The Gilbert Gallery
American Flyer S Scale Work Train Cars

Work trains carry neither passengers nor freight. They are sent out to deal with train wrecks or to maintain the tracks and right of way. They operate under what came to be called the Maintenance of Way (MOW) department of a railroad.

The passenger cars naturally fall into coherent sets based on their common design and/or railroad names, but that's not true of Gilbert's work train cars. I have a page for each type of work train car shown below.

#44027 MOW Bunk Car 4027. Click the picture to see all of the Bunk Cars.

#44029 MOW Kitchen Car 4029. Click the picture to see all of the Kitchen Cars.

#946 Erie floodlight car. Click the picture to see all of the floodlight cars.

#644 Industrial Brownhoist. Click the picture to see all of the crane cars.

#945 Work & Boom Car. Click the picture to see all of the work cars.

The X1989 Tool Car was made from 0700 NASG orange box cars in 1989 by G&W Models
to use up some of the unsold supply of 1981 convention cars.
It was originally sold by the Central New York S Gaugers.

Three variations are known to exist:
1) all dark gray
       2) all light gray and
                                    3) dark gray with light gray windows.
These were so difficult to make that only a very small number were produced.
It became a much sought-after piece because of its unique design.
(Photo and story courtesy of Steve Gruninger.)

There are a number of freight cars that I like to include in work trains.
Though they are not work cars as such, they are suitable for inclusion in a work train because of the loads they carry.
When I get the page built, you'll be able to click the picture and see which ones I'm recommending.
Maybe you have some favorites that you like to use in work trains as well.

Over the years, Gilbert made a number of sets that comprise work trains, and Lionel has added a few more.

This is the #K5340T Yard King Freight Set made in 1953, one of eight sets pulled by the #343 NKP Switcher.
(Picture courtesy of snorkelhawaii.)
Stay tuned: I plan to add a series of pages to show those work train sets.

Lionel made each of its work cars in the same four road names:
New York Central, Santa Fe, Union Pacific, and Maintenance of Way.
Lionel never sold them in a set, but you could create a handsome work train for each road
by putting its five cars together behind its Baldwin Switcher.

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:                                                                                                                                    
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Bunk Cars      Kitchen Cars      Floodlight Cars      Crane Cars      Work & Boom Cars

Pictures Needed     Useful Links     For Sale     Wish List     Bibliography     The Upstairs Train