo of Japan, and went on sale in 2007. It is the smallest commercial model train scale in the world.
Which is bigger HO or O scale?
Scale implies that is it a scaled down version of the real thing. O scale used to be called 1/4 inch scale with the ratio to the real thing as 1:48 with HO being 1/8 inch scale and 1:86 or 1:87. O is the larger of the traditional scales.
How tall are s scale figures?
The average modern male is about 5'-8" tall (27mm in S Scale) with the average female about 5'-3" (25mm in S Scale). In the eighteenth century people were 2-3 inches shorter because of poorer diets. Hence we are looking for figures roughly 24-28mm tall to the top of the head.
What scale is oo scale?
| OO gauge | |
|---|---|
| Scale | 4 mm to 1 ft |
| Scale ratio | 1:76.2 |
| Model gauge | 16.5 mm (0.65 in) |
| Prototype gauge | Standard gauge |
Who makes Ho steam locomotives?
HO Scale Steam Locomotives from Rivarossi.
Are Lionel HO trains any good?
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat quality train. Not crazy about the track. The only other train I have experience with is Bachman's Chattanooga (HO) which I set up every xmas. This Polar Express train (HO) is every bit as good as that train.
Is Märklin still in business?
In 1971 Märklin pioneered the Z scale, 1:220 trains that can be deployed in very small spaces. But amid declining interest in the new millennium, the company was sold to Kingsbridge Capital in 2006 and declared bankruptcy in 2009. The company exited bankruptcy in 2010 with 400 fewer employees.
Why did Lionel trains have 3 rails?
Lionel used the center rail for power and the two outer rails for ground. For example, with a three-rail system, the track can loop back on itself without any issues. A two-rail system has to reverse the polarity in order to avoid a short circuit in that situation. In 1906, there was no good, easy way to do that.
How much is a 1935 Lionel train set worth?
These are not rare cars, but this is a great engine. And the whole set together would easily bring $2,500 to $3,000 at auction.