Page#3 UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Discovering American Flyer
Then the one that really caught my attention in that huge department store world filled with every toy and, of course trains ...it WAS the MOST realistic looking of everything there... puffing smoke, a chuff-chuff-chuff sound preceding each puff of smoke trailing from the smoke stack, the heavy rumbling sounds as trains passed in both directions, lighted passenger cars with people in the windows, carried towards unknown destinations, and the clickity-clack of the following cars trailing off as they hurried on down the track.
And then...the beckoning wailing of a steam engine whistle blowing it's song, a familiar pattern. Oh and that wonderful scent of the smoke tickled my nostrils. What cinched it though was the realistic looking track, silver-gray with flat top, a real T rail profile and only two rails, not three like all the others! If that was not enough reality, the great looking 2-rail track was nestled in gray roadbed. I grabbed the sleeve of the nearest salesman, yanking it urgently like a bell Cord. Looking up exclaimed: " Wow that looks so real, its beautiful, and the two rail track its like a real railroad, what is this?" The Salesman, following the source of impatient yanking smiled, proudly I think, and said: "Young man, THAT is AMERICAN FLYER!"
American Flyer had me hook, line and sinker right then and there! It would be over another looong year before I would get my American Flyer set, they were not cheap and my parents could not afford to pamper the impulsive needs of a child who already had several Marx toy trains. But I had seen the Grail, tasted the sweet nectar of fantasies and dreams encouraged by "realistic" looking AC Gilbert American flyer "toy" trains.
Next installment: how I worked for my 1st. American Flyer train set......
Discovering American Flyer
Then the one that really caught my attention in that huge department store world filled with every toy and, of course trains ...it WAS the MOST realistic looking of everything there... puffing smoke, a chuff-chuff-chuff sound preceding each puff of smoke trailing from the smoke stack, the heavy rumbling sounds as trains passed in both directions, lighted passenger cars with people in the windows, carried towards unknown destinations, and the clickity-clack of the following cars trailing off as they hurried on down the track.
And then...the beckoning wailing of a steam engine whistle blowing it's song, a familiar pattern. Oh and that wonderful scent of the smoke tickled my nostrils. What cinched it though was the realistic looking track, silver-gray with flat top, a real T rail profile and only two rails, not three like all the others! If that was not enough reality, the great looking 2-rail track was nestled in gray roadbed. I grabbed the sleeve of the nearest salesman, yanking it urgently like a bell Cord. Looking up exclaimed: " Wow that looks so real, its beautiful, and the two rail track its like a real railroad, what is this?" The Salesman, following the source of impatient yanking smiled, proudly I think, and said: "Young man, THAT is AMERICAN FLYER!"American Flyer had me hook, line and sinker right then and there! It would be over another looong year before I would get my American Flyer set, they were not cheap and my parents could not afford to pamper the impulsive needs of a child who already had several Marx toy trains. But I had seen the Grail, tasted the sweet nectar of fantasies and dreams encouraged by "realistic" looking AC Gilbert American flyer "toy" trains.
Next installment: how I worked for my 1st. American Flyer train set......
