Hi Folks;
This crane car was in a collection we recently acquired at the hobby shop, where I work part time. I have never seen this color combination (red body with green boom) before. Most crane cars have a black body with a medium gray boom. Both variations have the medium gray chassis, and both carry the number 644 as the car number. The car does not appear to have been repainted, and the stampings appear original. The only modification to be seen is that hook couplers were replaced with the American Flyer knuckle coupler conversion kit. The store owner has never seen this variant, and one of our staunch American Flyer customers says he has never seen this variant. BUT southwest Virginia was never a hotbed for American Flyer. Lionel and Marx were far more predominant here.
American Flyer was far more common throughout the Atlantic states above the Mason-Dixon line. I wonder whether anyone has ever seen an American Flyer crane car like this before. Hook couplers were used prior to 1953. Knuckle couplers were introduced in the 1953 American Flyer catalog (I have a copy of that catalog in very good condition). The car also predates the production of special Christmas themed trains. Guesses and suggestions anyone?
Cheers, David Meashey