Plastic Lightweight Combine (Baggage/Coach) Passenger Cars by A.C. Gilbert

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Notes:

These models were produced through 1952, in 6 variations:
1950: black plastic body, painted aluminum chrome
1951: black plastic body, painted aluminum chrome
1952: common plastic aluminum chrome.
1952: shiny lacquer-type chrome over a black plastic body.
1952: dull lacquer-type chrome over a black plastic body.
1952: satin-silver painted body (extremely rare).

1950 variation. The car in the foreground has the passenger door stamped on the wrong end (reportedly only four such factory-errors were sold to the public).

The correct version.

The same as in photo #1, but the models are swapped.

This is another example of the factory-error version with the baggage door on the wrong end.

Refinishing and Transforming the Car

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

960

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

960

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1953

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

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Notes:

This model was produced through 1954 in four variations (these don't have a color band):
1953: black, white, or cream body with chrome finish.
1954: black or white body painted a satin silver.
1954: black body with a chrome finish that was painted satin silver.
1954: white body with a chrome finish that was painted satin silver; "baggage" was painted over and the car was re-lettered with "American Flyer Lines".

This is an example of the first variation.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

960

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

960B

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1954

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

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Notes:

The model was produced through 1955 in only one variation. It has a satin silver painted finish over a black body and a blue color band (the "B" in the model number).

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

960

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

960G

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1955

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

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Notes:

This model was only produced in 1955 in only one variation. It has a satin silver painted finish over a black body and a dark green band (the "G" in the model number).

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

960

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

960O

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1956

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

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Notes:

This model was produced through 1957 in two variations, both of a black body painted a satin-silver color with an orange band (the "O" in the model number):
1956: uses a metal nameplate for the "960 Columbus 960".
1957: has "960 Columbus 960" stamped directly on the body.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

960

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

960R

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1954

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

This model was produced through 1958 in two variations, both of a black body painted a satin-silver color with an red band (the "R" in the model number):
1954-56: uses a metal nameplate for the "960 Columbus 960".
1957-58: has "960 Columbus 960" stamped directly on the body.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

960

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

960S

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1954

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

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Notes:

The model was produced only in 1954 in three variations. It has a satin silver painted finish over a black body and a silver color band (the "S" in the model number).
1. white or black body painted silver.
2. chrome body painted silver.
3. black body painted silver (very rare); it is a factory-modified 1952 #500 car; "baggage" was painted over and re-lettered "American Flyer Lines"; the #500 nameplate was reversed and marked "960 Columbus 960"; the link couplers were converted to knuckle couplers.

This is an example of the first variation.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

962

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

960C

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1954

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

This model was only produced in 1954 in three variations, all with a chestnut-colored band (the "C" in the model number):
1. satin-silver-painted finish over a black body.
2. satin-silver-painted finish over a white body.
3. painted satin silver over a chrome-finished white body.

An example of the second variation. However, this particular model is a factory-error car, as it has an incorrect nameplate that reads "962 hamilton 962" instead of "960 columbus 960".

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

24773

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24773

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1957

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Supplemental Part:

Notes:

This model was produced through 1958, and again from 1960 through 1962, in two variations. The first variation has "24773" illuminated in the last window. The second variation has an illuminated "24843" in the last window. The latter is a factory error as the window insert used on this variation was the same used on the 1958 #24843 Northern Pacific Combine Car. Could it be this variation was produced in 1958, or was it produced in 1960-62 when Gilbert was attempting to use old inventory of parts?

An example of the second variation.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

24776

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24776

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1959

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

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Notes:

This model has an orange stripe.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

fantasy: American Flyer Lines

Road Number(s):

24867

Car Name:

Columbus

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24867

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1958

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

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Notes:

This model was produced through 1960. It has a silver body color with a red stripe.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

Missouri Pacific (MP)

Road Number(s):

24856

Car Name:

Eagle Hill

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24856

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1958

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Online Article:

Has Photo

Supplemental Part:

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Notes:

This was part of set #20475 only produced in 1958. This version had the blue stripe go over the doors. The set was re-released in 1963 and 1964 as #20767, in which the stripe stopped at the doors.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

Northern Pacific (NP)

Road Number(s):

24843

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24843

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1958

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Online Article:

Has Photo

Supplemental Part:

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Notes:

These were a part of set #20445.

Prototype Info

Era:

lightweight

Car Type:

combine (baggage/coach)

Doors:

2

Windows:

6

Road Name:

Union Pacific (UP)

Road Number(s):

24837

Model Manufacturer Info

Manufacturer:

A.C. Gilbert

Manufacturer ID:

24837

Gauge:

AF

Introduced:

1959

Product Type:

plastic

Finish:

painted & lettered

Wheels:

hi-rail

Couplers:

AF

Lighted:

yes

Supplemental Part:

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