Plastic Heavyweight Baggage Passenger Cars by A.C. Gilbert

Prototype Info

Era:

heavyweight

Car Type:

baggage

Doors:

Windows:

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer

Road Number(s):

732

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

732

Gauge:

Introduced:

1950

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

Lighted:

Online Article:

Has Photos

Notes:

This is an operating car (baggage cubes are dropped off). It was produced in both red and green versions (painted and not-painted green in 1953 and 1954). The operating side of the car shows the car's number on the ends, and the other side shows "American Flyer" and the car number centered in between the two fixed doors.

Prototype Info

Era:

heavyweight

Car Type:

baggage

Doors:

Windows:

Road Name:

fantasy: FY&PRR

Road Number(s):

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24730

Gauge:

Introduced:

1959

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

Lighted:

Online Article:

Has Photos

Notes:

The model was produced through 1960 in three variations:
1. early 1959: painted yellow over a black body; lacks the words "American Flyer Lines" on the sides; "Overland Express" logo is on the right-hand side of the car.
2. has yellow plastic sides and ends without door crossbracing, or with crossbracing.
3. has yellow painted sides and ends; has no crossbracing on the doors and the words "American Flyer Lines" are on the left side of the car, with the "Overland Express" logo is on the right.

Here is a bit of history behind the #(247)30. 1959 was the 50th anniversary of American Flyer and the #(247)30 was used as one of many promotional items that year. There were three ways to obtain the car:
1. One could buy the car for $6.98 at an American Flyer dealer.
2. A special joint promotion between Gilbert (American Flyer) and Post Cereals involved the purchase of Alpha Bits®, Sugar Crisp®, or Grape Nuts Flakes®. Shown on the box in the photo is the original artwork of the Alpha Bits® that shows the end flap that contained a coupon that could be removed and redeemed at an American Flyer dealer for one free #(247)30 car with the purchase of the #20550 set.
3. Purchase a #20550 Frontiersman Passenger set and pick up a #(247)30 car in a specially-marked package that contained the blue coupon as shown in the photo. The dealer would then remove the coupon and one would get the car for free.

The background model is an example of the first variation. The middle one is one of the second variation without door crossbracing, and the foreground one is an example of one with the door crossbracing. The special blue coupon, described above, is shown on the box in the center.

This is the braced-door variation.

This is the non-braced-door variation.