Restoring a Factory Layout?
Some things to Consider
Recently, more and more of these layouts are appearing on Ebay and in auction houses. This may be the result of older collectors thinning their collections and realizing that they will probably not get around to restoring that layout they have had for many years. Some of these may also come from the estates of some collectors who didn't thin their collections. As a result, many more of these layouts are coming into the hands of people who are actively trying to restore them. Almost all of them could use at least some sprucing up after seventy years or so. I have seen a lot of these layouts, either in person or have closely examined photos of them. I have also talked to a lot of collectors who are in the process of restoring some of these layouts. I hope in this section to share a discussion of some of the issues that have confronted them in the restoration process.
I think the best way to confront such a project is to get as much information as you can from others who are also trying to restore such layouts. Some help may appear from time to time on the American Flyer email groups and on the Facebook groups, but the best source I have found is the videos posted by Richard Trotter on his YouTube Channel, Hall of Science West. He covers a lot of other topics related to Flyer history, but his video series on his efforts to restore an historic "Badlands" display from 1959 will take you through a series of issues you may confront in your efforts to restore one of these layouts. You will find links to them below.
 Identifying your Layout |
 Restoring the Badlands - Part 1 American Flyer Factory #28135 Badlands Display Layout |
 Restoring the Badlands - Part 1.5 Restoration Methodology |
 Restoring the Badlands - Part 2 Sealing the Original Asbestos Plaster |
 Restoring the Badlands - Part 3 Wire Screen Mountain |
 Restoring the Badlands - Part 4 Using Plaster Cloth Over Foam Insulation |
 Restoring the Badlands - Part 5 Using Sculptamold |
 Restoring the Badlands - Part 6 Painting On Wallboard Joint Compound |