A.C. Gilbert fantasy: American Flyer Center-cupola Cabooses

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert (click for web site)

Manufacturer ID:

930

Prototype Info

Style:

center-cupola

Body:

steel

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer

Model Info

Gauge:

Introduced:

1952

Road Number(s):

930

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

Lighted:

yes!

Weight:

Raoul started the company in 1959. He retired in 2008. Dave Rygmyr bought the company and moved it to Hamilton, Montana. Dave retired in 2019, and NWSL employees Holly and Ian bought the company and moved it to Kila, Montana.

Product Review:

They produce gears, wheels, and other items for S and Sn3, including the S-scale version of the Stanton Drive. They were the first company to import a brass car for S-scale in 1972 (a three-dome Jones & Laughlin tank car).

Magazine Article:

S Gaugian, Jul 2003 (prototype history plus model history; scale drawings)

This photo shows the underside of the 1952 American Flyer cabooses (the bottom one is the same as the foreground in the first photo, and the middle one is the same as the middle one in the first photo). Note the bottom red unit has riveted couplers, which is an example of an early 1952 model. The riveted style knuckle coupler on early 1952 models can also come in tuscan. These were one of only eight cars produced in 1952 with knuckle couplers.

Holt Apgar reworked this into an N5b Pennsylvania cabin car. Fitting the I-beam collision posts into the end braces and changing the side windows were the most difficult tasks. End windows were cut first; inner side windows were blocked, and outer side windows were extended upward, and filled at the base. Plastic I-beam collision posts were trimmed and carefully fitted into the tuscan painted end braces. Flat black Testors enamel was brushed onto the roof. The class N5b cabin decals are from Microscale; they are HO-scale, but correct for class N5b. Flexible plastic glazing and flat clear lacquer completed the project.

Scan from the 1953 catalog.