In its heyday as “The Standard Railroad of the World,” the Pennsylvania Railroad had thousands of trackside industries systemwide to service. Each needed regular switching, and many were located in industrial complexes with tight clearances and sharp curves. The PRR developed the 0-6-0 switcher, or as they called it, a “shifter.”
The first model B6 0-6-0 was built in l902, and by 1920, the Pennsy rostered 362 of these locomotives.
The 0-6-0’s were a well-designed and reliable switcher; it was well into the 1950s before diesel switchers replaced them all. Most appropriately, it was a B6 class 0-6-0 switcher, PRR No. 5244, that became the last PRR steam locomotive in regular operation. By then it was l959, and the engine was leased to Union Transportation in New Egypt, N.J.
Although numerous modifications and tender swap outs occurred over the years, the B6s switcher was ultimately the one American Flyer chose to model.
Creating the Flyer model
Gilbert successfully introduced the B6 0-6-0 in HO scale in 1950 and cataloged it until 1963. In 1957, Gilbert introduced the S gauge version in the catalog as a “No. 263.” The artwork resembles the HO version, but it is based on a handmade S gauge prototype. It was only cataloged through l958.
Like the prototype, the three axles were asymmetrically spaced, the steam and sand domes were correctly placed, and a turbogenerator was visible ahead of the stack to supply electricity for the headlight and rear light. A Belpaire firebox, slightly misshapen, was present, the center driver set was unflanged, and the slope-backed tender even had a handrail. It was Gilbert’s swan song for prototype realism.
The S gauge pre-production handmade engine 0-6-0 is in the collection of Gary Baloun and came without its tender from Maury Romer, Production Manager of the American Flyer Train Division. The prototype engine is hand numbered 21004 (not 263). Its frame was made from a modified 0-8-0 with one driver section cut out. The tender it has now is an earlier production sample.
Gilbert’s first production samples were made of white plastic and stamped 21004, like the full production ones, which are made of black plastic. The white plastic ones, however, have slightly different castings. This is especially noticeable on the tender, which has a different plug-in arrangement.
The tender is marked American Flyer Lines, not Pennsylvania as depicted in the catalog. The early production engines were used for display samples at Toy Fair and probably in the Gilbert Hall of Science. It is questionable if the 263 was ever produced, since the prototype and first production ones of white plastic were numbered 21004. The only 263s reported in collections are of black plastic, which would make them later in production.
Gilbert first produced the S gauge switcher in 1957 in the No. 20315 Keystone Rocket Freight Set that included the new operating rocket launching car. The set also included a Pennsy gondola and Flyer caboose. In 1957, Gilbert began its use of a five digit computerized numbering system whose catalog numbers did not match what was produced. The engine catalog number was No. 21005, while the number pictured in the catalog was 263. The actual number used was No. 21004.
In 1958 the Keystone Rocket Freight Train was offered again but as set number No. 20423. The new artwork for the engine still depicted the body of the prototype. The cars changed, with the gondola replaced with a searchlight car. The caboose changed too, and was a bright yellow. The engine number was changed to 21005 after minor modifications.
The two versions of the engine were different in several ways. The 21005 was less expensive to produce because the tender lost its reverse light bulb, socket and lens, and the tender trucks no longer had electrical pick up shoes. The one enhancement in the 1958 engine was its running boards were outlined in white paint (although the handmade 21004 mockup had one side painted with a white stripe.)
This magnificent engine is still a favorite of collectors, and they are also excellent runners. The 0-6-0 locomotive is a great addition to anyone’s Flyer collection and easily available at shows and online
The 21005 is a little more desirable than the 21004, as it appears fewer of them were made. The 21004 is valued at $170 for good and $294 for excellent condition, while the 21005 is $125 for good and $381 for excellent condition.
