Mixed New Haven Passenger Sets with Knuckle Couplers
		In the knuckle coupler era of the 900-Series cars, between 1953 and 1959, Gilbert made ten train sets that had both New Haven style cars and Pullman Heavyweights.
	#K5328 Meteor Steam Passenger Train made in 1953. A #293 New Haven Pacific engine pulled the green #951 New Haven Baggage Car, #953 Heavyweight Combination Car, #952 Heavyweight Coach Car, and #954 Observation Car. The set also came with 12 #702 curved track sections, 4 #700 straight track sections, 16 #693 Track Locks, #706 Remote Control Uncoupler, #690 Track Terminal, and #4B transformer.
	#K5345W Trail Blazer Steam Passenger and Mail Train made in 1953 & 1954. A #316 Pennsy Pacific engine pulled the red #918 New Haven operating mail car, #953 Heavyweight Combination Car, #952 Heavyweight Coach Car, and #954 Observation Car. The set also came with 12 #702 curved track sections, 4 #700 straight track sections, #713 Rail Section for the Mail Car, #706 Remote Control Uncoupler, 16 #693 Track Locks, #690 Track Terminal, and #708 Air Chime Whistle Control.
	#2H306 Trail Blazer Steam Passenger and Mail Train made in 1953 was the same as the #K5345W.
	#121 sold in 1955 was the same train again, marked down to reduce unsold inventory.
	#K5422T Mountaineer Steam Passenger Train made in 1954. A #283 C&NW Pacific engine pulled the red #951 New Haven Baggage Car, 2 #955 New Haven Coach Cars, and a #952 Heavyweight Coach Car. The set also came with 12 #702 curved track sections, 2 #700 straight track sections, 14 #693 Track Locks, #706 Remote Control Uncoupler, #690 Track Terminal, and #1-1/2 transformer. (Photo courtesy of Rick Dunn.)
	#K5436T Meteor Steam Passenger Train made in 1954. A #293 Pacific engine pulled the green #951 New Haven Baggage Car, #953 Heavyweight Combination Car, #952 Heavyweight Coach Car, and #954 Observation Car. The set also came with 12 #702 curved track sections, 4 #700 straight track sections, 16 #693 Track Locks, #706 Remote Control Uncoupler, #690 Track Terminal, and #4B transformer. (Photo from an ebay auction by Rick Dunn.)
	#120 sold in 1955 was the same train, marked down to reduce unsold inventory.
	#5555W New Pacemaker Passenger Set made in 1955. A #326 Hudson pulled the red #918 New Haven operating mail car, #953 Heavyweight Combination Car, #952 Heavyweight Coach Car, and #954 Observation Car. The set also came with 12 #702 curved track sections, 6 #700 straight track sections, #713 Rail Section for the Mail Car, #706 Remote Control Uncoupler, 18 #693 Track Locks, #690 Track Terminal, and #710 Steam Whistle Control. (Photo from an ebay auction by Rick Dunn.)
	#20145 Action Passenger Train Set made in 1958 & 1959 was the updated #5555W New Pacemaker. A #21105 Hudson pulled the very rare #25005 New Haven operating mail car (the 5-digit version of the 918), the #24739 Heavyweight Combination Car (the 5-digit version of the 953), #24733 Heavyweight Coach Car (the 5-digit version of the 952), and #978 Operating Brakeman Observation Car (in a box numbered 25039). The set also came with 12 #26720 curved track sections, 2 #26700 straight track sections, #26704 Manual Uncoupler, #26690 Track Terminal, and #22020 transformer. In 1959, the set also included a #23786 Talking Station.
	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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