The Gilbert Gallery
American Flyer S-Scale Engines

The engines made by Gilbert and Lionel fall into four general categories:
     - Steam engines (scroll down)
     - Diesel engines (scroll down)
     - GE EP-5 Electric
     - hand cars and track maintenance cars

Gilbert made nine different types of steam engine as shown below and Lionel later added more Pacifics, Northerns, and Docksiders.
     - 4-4-2 Atlantic
     - 4-6-2 Pacific
     - 4-6-4 Hudson
     - 0-8-0 Switcher
     - 4-8-4 Northern
     - 0-6-0 B-6sb
     - >0-6-0 Docksider
     - 4-4-0 Frontiersman (both are shown below; there is no separate page.)
     - 4-4-0 Casey Jones

If you have a picture that you would like to share with the world of any of engines not shown here, or a better picture of one that is shown, email it to me: theupstairstrain@gmail.com

Click on any of the engine pictures below to see the various models of that type engine.

#21160 Reading 4-4-2 Atlantic. Click the picture to see the rest.

#293 New Haven 4-6-2 Pacific.  Click the picture to see the rest.

#322 New York Central 4-6-4 Hudson.  Click the picture to see the rest.

#342 Nickel Plate 0-8-0 Switcher. Click the picture to see the rest.
(Photo courtesy of Don Hasenzahl.)

#336 Union Pacific 4-8-4 Northern, Gilbert's biggest engine. Click the picture to see the rest.

#21004 0-6-0 B-6sb. Click the picture to see the rest.
(Photo courtesy of Ed Church.)

#21256 0-6-0 Docksider. Click the picture to see the rest.
(Picture courtesy of an anonymous donor.)

#21088 FY&PRR Franklin 4-4-0 Frontiersman made in 1959 and 1960.
Click the picture to see the train it pulled.

The first fifty of these engines were packaged in specially marked sets.
Greenberg's Guide says it is not known how or to whom they were distributed,
but it is certain they went to special friends of the Gilbert Company.
The tender and the set box were both stamped to identify them as "One of the First 50."
(Photo and explanation courtesy of an anonymous donor.)

#21089 FY&PRR Washington 4-4-0 Frontiersman.
This is a picture I took in Don Mathies' booth at the 2008 Del Mar Train show.

#21165 Erie 4-4-0 Casey Jones. Click the picture to see the rest.

The Mikado is the first of Lionel's new generations of engine.
It was introduced in 2003 with all new tooling and TMCC electronics.
Click the picture to see the rest. (Picture courtesy of Phil K.)

#48070 Union Pacific 4-8-8-4-Big Boy made in 2008.

Artist's renderings above are from the Lionel online catalog

In 2010, Lionel introduced the Challenger 4-6-6-4 Locomotive and released more in 2011.
This is the 48085 Rio Grande Challenger released in 2011.
When I get the page built, you will be able to click the picture to see the others.

In 2012, Lionel introduced the Y-3 2-8-8-2 Steam Locomotive and continued production to 2014.
This is the 48181 Union Pacific 2-8-8-2 released in 2012.
(Artist's rendering from the 2012 catalog.)
When I get the page built, you will be able to click the picture to see the others.

In 2013, Lionel introduced the 2-8-4 Berkshire Steam Locomotive and continued production
to 2020. This is the #42539 Polar Express Berkshire introduced in 2013
as part of the #44039 Polar Express Set; it was not sold separately.
When I get the page built, you will be able to click the picture to see the other Berkshires.

Gilbert made four different types of diesel engine:
     - Alcos
     - Geeps (GM-EMD GP and SD Engines)
     - Baldwins
     - EMD F-9s
In 2009, Lionel started introducing new types of diesel engines:
     - U33C in 2009
     - SD70ACe in 2012
     - ES44AC in 2013
     - U36C in 2019

#4856 Santa Fe Chief Alcos. Click the picture to see the rest of the Alcos.

#377 Texas & Pacific GP-7. Click the picture to see the rest of the Geeps.

#355 Chicago & Northwestern Baldwin. Click the picture to see the rest of the Baldwins.

#21206 Santa Fe F-9 Click the picture to see the rest of the F-9s.
(This is a picture I took of engines in Jack Larson's collection)
Click the picture to see the rest of the F-9s.

#48185 Santa Fe Legacy U33C #8522 in the 2012 catalog.
The first totally new American Flyer diesel engine made by Lionel,
the U33C uses the Legacy control system.
Click the picture to see the other U33Cs.

In 2012, Lionel introduced a line of Legacy SD70ACe diesel engines.
This is the #42500 Union Pacific Building America SD70ACe released in 2012.
Click the picture to see the other SD70s.

In 2013, Lionel introduced a line of Legacy ES44AC diesel engines.
This is the 42588 Union Pacific ES44AC released in 2014.
(Artist's rendering from the 2014 catalog.)
Click the picture to see the other ES44ACs.

In 2019, Lionel introduced a line of Legacy U36C Diesel Engines.
This is the #1921191 Santa Fe U36C.
(Artist's rendering from the 2019 catalog.)
Click the picture to see the other U36Cs.

#48008 Hew Haven GE EP-5 Electric. Click the picture to see the rest.
(This is a picture I took of an engine in Jack Larson's collection)

#740 Handcar.
Click the picture to see the gallery of Gilbert's hand cars and track maintenance cars.

When Gilbert produced a brand new engine design, they created two hand-made prototypes,
one for photographs included in the catalog and one for the Toy Fair.
This is one of the two prototypes of the 355 Baldwin.
Click on it for more pictures and information.
(Photo courtesy of Eric Hundertmark.)

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@gmail.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@gmail.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 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@gmail.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
Engines   Passenger Cars   Freight Cars   Freight Sets   Work Cars   Accessories   Infrastructure

Atlantic Steam Engines     Pacific Steam Engines     Hudson Steam Engines
0-8-0 Steam Switchers      Northern Steam Engines      B-6sb Steam Switchers
Dockside Steam Switchers      Casey Jones Steam Engines      Mikado Steam Engines
Berkshire Steam Engines      Challenger Steam Engines      Y-3 Steam Engines

Alco PA Diesel Engines     Geep Diesel Engines     Baldwin Diesel Engines     F-9 Diesel Engines
ES44AC Diesel Engines     SD70ACe Diesel Engines     U33C Diesel Engines
U36C Diesel Engines     GE EP-5 Electric Engines     Handcars

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