I have 3 favorites, but the BEST favorite is the NP set, followed by the MP set, and lastly the WP set.I had the MP set as a kid back in 1963-64, but that one is long gone.

 

I love them all but asking for a favorite is like asking which is my favorite child. There isn't one!

 

I was fond of the Silver Flash set, but not the prices being asked for them. I settled for the Lionel reproduction.

Also added RailSounds to the B unit, liberated from a Flyonel B unit bought at a swap...

Rusty

 

And why not? The repos are beautiful and affordable.

 

I know, I have a soft spot in my heart for the “Pine Tree” myself. Your photo really shows it off. Can’t we just imagine what it was like when the designer at Gilbert proposed a streamliner in BROWN tones? Even in the catalog photos, the Silver Flash set never looked great, but when seen in person, it is a knockout!

 

Looks like I am the oddball in the crowd. If I could have just one passenger set it would be a red four car heavyweight set pulled by a Hudson. Close second would be a green heavyweight set behind a Northern. Setting those aside, my favorite from the knuckle coupler era is the PA/PB/PA NP set with 5 coaches on the cover of the 1956 catalog. Right behind that would be the Santa Fe set with the red stripe coaches. To my eyes, there was always something off about the color and decorating on the Gilbert UP set. However, American Models got it right. The AM E8 pulling the Budd coaches in the correct Armour Yellow looks fantastic. Lionel got the Santa Fe PA's right when they released them in the Legacy version, but the UP still seems off to me. The Silver Flash set on Rusty's layout is excellent as made by Lionel.

 

I guess I should of stipulated “Streamliners,” but you are right. Actually, one of my fondest memories as a young teen, was when I set up a long loop in the hallway of my folks house and at night, with the lights off, would run my 336 with a set of red 900 series Heavyweights. I can remember lying on the floor, my face close to the track, watching the train approach and then disappearing into the darkness, with the loco & car lights on. As a kid, I never had a streamlined set, but I sure loved the heavyweights and still do.

 

We all have failed to mention the beautiful Rocket set with the green overtones. I have, at last count, I believe 5 complete sets. I almost popped on another one yesterday at a train show.

 

I also have a 474/475 Rocket set as my favorite. I got a very nice set a couple of years ago. I didn't realize there were hoarders like flyernut. No wonder it took so long to get one...

I'm not really an O gauge fan but I did acquire recently a very cheap Lionel 2553 A-B-A. Not really a set, but maybe down the road. I'm currently getting it running. A good story about my Lionel stuff later. I'm off to Jury Duty this week. First time in 35 years.

 

I think you mean 2353, which was the Santa Fe F3 number, I believe in 1952 & 1953. They were built like TANKS! As much as I love AF, once you have worked on those Lionel’s, where most everything comes apart with machine screws and everything is just SO heavy duty, you really get an appreciation of why the company outsold AF so much in the post war years. I believe the ratio was 6 to 1. I remember the first time I pulled the cab off a 2353 and just marveled at the massive motors, trucks, die-cast frame, etc. Unbelievably high quality “toys.”

 

Mine is anything pulled by a New York Central Hudson. The ultimate for me would be a Royal Blue passenger in S like the scale O gauge pre war version. I am currently working on a Royal Blue passenger in S. Gathering together streamline cars that are just bad enough to warrant a repaint.

 

Oh same here re the Royal Blue... I would probably do two consists, one with the Osgoode-Bradley cars to match the pre-war consist and one with the streamliners.

 

I did mention my favorite Streamliner set is the 1956 NP. I do have one in "7" condition, no boxes. I rarely run it these days. Back in the early 1990's when we lived in Wheaton, Il about 4 miles from the DuPage Fairgrounds I was always near the front of the line to get in. There was a seller who had a complete 5685RH NP set. All the OB's, the SB and most paper was in it. It appeared to be an "E" to me but the seller claimed it as "E+". Unlike Streamliner's $25 purchase, this person wanted $5,200 for it, in 1992! He brought that set to over a years worth of shows, not sure if he ever sold it.

 

That was a typo on the Santa Fe, it is a 2353. The Lionel engines are so much heavier then American Flyer. I couldn't believe the difference.
It ran poorly until I gave it a good cleaning. It was running well until the reverse unit crapped out. I have new fingers on the way along with the round barrel. The plastic end of the barrel has worn away-it keeps popping out.
While waiting for the new parts I got its horn working by taking it apart and cleaning it.
I'm using my AF transformers as I only have Lionel rolling stock (engines & cars & track).
I'm looking for a way to blow the whistle (736 Berkshire) and the horn (Santa Fe's). I might have to look for a Lionel transformer with that feature.

