{"id":791,"date":"2021-03-13T02:39:18","date_gmt":"2021-03-13T02:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/?p=791"},"modified":"2021-08-14T15:33:25","modified_gmt":"2021-08-14T15:33:25","slug":"fixing-my-dads-1952-american-flyer-train-set","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/2021\/03\/13\/fixing-my-dads-1952-american-flyer-train-set\/","title":{"rendered":"Fixing my Dad&#8217;s 1952 American Flyer Train Set"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1952<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4904T American Flyer Three Car Freight<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>American Flyer Locomotive 282 and Tender, 639 Box Car, 640 Hopper Car, 638 Caboose<\/li><li>75 Watt Transformer, 12 Curve Track, 2 Straight Track, 706 Remote Control Uncoupler, 690 Track Terminal, Smoke Capsule and Funnel, Illustrated Train Book<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During quarantine decided to surprise my Dad and get his childhood train set running again. I remember playing with the train as a kid, but at some point it broke and sat in my parents basement for 20 or so years. I was able to sneak it out and being diagnosing the issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luckily there is a YouTube video (https:\/\/youtu.be\/XQIJWTjP6Ks) that walked through the exact engine my Dad had, and all the common issues, so following those I was able to determine any parts that needed to be cleaned\/replaced, and was able to get it back running again. Biggest issues were in the tender, which has mechanical component for putting the train in forward\/neutral\/reverse, that uses tiny conductive  fingers and gravity to operate.  There is also  ton of American Flyer parts on eBay for cheap, so fixing the train was relatively inexpensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The transformer also needed to be fixed, replaced the power cord (great resource on transformer: <a href=\"https:\/\/dfarq.homeip.net\/all-about-the-lionel-rw-transformer\/\">https:\/\/dfarq.homeip.net\/all-about-the-lionel-rw-transformer<\/a>), and a copper control arm that controlled the throttle also needed to be replaced. Cleaned up the track with white vinegar and steal wool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"March 12, 2021\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/z-RYwapQLdQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>My girls playing with it at my Dads! With it&#8217;s analog nature it&#8217;s very easy to operate and very approachable vs. modern dcc trains.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"March 12, 2021\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/f-l-siJOoEQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>Test run on the floor of my apartment after fixing locomotive and cleaning track.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63294456314__D7204CD3-C4F5-40FC-885F-D8F74D62DA9B-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"792\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/?attachment_id=792\" class=\"wp-image-792\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63294456314__D7204CD3-C4F5-40FC-885F-D8F74D62DA9B-768x1023.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63294456314__D7204CD3-C4F5-40FC-885F-D8F74D62DA9B-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63294456314__D7204CD3-C4F5-40FC-885F-D8F74D62DA9B.jpg 806w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63322111907__4AF2C03F-C49D-41C4-8704-0227AAD10165-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"793\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/?attachment_id=793\" class=\"wp-image-793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63322111907__4AF2C03F-C49D-41C4-8704-0227AAD10165-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63322111907__4AF2C03F-C49D-41C4-8704-0227AAD10165-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63322111907__4AF2C03F-C49D-41C4-8704-0227AAD10165-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63322111907__4AF2C03F-C49D-41C4-8704-0227AAD10165-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/63322111907__4AF2C03F-C49D-41C4-8704-0227AAD10165-scaled.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">This copper finger was broken and had to be replaced.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8871-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"794\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/?attachment_id=794\" class=\"wp-image-794\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8871-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8871-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8871-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8871.jpg 1432w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8872-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"795\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/?attachment_id=795\" class=\"wp-image-795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8872-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8872-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8872-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8872.jpg 1432w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8962-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"796\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/?attachment_id=796\" class=\"wp-image-796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8962-768x1023.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8962-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8962.jpg 806w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"744\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8869-1024x744.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"799\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/2021\/03\/13\/fixing-my-dads-1952-american-flyer-train-set\/img_8869\/\" class=\"wp-image-799\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8869-1024x744.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8869-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8869-768x558.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8869.jpg 1479w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/American-Flyer-Locomotive-282-catalog.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"804\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/American-Flyer-Locomotive-282-catalog.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/2021\/03\/13\/fixing-my-dads-1952-american-flyer-train-set\/american-flyer-locomotive-282-catalog\/\" class=\"wp-image-804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/American-Flyer-Locomotive-282-catalog.jpg 723w, https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/American-Flyer-Locomotive-282-catalog-300x164.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1952 4904T American Flyer Three Car Freight American Flyer Locomotive 282 and Tender, 639 Box Car, 640 Hopper Car, 638 Caboose 75 Watt Transformer, 12 Curve Track, 2 Straight Track,&hellip;<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/2021\/03\/13\/fixing-my-dads-1952-american-flyer-train-set\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":924,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[94,91,93,96,92,95,33],"class_list":["post-791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-personal","tag-94","tag-91","tag-american-flyer","tag-chicago-north-western","tag-cnw","tag-gilbert","tag-website"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":870,"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions\/870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nleby.com\/longform\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}