How to Model with American Flyer
What is Tinplate?
In magazines, books, and other S-scale web sites, you may find the terms "American Flyer" and "tinplate" used interchangeably. They generally refer to the same thing, although "tinplate" may also be used in reference to the products A.C. Gilbert manufactured prior to WWII models (i.e. O-gauge wheelsets).
What is "hi-rail"?
You may come across the term "hi-rail". This is generally within the context of a more scale-oriented use of American Flyer products. The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) defines S-scale's hi-rail as anything needing code 125 (0.125") or taller rail. So, in very general terms, hi-rail refers to anything that uses or requires that size rail (due to the flange depth of the wheels), which includes all original American Flyer products, and a large number of Lionel, S-Helper Service, MTH, and other brands of equipment. These newer brands come ready-to-run with deep-flange wheels and the American Flyer-compatible claw couplers, which usually can be easily replaced with more scale-like wheelsets and couplers, if the modeler so chooses. Therefore, a hi-rail layout usually refers to someone who has built his or her layout using tall rail, so that it remains compatible with both original American Flyer equipment, as well as the newer S-scale equipment.
Wheels
Below is a nice comparison photo of hi-rail wheels. The wheelsets marked as manufactured by S-Helper Service are going to be identical to those produced by MTH, and are likely to be identical to the ones that ScaleTrains is now producing, as they are all based on the same designs that S-Helper Service originated.
copyright © Brooks Stover; used by permission.
How To Clean American Flyer Products?
Many American Flyer enthusiasts who return to the hobby have encountered a white film on their American Flyer plastic cars when they've uncovered them from storage boxes in their basements or attics. It is commonly thought that the white film is mold. However, it is actually a mold release agent that was used in the early days of plastics manufacturing. To remove it, simply hold a hair dryer, set on hot, to the car and you'll see the mold release agent disappear before your eyes. You can buff gently with a soft cloth.
Early American Flyer Plastics
Dick Karnes, MRR remembers that in 1946 A.C. Gilbert used Tenite. It was a wood-based plastic. The material looked good when it came out of the molds, but it would eventually deform, because it never really solidified.
A.C. Gilbert eventually switched to using Bakelite. This was the first synthetic plastic. It was a significant improvement over Tenite, but its main downside was that there were no glues available at the time that would allow attaching anything to Bakelite, making kitbashing extremely difficult. Two-part epoxies finally solved that problem.
Later, A.C. Gilbert switched to using styrene, which we all know and love in our hobby. Both "polystyrene" and "ABS" are a common form of "styrene" used in the model railroading industry nowadays. Lego® blocks are a form of ABS, for example.
Although manufacture of true A.C. Gilbert American Flyer products ceased in 1965 with their bankruptcy, they created so many products over the years that there are still plenty of items available in the secondary markets. Companies such as GarGraves and Lionel still make products that are backward-compatible with the original American Flyer products. Click on the main Resources button to find retailers that still carry or trade original American Flyer products, along with auctions sites such as eBay and discussion forums such as Groups.io. There are also companies and individuals who will perform repairs on your American Flyer products, if needed.