 

That was a typo on the Santa Fe, it is a 2353. The Lionel engines are so much heavier then American Flyer. I couldn't believe the difference.
It ran poorly until I gave it a good cleaning. It was running well until the reverse unit crapped out. I have new fingers on the way along with the round barrel. The plastic end of the barrel has worn away-it keeps popping out.
While waiting for the new parts I got its horn working by taking it apart and cleaning it.
I'm using my AF transformers as I only have Lionel rolling stock (engines & cars & track).
I'm looking for a way to blow the whistle (736 Berkshire) and the horn (Santa Fe's). I might have to look for a Lionel transformer with that feature.

Getting that drum in the E-unit is tricky and takes some patience & THREE hands. I’m sure there is probably a YouTube video on how to do it and you should look for it. Good luck.

 

I received a 310 PRR K5 for Christmas 1949. Later a Comet with a couple of passenger cars - don't remember if they were blue stripe or not. Then in about 1955 Santa brought a 360 AB with a later B unit and dummy A plus a few more silver cars. Alas, my childhood 'dream set' could barely haul its own 4 units around the track, much less with 5 or 6 cars in tow. Was always glad that Santa brought the 2 rail trains however and after a few more Christmases and birthdays, I traded all of my Flyer stuff for a cheap electric guitar and amp!
In 1987 I opened a hobby shop just north of New Orleans and in the 2nd year a fella walked in one Saturday wanting to be an 'Official' Lionel Service Station. We did and he still has it now as the only SS in Louisiana. Uncle Sam's Trains #224
Continued...

 

Well, another kid who loved trains & bought a hobby shop! So did I. I bought mine in 1975. It had been started in 1946. The original owner sold it after four years, the second owner had it 20 years, the third had it five years and I had it for 32 years. I sold it in 2007 and the new guys had it for eight years and went bankrupt.

I was so blessed being able to make a career doing something I loved. I’m still chasing old trains all these years later.

 

Uncle Sam's Trains continued
As we built up a decent train inventory of mostly Lionel a dater Weaver, Williams, and Mikes Train House I became aware of the vast difference in quality, performance, and durability in the Lionel products. When handling something like a GG1, an F3, a Trainmaster or especially a big steamer like the 726 Berkshire I doubt as a 5 yr old I could have hefted one from shelf to track without getting hurt!

 

Looks like brokersam needed to lay some more track for that 310 Pacific.
Despite the Lionel Trains sign appended to the artistic SP Daylight, I can attest that some Gilbert and Lionel AF trains could be found in Allied. It sometimes took a little searching.

 

Getting back to Flyer streamliners, I'm gonna go outside the lines a bit and also nominate the Lionel/Flyer C&O set as one of my favorites. It's just so darn good lookin':

(Posed on my old scale railroad)

Rusty

 

Looks good!

 

I have all 4 aluminum cars I have to say those are my favorite.

 

Not sure if there is a actual set but if talking fantasy set City of NewOrleans would be mine Illinois central for obvious reasons a big Arlo fan

 

I was always intrigued with the 1954 only K5418T "Black Diamond" passenger set. Headed by a simple 303 Atlantic, it pulled three chestnut brown windowed streamline cars. Sort of a poor man's streamliner in its day. Little did the fellows at Gilbert know, these passenger cars would later be one of the most desired streamlined cars offered.
Interesting as well, this train came with a vista-dome, where the Silver Flash set (also with only three cars) had a coach instead.
I finally found the Black Diamond passenger cars at a train show last year, mating them to a 303 Atlantic I already had. Though the cars have seen a rough life in their past 70-years, these are my holy grail until I locate better examples.

 

I believe I actually rode the Black Diamond when I was around 4 or 5.

 

I might be the odd man out on this passenger train thing. I don't own any streamline sets any more. My favorite is any of my link Hudson's pulling my set of Olive colored Pullman cars. Second choice would be a set of my green Heavy Weights. I have several cars. I do have the red ones but don't run them too much. I also have a set of Tuscan colored coaches that I will sometimes put behind one my 312AC Pacific I converted to knuckle, or a 313 or a 316. I like the trailing truck Pacific versions for passenger trains. Don't anybody panic over my 312 conversion. I have 4 other variations of the 312 as produced.
I almost bought a 1957 Northern Pacific passenger set with the 490 and 492 twin PA's with 4 extra coaches, two of which were dome cars. I've always liked the colors of the Northern Pacific. The price was the problem. The seller wanted 700.00. It was a grade 7 set with a few scratch marks on the lower skirt of 3 of the cars. He had the original set box but no individual boxes. Home made dividers. As I have stated before, I am not a card board buyer so I would have bought the set if the seller would have come off the the 700.00 price but he kept reminding me that original set box was included. The box was in good shape. Getting the set with the box would have been a bonus had he come down, but price was the over all determining factor.

Kenny