American Flyer
56 years in operation (1910–1966)
About American Flyer
American Flyer was Lionel's chief rival in the model train market. Known for their realistic S-gauge two-rail track system, American Flyer trains were considered more prototypically accurate. Acquired by A.C. Gilbert in 1938. Lionel later purchased the brand and continues to produce American Flyer sets today.
Founding
William Ogden Coleman, a Chicago businessman who acquired the struggling Edmonds-Metzel Hardware Company and redirected it toward toy trains.
History of American Flyer
American Flyer entered a market Ives and Lionel already dominated, and competed initially on price: cast-iron clockwork locomotives sold cheaply, with lithographed tin coaches. Through the 1920s the line moved up-market into electric O gauge and wide gauge, and after Ives failed in 1928 American Flyer took a share of its business.
A.C. Gilbert bought the company in 1938 and moved production to New Haven, Connecticut. The decisive change came in 1946, when Gilbert relaunched American Flyer in two-rail S gauge — a smaller scale than Lionel's O, and crucially free of the third rail that no real railroad has. The trains were more realistically proportioned than anything Lionel sold. Collectors have never disputed that; the buying public of 1950 largely did, and Lionel kept the volume.
American Flyer was wound up with the rest of Gilbert in 1966–67, and the trademark was bought by Lionel, which has issued S gauge under the American Flyer name intermittently ever since. The result is that "American Flyer" spans three distinct eras — Chicago, Gilbert and Lionel — that collectors treat as almost separate subjects.
Timeline
- 1910The Edmonds-Metzel Hardware Company begins producing clockwork toy trains in Chicago
- 1918The business formally adopts the American Flyer Manufacturing Company name
- 1928The collapse of Ives opens up market share
- 1938A.C. Gilbert acquires the company and moves production to New Haven
- 1946The line is relaunched in two-rail S gauge with scale-proportioned equipment
- 1966Production ends with the collapse of the Gilbert company
- 1967Lionel acquires the American Flyer trademark
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- American Flyer S-gauge steam sets
- Silver Streak streamliner
- Comet passenger train
- Chicago & North Western freight set
- American Flyer Wide Gauge sets
Identifying & Dating American Flyer Toys
- Chicago-era stock is marked "AMERICAN FLYER LINES" or "CHICAGO" with no Gilbert reference. Gilbert-era stock adds "A.C. Gilbert" or "Gilbert" — the single quickest way to place a piece before or after 1938.
- Catalogue numbers are stamped or heat-stamped on the locomotive cab or car side and tie directly to the annual catalogues, which allows precise dating.
- Two rails and a smaller body mean S gauge and therefore 1946 or later; three rails mean O or wide gauge and therefore prewar.
Collector's Notes
- Postwar S gauge is the most accessible entry to the hobby — plentiful, mechanically robust and far cheaper than the equivalent Lionel. Prewar wide gauge is where the scarce and expensive material sits.
- Original boxes and set boxes carry real weight. Gilbert packed complete sets with paperwork and accessories, and a set that still has them is worth substantially more than the sum of its trains.
- Check the motor brushes and the reverse unit before assuming a non-running locomotive is a bargain; both are serviceable, but a cracked die-cast frame from zinc pest is not.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was American Flyer founded?
American Flyer was founded in 1910, based in Chicago, IL.
Is American Flyer still in business?
No. American Flyer ceased operations in 1966, after 56 years in business.
What is American Flyer best known for?
American Flyer is best known for American Flyer S-gauge steam sets, Silver Streak streamliner, Comet passenger train, among other toys.
Where was American Flyer located?
American Flyer was based in Chicago, IL.
What kinds of toys did American Flyer make?
American Flyer is categorized under trains, electric toys.
Who founded American Flyer?
William Ogden Coleman, a Chicago businessman who acquired the struggling Edmonds-Metzel Hardware Company and redirected it toward toy trains.
How can you identify genuine American Flyer toys?
Chicago-era stock is marked "AMERICAN FLYER LINES" or "CHICAGO" with no Gilbert reference. Gilbert-era stock adds "A.C. Gilbert" or "Gilbert" — the single quickest way to place a piece before or after 1938. Catalogue numbers are stamped or heat-stamped on the locomotive cab or car side and tie directly to the annual catalogues, which allows precise dating. Two rails and a smaller body mean S gauge and therefore 1946 or later; three rails mean O or wide gauge and therefore prewar.
Are American Flyer toys valuable?
Postwar S gauge is the most accessible entry to the hobby — plentiful, mechanically robust and far cheaper than the equivalent Lionel. Prewar wide gauge is where the scarce and expensive material sits. Original boxes and set boxes carry real weight. Gilbert packed complete sets with paperwork and accessories, and a set that still has them is worth substantially more than the sum of its trains. Check the motor brushes and the reverse unit before assuming a non-running locomotive is a bargain; both are serviceable, but a cracked die-cast frame from zinc pest is not.