The American Flyer is in all likelihood the most popular of all model train series. They did reach their peaks around the 40's and another peak in the 60's, they had been around a long time. Their popularity is also skyrocketing today too and they are, I feel they are going to be hanging around another 100 years!
A toy maker in Chicago addressed as William Hafner, in the very early 20th century invented a model train built on a clockwork motor, actually for the use in toy cars. By about 1905 how ever he made up his mind to put them into use in model trains too. Luckily he did, the car did not sell as well as trains.
William Hafner and his close friend share the same name, William Coleman approached a small manufacturer of hardware, Edmonds-Metzel. They used this firm to start making model trains in 1907.
They were first commercialized under the name of Edmond Metzel trains, because they were so hot on demand they required a entirely new name and they came up with the name of the American Flyer. This came about in 1910. Even the name of the hardware firm they were using had also changed its name to incorporate the American Flyer name in it.
They were really famous and there are numerous reasons for it. They were quite cheaper then some other popular makes of model trains at the time and because they were also quite a bit more practical then more budget style model trains of the time.
Mr William Hafner draw out from the partnership around 1913. He used the cash he had already made and built up his own firm. Colemans American Flyer Trains. It did well for quite some time around the first world war. In 1938, the founder's son with the same name, who was in charge of the business after his father pass away in 1918 sold the American Flyer to a company called A C Gilbert Company. Gilbert already had experience in producing toys, but he is clueless about trains.
At the same time he decided to moved the organisation from Chicago where it was set up to New Haven in Connecticut where he stayed. He also begun to drastically re design the American Flyer and turned it into an S-scale model train in 1939. This scale is a modification of the popular O scale or model which was then the leader on the market.
The S-scale was much smaller then the O-scale and this made it more well known known with enthusiasts as it needed less room to setup a proper track. The scale is 1:64, substantially smaller then the O-scale yet still very detailed and accurate.
He too made some other change in 1946 that amended the realisticness of the American flyer more so. Model trains, electric model trains at that time had been run on 3 rail tracks. Not practical. He changed it so they ran on two rail tracks, much like their larger counterparts. These tracks had 7/8th inches 'tween every rail. This made the trains run better as well.
How ever, television was starting to take hold at this time also. This distracted many from their hobbies they would normally spend their spare time on. Likewise at this time, discount chain stores came into play, discounting train sets that enterprises like A C Gilbert could not compete with. in 1962, Gilbert traded the American Flyer to Wrather Group. This organisation made toys as well, but usually on a huge scale and tended to produce poor quality as well. Sales of course fell through the floor and in 1967 the corporation went bankrupt.
A higher-ranking toy train maker and the market leader at time, Lionel Corporation bought the American Flyer. This organisation itself was having trouble with finances also and they too went bankrupt in 1969, so they sold off the rights to the American Flyer to some other maker, General Mills.
This firm, General Mills, started trading some of the designs of the original designed Gilbert American Flyer, it how ever sell everything it purchased from at that time Lionel Corp to Kenner, who then in turn sold the organisation to a man named Richard Kughn. This occurred in 1985.
Mr Richard Kughn had good success with the corporation and design for 11 years, but he sold out in 1996 to a corporation called Wellspring Partners, who then took on the original name of Lionel and named themselves Lionel LLC, which still functions today.
They sell the S-scale American Flyer still. They were at first concentrating on selling other scale models, but they begin selling more of American Flyer in 2002.
The American Flyer now is more then 100 years old and has gone through many extraordinary hands. This model train will not be going anywhere as it's popularity is still strong. - 16752
A toy maker in Chicago addressed as William Hafner, in the very early 20th century invented a model train built on a clockwork motor, actually for the use in toy cars. By about 1905 how ever he made up his mind to put them into use in model trains too. Luckily he did, the car did not sell as well as trains.
William Hafner and his close friend share the same name, William Coleman approached a small manufacturer of hardware, Edmonds-Metzel. They used this firm to start making model trains in 1907.
They were first commercialized under the name of Edmond Metzel trains, because they were so hot on demand they required a entirely new name and they came up with the name of the American Flyer. This came about in 1910. Even the name of the hardware firm they were using had also changed its name to incorporate the American Flyer name in it.
They were really famous and there are numerous reasons for it. They were quite cheaper then some other popular makes of model trains at the time and because they were also quite a bit more practical then more budget style model trains of the time.
Mr William Hafner draw out from the partnership around 1913. He used the cash he had already made and built up his own firm. Colemans American Flyer Trains. It did well for quite some time around the first world war. In 1938, the founder's son with the same name, who was in charge of the business after his father pass away in 1918 sold the American Flyer to a company called A C Gilbert Company. Gilbert already had experience in producing toys, but he is clueless about trains.
At the same time he decided to moved the organisation from Chicago where it was set up to New Haven in Connecticut where he stayed. He also begun to drastically re design the American Flyer and turned it into an S-scale model train in 1939. This scale is a modification of the popular O scale or model which was then the leader on the market.
The S-scale was much smaller then the O-scale and this made it more well known known with enthusiasts as it needed less room to setup a proper track. The scale is 1:64, substantially smaller then the O-scale yet still very detailed and accurate.
He too made some other change in 1946 that amended the realisticness of the American flyer more so. Model trains, electric model trains at that time had been run on 3 rail tracks. Not practical. He changed it so they ran on two rail tracks, much like their larger counterparts. These tracks had 7/8th inches 'tween every rail. This made the trains run better as well.
How ever, television was starting to take hold at this time also. This distracted many from their hobbies they would normally spend their spare time on. Likewise at this time, discount chain stores came into play, discounting train sets that enterprises like A C Gilbert could not compete with. in 1962, Gilbert traded the American Flyer to Wrather Group. This organisation made toys as well, but usually on a huge scale and tended to produce poor quality as well. Sales of course fell through the floor and in 1967 the corporation went bankrupt.
A higher-ranking toy train maker and the market leader at time, Lionel Corporation bought the American Flyer. This organisation itself was having trouble with finances also and they too went bankrupt in 1969, so they sold off the rights to the American Flyer to some other maker, General Mills.
This firm, General Mills, started trading some of the designs of the original designed Gilbert American Flyer, it how ever sell everything it purchased from at that time Lionel Corp to Kenner, who then in turn sold the organisation to a man named Richard Kughn. This occurred in 1985.
Mr Richard Kughn had good success with the corporation and design for 11 years, but he sold out in 1996 to a corporation called Wellspring Partners, who then took on the original name of Lionel and named themselves Lionel LLC, which still functions today.
They sell the S-scale American Flyer still. They were at first concentrating on selling other scale models, but they begin selling more of American Flyer in 2002.
The American Flyer now is more then 100 years old and has gone through many extraordinary hands. This model train will not be going anywhere as it's popularity is still strong. - 16752
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Repair your lionel train with over 2000 pages of guides and 400 detailed photos. Includes model trains parts lists blueprints covering prewar and postwar models from 1902-1986.
