Heavyweight Coach Passenger Cars by A.C. Gilbert for 1946

heavyweight

coach

2

16

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

655

A.C. Gilbert

655

AF

1946

plastic

painted & lettered

hi-rail

AF

no

Has Photos

Reproduction Silhouettes

Replacement Steps

This version was available in tuscan-red/maroon and red. These cars had no steps at the bottom of the doors.

heavyweight

coach

2

16

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

655

Silver Bullet

A.C. Gilbert

655

AF

1946

plastic

painted & lettered

hi-rail

AF

no

Has Photos

Reproduction Silhouettes

Replacement Steps

This version was available in satin finish and chrome finish . These cars had no steps at the bottom of the doors.

heavyweight

coach

2

16

New York, New Haven & Hartford (NH)

650

A.C. Gilbert

650

AF

1946

plastic

painted & lettered

hi-rail

AF

yes

S Gaugian, Jul 2001

Replacement Steps

These cars were produced through 1953. They went through several generations of changes during their seven-year run. In the photo are examples of an unlighted green, and a 1946 lighted red car with silver lettering. In 1946 some materials were still in short supply, such as light assemblies, so Gilbert was forced to manufacture certain passenger cars and cabooses that were planned to be lighted as unlighted items. The box these items came in typically had the part number stamped on the end flap followed by "NL" indicating "no light" (e.g. "650NL"). Since the green passenger cars were offered as part of the lower priced sets, many of these cars came without lights, as was the case for some of the 1946 cabooses. The other issue with nearly all of the 1946 plastic cars is that they warp as can be seen in the photo. The warping was because of the new acetate plastic used at that time which was unstable. Gilbert tried to compensate or solve the warping issue by changing the frame material on the #650 cars thus creating several variations. In 1947, the red coaches were given diecast frames. Starting in 1948, the green coaches were also given the diecast frames. Starting in 1949, Gilbert also used sheet metal frames on some of the coaches of both colors.

Pullman

heavyweight

coach

2

12/14

Pullman

652

A.C. Gilbert

652

AF

1946

plastic

painted & lettered

hi-rail

AF

no

Replacement Steps

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2

These models were produced through 1953, although there is some doubt whether or not they were actually produced in 1946. Of the 15 variations, the two 1947 variations are the rarest. Note that the window configurations between their two sides is different.

1947: painted green or red, 6-wheel trucks that are 2-1/2" long with thick shank link couplers.
1948: painted green or red, 6-wheel trucks that are 2-1/8" long with couplers that have brass weights.
1948 (late): unpainted green plastic and two variations with unpainted tuscan plastic; the latter has one variation with the number on the ends of the side, and the other with the number in the center.
1949: from now on all came with link couplers with blackened weights; painted green; number in the center.
1949-1952: two variations have olive-green and two variations of unpainted (molded) tuscan plastic bodies with short trucks, with centered numbers (the lettering style was different between the two for each body color).
1953: the wording was changed to show "Pikes Peak" above the windows and "American Flyers Lines" below the windows, and "Pullman" was moved to the end of the car; there were two tuscan variations (two different lettering styles for "Pullman") and one green one.