A.C. Gilbert fantasy: American Flyer Circus General Service Flat Cars

The rarest car, which was only produced for two months in 1950, after which the design was changed. This version held the load in place using riveted box car door guides instead of the later wooden blocks.

This is the next rarest version, which is the red body color also produced in 1950 and used a wooden block to secure the cages and truck load.

Due to the Korean War in 1952 and early-1953, material shortages forced A.C. Gilbert to produce the car using, what is commonly referred to as, pressed wood for the car body. The pressed wood variation lacks the details such as steps and brackets on the side. The substitution did create some issues, such as paint not adhering to the pressed wood bodies. Once the paint chipped off, it exposed a brown/tan chassis that is typical of the pressed wood version.

The most common version is the yellow die-cast model with a wooden block to secure the cages and truck. It was produced from 1950 through 1953.

The 1950 red version with its load.

The pressed wood version with its load.

The common die-cast version with its load.

A scan from the 1950 catalog, which shows the very rare yellow version.

A scan from the 1953 catalog.