Model Train Journal

There are a lot of American Flyer S gauge Hudsons and K5s from 1946-47 out there, in sub-collector condition. Stampings worn off, paint trashed; but the underlying castings are in restorable condition. It would be nice to give these models a second life.

In addition to stripping and cleaning the castings, one could fill in the boiler e-unit lever slot, and hole in the tender coal pile. Then, paint with good-quality paint, and stamp with prototypical markings and numbers. The engine shell could then be mounted to a smoke-in-boiler chassis, or the original chassis, with the e-unit lever turned down. A switch could be wired to the e-unit coil, and placed in the cab. There should be room for a whistle speaker, behind the e-unit.

It should be possible to cut or replace the smoke-in-tender fluid filler tube, to fit under the tender shell. The shell could then be fitted with a quick-release from the chassis, for adding smoke fluid. It might also be possible to re-route the rubber smoke tube to the smoke stack under the tender deck. This would clean up the area between the cab and tender, and allow plugging the tender front. Maybe, one could even synch the smoke motor to the engine motion. If one could do that, one might also create a reasonable sounding blower, for the e-unit neutral position.

I have an S-gauge Hudson "frankenstein" that I cobbled together from bits a long time ago. I had it wired to run forward-only for awhile, but than a couple of the tires fell off the rims and it's been sitting up on the shelf ever since. Another project I may never get to...

Healey

healey36 wrote:I have an S-gauge Hudson "frankenstein" that I cobbled together from bits a long time ago. I had it wired to run forward-only for awhile, but than a couple of the tires fell off the rims and it's been sitting up on the shelf ever since.

I've used epoxy with good results, in such situations. S gauge goes great, with Hot Wheels cars.

It should be the perfect compromise scale. A little heft yet not to big. I think s gauge got a bum deal

double post

robert. wrote:It should be the perfect compromise scale. A little heft yet not to big. I think s gauge got a bum deal

I agree to a certain extent.. They helped to create it. Prewar they had o gauge the same size as Lionel. Then they came out with 3/16 o gauge. Post war 3/16 o gauge became S scale. A lot of incapability.

robert. wrote:It should be the perfect compromise scale. A little heft yet not to big. I think s gauge got a bum deal

As a kid, I remember S gauge seeming very much like HO. It wasn't until I started buying trains to clean, fix and resell that I came to appreciate Flyer S gauge. It has the scale realism of HO, and the lights, bells and whistles of Lionel.

I don't think so much that S gauge got a bum deal, but that Gilbert shot themselves in the foot in a number of ways.

Here's the 1946-47 smoke-in-tender unit:



Full size photo: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/11285375694868231/filePointer/11285375710895404/fodoid/11285375710895397/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/2012-2461-AF-smoke-in-tender%20with%20bellows.jpg

This one needs wiring work, and bellows repair. One can also replace the bellows with a cylinder and piston. Gilbert made a retrofit kit for this, but they're hard to find, now. It's easy enough to make your own, especially if you have a lathe. I've done it.

Port Lines Hobby Supplies makes them, too:



Full size photo: https://www.portlines.com/images/SnS%20SIT%20Can%20&%20CYLINDER.JPG

This one even has a replacement motor. I've not run across a Flyer smoke motor I couldn't fix, but it's nice to know this is available. If you're handy with electronics, I think it should be possible to mount a motion detector to a tender axle. When the engine's not moving, such as when the e-unit is in neutral position, a timer circuit could run the motor briefly every few seconds, to simulate a blower.