A.C. Gilbert Western Maryland (WM) Steel, Open-top, 2-bay, Offset Hoppers

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

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Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

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Notes:

This car was produced up through 1965 in three variations. The first variation, produced only in 1960, has either an orange-red or a red painted body with sintered-iron trucks and knuckle couplers. All of the 1961 through 1965 cars have the Pike-Master trucks and couplers. The second variation has a red plastic body. The third variation is painted red over a black plastic body.

Ted Hamler's car is an example of the second variation.

A scan from the 1961 Gilbert catalog.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

801

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Year/Era:

1952

Volume:

1880cuft

Road Name:

Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1956

Road Number(s):

801

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Online Article:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

Even though A.C. Gilbert had switched to their 5-digit numbering system, they were still releasing 800- and 900-series cars, which were part of lower-priced train sets, and not sold separately. The #801 came in two variations, namely the common one and the factory-error one which is double-stamped on one side.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24203

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Year/Era:

1919

Volume:

1880cuft

Road Name:

Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1958

Road Number(s):

24203

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Online Article:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

The #24203 hopper was produced in 1958, and again in 1963 and 1964, for a total of five variations. Three variations, all with sintered-iron truck and knuckle couplers, were produced in 1958. The first of the 1958 variations has a black plastic body. The second has a glossy black painted body, and the third has a marbleized plastic body because traces of white plastic residue were left in the mold. The two remaining variation, both of which were produced in 1963 and 1964, have Pike-Master trucks and couplers. One of those variations has a dull black plastic body while the other has a shinny plastic body.

This is the dull black plastic variation as produced in 1963-4.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24221

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Year/Era:

1945

Road Name:

Chicago & Eastern Illinois (CEI)

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1959

Road Number(s):

24221

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Magazine Article:

S Gaugian, Sep 2006, pg 33 (history about this car)

Online Article:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

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Notes:

This car was also produced in 1960.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

921

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Year/Era:

1947

Volume:

2073cuft

Road Name:

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CBQ)

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1953

Road Number(s):

921

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Online Article:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Notes:

Even though A.C. Gilbert had switched to their 5-digit numbering system, they were still releasing 800- and 900-series cars, which were part of lower-priced train sets, and not sold separately. The #921 was produced up through 1956, with two variations. One variation used either black or white molded-color bodies that were then painted a tuscan-red color. The other variation was a tuscan-painted-over #801 with the faint outlines of the B&O lettering being visible on one side only.

Ted Hamler's car is one of the over-painted variation. This shows the normal or "correct" side.

This photo shows the other side which reveals the faint outline of the B&O lettering visible when the light hits the model just right.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24206

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Year/Era:

1947

Volume:

2073cuft

Road Name:

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CBQ)

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1958

Road Number(s):

24206

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

The #24206 hopper was produced in 1958 only in one variation. It is one of the rarest hoppers made by A.C. Gilbert.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

640

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1949

Road Number(s):

640

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Online Article:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

The car has weights added to the truck. This was standard on the cars with these trucks from 1949 to 1953. This was likely because the cars were too light and/or a bit top-heavy.

This photo clearly shows the shaped metal weights that were embedded in between the sideframes of the trucks.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

632

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Year/Era:

1939

Road Name:

Lehigh & New England (LNE)

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1946

Road Number(s):

632

Product Type:

plastic or metal

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Online Article:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

There were a large number of variations produced of the #632 car. These were produced up through 1952.

In 1946 the black plastic LNE was produced with either diecast bearing journals or without (as found in lower-priced train sets). One variation had the red dot in the logo and the other did not. The illustration shown in the 1946 catalog shows a gray LNE car, but that variation is actually a bluish-gray and the body is made out of diecast metal. There were also two gray plastic-bodied cars released, one with the red dot and one without, and both had thick shank link couplers. The Virginian car came out in that year as well and has no number printed on it. The light-gray diecast metal car, which has diecast bearing journals was actually a repeat of the 1939-41 catalog #508 and K508 (kit version). This car also has four movable bay doors.

In 1947 a dark-gray plastic body version was released that has thick shank link couplers, and a red dot in the logo.

In 1948 there were two plastic body versions released, with one being light-gray and the other being dark-gray. Both had the red dot in the logo and both used link couplers with a brass weight.

From 1949 through 1952 there were two plastic body versions released, with one being light-gray and the other being dark-gray. Both had the red dot in the logo and both used link couplers.

In general, some cars came with weights on their trucks to help them track better.

This photo shows the common 1946 plastic version (many of these acetate bodies warped over time). It sits on a 1946 box, which has the words "Tru-Model" on it. The 1946 Virginian car sits on the later version of the boxes, which has the text "3/16" Scale" on it. In the front is the rather uncommon black version with the red dot in the logo. The other car is the bluish-gray car that was illustrated in the 1946 catalog.

This is the dark-gray version of the cars released from 1949 through 1952.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

940

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Volume:

2120cuft

Road Name:

Wabash (WAB)

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1953

Road Number(s):

940

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Online Article:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

Even though A.C. Gilbert had switched to their 5-digit numbering system, they were still releasing 800- and 900-series cars, which were part of lower-priced train sets, and not sold separately. The #940 car was produced up through 1956 in only one variation. The car can have either Type 8 or 9 sintered-iron side frame trucks and knuckle couplers.

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24213

Prototype Info

Style:

steel, open-top, 2-bay, offset

Year/Era:

1952

Volume:

2120cuft

Road Name:

Wabash (WAB)

Model Info

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1958

Road Number(s):

24213

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Online Article:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Archer Transfer 3D resin rivets #2 (the company recommends O-scale rivets for A.C.G. products)

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part: