American Flyer Trio in action

[@H.pylori]

Nice! Reminds me of my layout 50 years ago. I had the New Haven diesel-electric engine and the basic steam locomotive without smoke. Had a two track system with town, tunnels, and switches. Had the two handle control transformer. Layout was placed on our old ping pong table. I had that same GULF Oil car, the switch tower, and the water tank. Also had three action cars, the oil barrel car, the milk car, and the lumber unloader. I used the small Christmas tree lights to illuminate the houses. Loved it all. Then when I left home I packed it all up. When I was told to move my "stuff" out, I kept the boxes for a while, then finally sold everything on ebay. I got $50 for the New Haven engine. Now I see it for up to $125. Your setup is a lot more sophisticated than mine. Thanks for posting.

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for the comment. It's fun to hear others memories of their train sets. I also had one of the New Haven diesels when I was a kid, I thought the color scheme was too garish so I repainted it. Yeah, if it was original paint now it would be worth MUCH more!

[@michaelgmoore5708]

Really fun layout and nice American Flyer Trains too. Great lights for a Christmas layout!

[@MrZlooze]

It is a joy to observe your layout!

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for the kind comment!

[@josephschuster1494]

Wonderful video with smooth-running AF trains! Thank you! 🚂

[@raylroads]

Great ending. Loved the nighttime shots.

[@turdferguson4124]

Nice layout. That’s a lot of trains and equipment running off those two smallish transformers.

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for the comment. You're right about the two transformers. There's a larger one under the layout that runs most of the accessories. I have a larger dual transformer on the shelf that I'm planning to use to replace the two small ones. A major project because of other changes I want to make to wiring. It's a real rats nest under the table!

[@flyerjunction]

What a nice video! Lots of fun to watch. You have a very nice train layout. The trains run nice and smooth. I especially like the customized locomotives and the custom loads on the flat cars. Do you have any future plans for your layout? Can you create a video with the accessories operating? Thank you for sharing.

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Cool running session.

[@johngilson3500]

I love your video and layout!!! My Dad had an American Flyer layout and I loved running his passenger trains. I had received a Frontiersman Coach for Christmas in 1959 and I've loved the Frontiersman Passenger sets ever since. My Dad had four Atlantics and both a green and a red New Haven passenger set. He also had quite a few freight cars. I have a smal S scale American Flyer Polar Express layout with O scale buildings and my Frontiersman Passenger train on a sideing next to a large MTH train station. Thanks for sharing your excellent layout!!! ❤🚂🚃🚃🚃❤

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for taking the time to comment! Many happy AF memories. I got my start with Flyer many years ago with hand-me-down sets from older brother and a cousin. Didn't have any passenger cars then so the best I could do was string some cabooses together and call it a passenger train. Somehow managed to hang on to the equipment over the years and finally hauled it out a few years ago. Then I discovered ebay........Oh my! Hope to make some more videos at some point.

[@michaelgmoore5708]

Great Hudson and red Heavyweights.

[@willamettevalleyAFtrains]

I like your lumber load and log load as well as the SP bay window caboose in the consist with your SP 290.

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks! I grew up in the Eugene area so SP was about all I saw back then. The caboose is one of the few "flyonel" cars I have. The 290 belonged to my older brother and I repainted it to SP back in my teen years. It now has a half speed can motor and a Dalee rev unit and runs really well even though the axles are getting pretty sloppy! Really enjoy seeing your videos.

[@christianbacheler7387]

Very nice layout, and action!

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for watching and your comment. It was fun putting the video together.

[@davesaftrains4368]

Very nice layout and collection. I like - trains operated at scale speed, including on grade changes - combining over/under trackage at tunnels - impressive rolling stock and passenger coach collections, my 650’s had to be painted, yours appear to be green plastic, nice - green boxcar at head of consist whose role is daily wayside freight? I do the same type consist with my pullmans, extra freight - pretty consistent smoke - layout complexity, any chance you could post some “top down”, drone flyby photos - night operations - wreck at the end, I fully expected a crane car to be backed in! Congratulations and thanks for sharing, DavesAFTrains

[@centoreflyer5969]

Dave thanks for the comments! I've watched and enjoyed quite a few of your videos. Thanks for putting them up. The 650's are a mixed bag from ebay and elsewhere. Some of them look pretty good, others not so much. I definitely fall into the "operator" category. It's fun to run a mixed train up to the industrial area at Summit to carry the workers and supply the log loader, coal loader and the "box factory". An overview of the layout is a good idea. I'll keep that in mind but don't hold your breath since I don't do too much work on the layout in the summer months. It would be fun to chat with you more about Flyer, I really enjoy cleaning them up and getting them running again. Rod

[@charlesmoore4606]

Nice layout.

