Misc

1940’s S Scale American Flyer Train Set

1940’s S Scale American Flyer Train Set

Today we have another interesting find for all the gearheads out there, and it is a rarity. The  1940’s S Scale American Flyer Train Set seen here is something I find very interesting. This American Flyer S-Scale scale railroading set was a gift from my Grandfather. If you have ever seen one of these trains from the late 1940’s, you know they are solid and heavy. These are not the cheap plastic trains you may see in the stores today. The American Flyer series is made of steel, and may weigh as much as the full scale train. (OK, maybe not quite that much, but it s heavy).This train is a complete set, which is pretty rare to find these days. I have the original tracks, controller, and the train stations and billboards, which is pretty hard to find.

1940's S Scale American Flyer Train Set

What a cool train set! Solid, heavy, American iron is what makes this set really awesome. Should I set it up on a sheet of plywood? Let me know down below, or comment on my YouTube channel. The locomotive and all the cars are in great condition, as are the tracks and other parts. The American Flyer 312 Series trains were produced from 1946 to 1951, but not many of them exist today.If you have one of these, you know how different they are from today’s trains.

Tech Specs:

17¾″ long. Pennsylvania 4-6-2. Six drive wheels, 4 wheel pony, 2 wheel booster trucks. Eccentric arm triple action piston rods, side rods and connecting rods. Tender is bunker type with imitation coal, hand rails and markers. Double truck, nickel journal boxes, 8 wheels rounded out the technical details.

1940’s S Scale American Flyer Train Set

Price new for this 1940’s S Scale American Flyer Train Set was $23.50, which would be about $300 now. That doesn’t sound like a big deal by today’s standards. That may not sound like much, but at that time it was, so let me put that in perspective.In 1946, the average annual income was $2,600, or $50 a week. The average cost to buy a house was $5,150, although some chose to rent, just like today. Monthly rent of $35 for an average home. The average new famliy car cost just $1,125. So with that in mind, $23.50 was almost as much as the $35 monthly rent in the average home, and was quite a bit for a kids toy.

1940's S Scale American Flyer Train Set

Check out my YouTube Channel HERE for more fun videos!

Also, check out my Portfolio for some of my personal creations.

I hope you enjoyed this classic train set. Let me know what you think, and let me know if you have a train like this as well!

If you like this article, please give us a star rating at the top of the article and like it on Facebook.