American Flyer S Scale Flatcars (2 of 6)
The TM Guide lists three and a half pages of Gilbert flatcars, 56 in all and many had variations.  Between 1981 and 2006, Lionel made 35 more flatcars under their American Flyer name.  Because there are so many, I have split them up over six web pages:

Gilbert flatcars #605 through #714 are on page 1
                       #715 through #948 are on this page
                       #956 through #24564 are on page 3
                       #24565 through #25515 are on page 4
Lionel flatcars   #9000 through #48531 are on page 5
                       #48532 and above are on page 6

The large pictures on this page are of cars in the collection of The Upstairs Train.  Unless otherwise specified, the smaller ones are from ebay auctions I didn't win.

If you have a picture that you would like to share with the world of any of the cars not shown here (or a better picture of one that is shown!), email them to me: theupstairstrain@yahoo.com.   Click here for a list of the  pictures I need to complete the Gallery.
There were many variations of the #715 Vehicle Unloading Car in different colors,
with different vehicle loads, and two power-pickups.
#715 Vehicle Unloading Car made in 1946 with a Tootsietoy armored car.
Most of the armored cars you will see today (including the one in Greenberg's Guide!)
either have their guns broken off or the red paint worn off.

Greenberg's says the Armored cars made before the war and in 1946 had white tires,
whereas those made in 1947 and 1948 had black tires.
These later cars also have a camoflage paint job.
I don't know whether it was worn off the earlier cars I've seen or they never had it.
By the way, notice that almost all the red paint is worn off the gun barrels; this is typical for these cars.
(All three photos courtesy of Eric St.John.)
Cars made in 1946 had an inside power pickup like this.
The #710 Automatic Track Section shown below had two inside rails
that provided power to unload the armored car.
This picture also clearly shows what a link coupler car looks like after conversion to knuckle couplers.
#715 Vehicle Unloading Car made in 1947-1948 with a black-tire Tootsietoy armored car
and the familiar outside power pickup on the left truck.
(This is a photo I took at the March 2006 Cal Stewart Show, courtesy of John Granucci.)
In 1949, Gilbert stopped using the armored car and switched to the Manoil coupe.
It came with a Manoil coupe from 1949 through 1951.
The Manoil coupe came in red, green, or blue.
(Photo courtesy of an anonymous donor.)
In 1950 some of the flatcars had a gray body.
#715 Vehicle Unloading Car with silver Tootsietoy racer made in 1953 and 1954.
The same car with knuckle couplers was sold as #915 (see below).
In 1952 it was made with a blue unloading ramp andeither a Manoil coupe (above),
or a Tootsietoy racer (below).
(Photos courtesy of Jack Larson.)
It is common today to see these cars for sale with the  the wrong load.
My 1946 car came with a red Manoil coupe which Gilbert didn't sell until 1949,
and my 1946 armored car came with the later outside-pickup car.
#717 Log Unloading Car made in 1946-1952.
(Photo courtesy of an anonymous donor.)
Like the #715 Vehicle Unloading Car above, the Log Unloading Cars made in 1946
had their power pickup between the wheels.
Later Log Unloading Cars had the familiar outside pickup.
(Photo courtesy of Gary Good.)
Here are pictures of the #717 Log Unloading Car made in 1946 with the #710 Automatic Track Section.
(Photos courtesy of George A. Mostoller.)
From 1947 to 1952 it was made with the more familiar side power pickup extending from the left truck.
(Photo courtesy of Douglas Weronick.)
From 1947 to 1952 the car came with a #712 Contact Rail, three logs, and instruction sheet.
Because the third log loaded often bounced off the car, some owners substituted a smaller log..
(Photo courtesy of Douglas Weronick.)
#905 flatcar with log load on a gray sheet-metal base made in 1954.


It was also made with a metallic-blue sheet-metal base.
#909 flatcar with girder load on a gray sheet-metal base made in 1954.


It was also made with a metallic-blue sheet-metal base.
#914 Log Unloading Car made in 1953-1957
#915 Vehicle Unloading Car set made in 1953-1954 with the Tootsietoy racer.
The same car with link couplers was sold as #715 (see above).
Like other operating cars, it was sold with a #712 contact rail and operating button.
(Photo from an ebay auction by Rick Dunn.)
As with many Gilbert cars of that era, there was some variation in color.
Greenberg's Guide says the Tootsietoy racer came in silver, red, or blue.
It was offered on ebay in 2005 with this gold one.
Later #915 Vehicle Unloading Car made in 1955-1957 in different colors with  a Renwal gasoline truck.
Click the picture to read the Renwal story and see the various truck colors.
An early #915 Vehicle Unloading Car with the later Renwal gasoline truck.
You'll see these every once in a while, but the consensus is that Gilbert never made it that way.
The Renwal trucks were introduced in 1955 with the later gray-base car.
Gray #928 C&NW Bakelite/Plaskon (pressed wood) log car made in 1952-1954.
Another Bakelite/Plaskon variation had smaller letters.
(Photo courtesy of an anonymous donor.)
Gray #928 C&NW die-cast log car made in 1952-1954.
Black #928 New Haven die-cast log car made in 1954.
#928 die-cast lumber car made in 1956 & 1957
#936 Erie Wire Reel Car made in 1953-1954.

It was also made with a blue-gray base.
#936 Pennsylvania Railroad Western Electric Wire Reel Car made in 1955-1957.
#948 Track Cleaning Car made from 1953 to 1957.

Show me the rest of the flatcars.


Over the years, Gilbert made four different kinds of couplers, three of which are common and familiar to most American Flyer owners: link, knuckle, and Pike Master.  The fourth, the so-called "solid knuckle coupler," was short-lived and not used on very many cars.  Lionel later came up with its own version of knuckle coupler.  American Flyer has therefore gone through five generations of couplers.  Because there seem to be a lot of people confused by this, I created a page to show the differences.  Click the picture below for more detail.


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If you or your friends have some American Flyer trains and would like them to go to a nice home where they'll be loved and cared for, this is the place!  Email me: theupstairstrain@yahoo.com.  See my Wish List for the items I need most.  Thank you very much.

On the other side of the coin, I post pictures from time to time on my For Sale page of surplus items I have for sale.
This gallery will continue to grow and become more comprehensive as I collect more cars and as visitors like you send me pictures of the cars I don't yet have.  If you have a car that you would like to share with the world, email me a picture:   theupstairstrain@yahoo.com.  Click here for a list of the pictures I need to complete the Gallery.

The books I am using for reference are listed in the Bibliography page.  All the writing and all the pictures on this website are, however, my own, except where cited.  No copyrighted materials have been included and all pictures provided by others are used by permission.

Now show me:                                                                                                                                  
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