American Flyer Model Trains

American Flyer trains originated with clockwork trains around the beginning of the 20th century. For children, this was the excitement of the "modern" transcontinental railroads and the smaller trains they could see at the stations in their own towns, hauling produce to market, passengers to town, and the outside world into little villages and towns.

By the 1930s, Gilbert Toys - best known until then for Erector sets - turned American Flyer into the flagships of electrified trains. While electric lights were no longer a novelty, it is still very hard to imagine the excitement generated by this non-utilitarian, highly entertaining use of fairly new technology. Especially for children living through the Great Depression, the sight of an electric train under the Christmas tree made a lifelong memory.

The tradition of American Flyer is continued by the Lionel Company. The tradition of a train under the tree is continued by famiies who love making memories of their own.