American Flyer S Scale Tank Cars (3 of 5)
Gilbert made 24 distinct tank cars as listed on a little over a page of the TM Guide, not counting the variations on some of the 24.  Lionel made 38 more up through 2006 under the American Flyer name.  Because there are so many, I have split them up over five web pages:

Gilbert tank cars #625 through #925 are
page 1
                             #926 through #24321 are on
page 2
                             #24322 through #24330 are on this page
Lionel tank cars  #9100 through #48406 are on
page 4
                             #48407 and above, plus my American Models and K-Line tank cars are on
page 5

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.

#24322 GRCX Gulf tank car made with a split tank in 1960 and a complete tank in 1959.
Can you tell which is which?  The split tank is on top.
The complete tank car came with and without ladders and railings.
The split tank car came only without ladders and railings.
#24323 GATX Baker's Chocolate car made in 1960.
This is the extremely rare variation with split tank and white ends.
(Picture courtesy of an anonymous donor.)
The one that's only rare had complete tank and gray painted ends.  It was made in 1959.
(Photo courtesy of my friend Joe Philippson, from his ebay auction.)
#24324 GATX Hooker made in 1959 with complete tank and knuckle couplers.
It came with ladders, railings and platform,.
(Picture courtesy of an anonymous donor.)
#24324 GATX Hooker made in 1960 with split tank and Pike Master couplers.
#24325 GRCX Gulf tank car made in 1960 with split tank and Pike Master or solid knuckle couplers.
It came with and without ladders and railings.
(Picture courtesy of an anonymous donor.)
#24325 GRCX Gulf tank car made in 1960 with complete tank and knuckle or solid knuckle couplers.
It came with and without ladders and railings.
#24328 unpainted Shell tank car made in 1962-1966 with split tank and Pike Master couplers.
It came with ladders and railings.  Some ladders were black.
There was also a very rare painted version with black ladders.
This is a factory color sample of the #24328.
Other people must have thought what I think; it wasn't produced.
(Picture courtesy of an anonymous donor.)
#24329 GATX Hooker made in 1964-1965.  Mine has knuckle couplers but it should have Pike Master.
The trucks are attached to the car with screws which Gilbert never did.
If you ever see a car with trucks screwed to the body, you know they have been changed.
It came with and without ladders and railings.
Here it is with the proper Pike Master couplers.
There was a noticeable variation in the colors of plastic.
(Picture courtesy of Chris Harding.)
Unnumbered #24329 Hooker made in 1961-1965 with Pike Master couplers.
It came with and without ladders and railings.
(Picture courtesy of an anonymous donor.)
#24330 GATX Baker's Chocolate car made in 1961 & 1962 with Pike Master couplers.
It came with ladders, railings, and platform.  Some platforms were gray and some black.
(Picture courtesy of
Steven Rounds.)
Mine is black.

Show me the tank cars made by Lionel and American Models.

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.


It takes time and money to maintain a website like this.  If this site is interesting and helpful to you, please contribute financially to its ongoing success.  You may
send a contribution via PayPal using theupstairstrain@yahoo.com as the payee. Both credit card and direct transfers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

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:                                                                                                                                  
The Gilbert Gallery Home Page  
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Pictures Needed     Useful Links     For Sale     Wish List     Bibliography     The Upstairs Train