Freight Cars - 400 Series

All 400 series freight cars are lightweight pressed steel designs.

472 Army Unloading Car

When used with a contact rail, the platform swings out to the side and tilts down, allowing the vehicle to roll off.  This design was carried over basically unchanged to the S gauge line, as 715.

All of these operating cars had a spring attached to the body which extended out to touch the contact rail.  The springs are easily damaged and usually need to be replaced.  The S gauge cars, of course, used either a two-contact plate underneath one truck, or a spring-loaded finger extending to one side.  This was the only real change to the 472 and 474.

The 472 came with a Tootsietoy armored car, which is very difficult to find.  

"These are the days when Uncle Sam is motorizing cavalry..."

474 Dump Car

This design was carried over basically unchanged to the S gauge line, as 716.

This may be an original spring. ??

476 Gondola

478 Box Car

480 Tank Car

The 480 seems to be the only freight car that came in two different paint schemes.   First, there's the orange tank with black frame, lettered Shell.

Then there's the less common silver tank with blue frame, and no lettering.

481 Crane Car

482 Log Car

The log car has the car number and "American Flyer Lines" lettered on the load.

Preposterous, but true.

483 Girder Car

The same holds for the girder car.  These are hard to find in good condition.

484 Caboose

The 484 is very common.  It's also too large for 3/16" scale, for some reason.





Comparison of three cabooses: (L to R)  The 484 is noticeably bigger than the diecast 516, which is bigger than the 630.

484L Lighted Caboose

Same as the 484, but the body has window shades.  And a light socket, of course.

This particular car came with two pickup shoes.  That may not be original.

486 Hopper

The prewar hopper has operating doors, which can be manually opened and closed with a small metal crank on one side.

488 Searchlight Car

Also listed as the Army Searchlight Car.