[@MarkWick]

I enjoyed this video except the very end. I had too many wrecks in my two previous times in my life when I built and ran American Flyer layouts. I am just starting to get together AG equipment to build another layout.

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for commenting. The "train wreck" was unplanned but I thought it made a good ending. Fortunately Gilbert built their trains rugged enough to stand up to rough play. That particular loco was handed down from my older brother when I was a kid and has been through countless derailments. Best of luck with your new layout, post some progress vids.

[@MarkWick]

@@centoreflyer5969 I have a KZbin which if primarily my Adventures With American Flyer Trains and covers my layout from the beginning to now.

[@TwistedMacGyversTrains]

I absolutely love your authentic American flyer platform. It screams American flyer and this is exactly what I want to capture when I start my platform. You run your trains at the perfect scale speed which is the icing on the cake. I noticed on the outerloop you have the wider radius curves. These are so difficult to locate. This is the only part that’s holding me up from creating my American flyer masterpiece. Thank you for making this wonderful video and sharing it with the world! Could you please tell the size of your layout? 😊. Frank

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks so much for the wonderful comment! I see you list an email address on your profile, I'll try responding further with that. BTW, layout is 6'X16"

[@-MAILMAN]

Absolutely wonderful layout. 👍👍👍👍 Have you thought about using a 761 semaphore (and a lockout eliminator so you don't need to lock the reverse unit) to insure the trains on the outside loop never catch one another? Did you use the wide radius curves in the tunnel as well? Nice blend of "rail fan" and switching operations of the AF accessories.😀 Have you completed more of the scenery?

[@michaelgmoore5708]

The two small transformers are 100W each? Pretty good if you run only 2 trains at a time. Accessories only draw intermittent power.

[@michaelgmoore5708]

I love that layout, I am a fanatic for keeping link coupler trains stock. Conversions don't look or work work well with heavy trains. They are too light on the curves and derail. I have videos of 16 to 19 link coupler trains and proper adjustment is everything. The coupler bar must be parallel with axles to stay coupled. I run an engine in reverse pushing the caboose. That way nothing comes uncoupled or derails with even more than 20 cars. Looks great and can go 100 mph scale speed really easily.

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for the comment, glad you like it. Since this video was made I recently re-installed the link couplers on a string of 650 New Haven passenger cars. I like the way they couple much closer together with the link couplers.

[@michaelgmoore5708]

Great reply, we are on the same track ha,ha. Yes I bought 5 New Haven style cars and a 652 Pullman for a 282 Pacific that is being rewired and rebuild just like it was when new. All original type parts. All new pins in the NH cars and the original screws are in the Pullman. The cars look Exc+ now.

[@davesaftrains4368]

I would be interested amp load or draw. If you have ammeters between the power supply and railhead operate one train at a time (without then with consist), describe the locomotive number, do a fly over of the railhead, set and describe power setting, describe the power supply, film the ammeter, narrate the location of the train (switch, grade change (incline, decline), left turn, right turn, straight), compare amp draw against factory service amp draw boundaries with number in consist test by Gilbert, thanks for considering this.

[@paulmatulavich7321]

Sweet video. How 'bout some closeup coverage of your various structures, homes, gas station, etc?

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for the comment. I've been meaning to get out there with the cameras, maybe this will get me motivated. I've added a couple things to the layout since this video was posted

[@paulmatulavich7321]

@@centoreflyer5969 Yes, some of us would like to see how you added those lights to illuminate the plasticville buildings at night. Great job!

[@karljohnson2201]

Hi, I love the layout, can you say what the overall size is ? It's great, I am about to build a small layout and am looking for ideas. I enjoy the older AF trains as well as the new ones ! Thank you

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks for the comment. The layout is 6' X 16', made up of four 4' X 6' benches put together. There are two loops: the inner oval with the yard area and the passenger terminal and the outer loop which is sort of a folded dog bone which goes up the grade to the upper level. I hope to get back to working on it this winter. Best of luck with your layout!

[@michaelgmoore5708]

One of the best layouts an night scenes I have ever seen. And with Real Gilbert American flyer train, not that out of scale ugly S gauge stuff that looks like O gauge. . .

[@centoreflyer5969]

Thanks much for the comment. I mostly like to keep to a pre-1960's era theme. Heaven forbid I would ever run a train without a caboose in it's proper place! Glad you enjoyed the vid.