# Billboard steam whistle



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I guess I didn't learn anything by buying 4 sets of flyonel diesels
and passenger cars before I ran one. Only to find out I don't like
them. I have done the same thing with the billboard steam whistles. They do sound better than the tender whistles but I am
not fond of them. I have been on a buying binge for over a week now. I bought 2 of the billboards. Both look brand new and sound
identical so I have to assume this is what they are. I took them both apart and shined armature face and lubricated motor. New
brushes and springs. I don't think either was used much. Both motors run great. Problem is the motors make as much noise as the whistles do. I am thinking the motor assemblies need to be isolated from the overall housing better. I watched a youtube video on servicing the billboard whistles. The video was on older models than mine. They had metal bases and mine are plastic.
Guts were very similar to mine. One thing I noticed was there was a fiber gasket between motor assembly and the air chamber for whistle. Neither of mine has that gasket. I have an old inner tube in garage that I may try to make me a gasket. That might help isolate motor from housing. I think I am getting vibration sound to the housing. I need to quiet the motors. I only want to hear the whistle. At this point I will not be using the whistles. Just something to sit on layout. I bought 10 cars off ebay last night, actually 11. I will get pics after everything gets here.
Broke, I have a call in to my therapist.


----------



## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

mopac said:


> I guess I didn't learn anything by buying 4 sets of flyonel diesels
> and passenger cars before I ran one. Only to find out I don't like
> them. I have done the same thing with the billboard steam whistles. They do sound better than the tender whistles but I am
> not fond of them. I have been on a buying binge for over a week now. I bought 2 of the billboards. Both look brand new and sound
> ...


I have just accepted that the motors are noisy with the steam billboards. I was thinking about modifing mine with a dc can motor but it most likely take a big amount of fabrication. Good luck with yours Mopac! Forget the therapist. They can be expensive. So just forget them and spend your money on more American Flyer stuff!:laugh::laugh::laugh:


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Ok Broke, so you know what I mean with the motor noise. It isn't just me. LOL.
I admit I am picky. I guess too picky for these 60 plus year old AF toys. Seems
they all hum or make some kind of noise. In past week I got a 977 action caboose.
It hums. Wait till you see a pic of it. It is just new. It works great and I love it.
But I will probably not use it much. Because of the hum. I am not a good AF fan.
For some reason I do not mind a tender buzzing but the rest of the hums and buzzing I could do without.


----------



## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I do not notice any motor noise on my original 577 billboard (1950 production, metal.) I have purchased additional ones over the years, some are noisy, some have a weak whistle sound. Other than lubrication I left them alone. I might be less sensitive to the noise than you guys are. 
I never run the 977 caboose or the walking brakeman box cars because they are noisy. The fix for the caboose noise is DC power. Either run the layout with DC or add a diode in the caboose. Should eliminate the noise.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

The guy that made the youtube video I watched stressed how important that fiber gasket was (to cut down on noise). And neither of mine have the gasket. That's why I might try to come up with a rubber gasket. It might help. If it doesn't then it is what it is. I tried
the billboards on variable AC and cut down the volts. Then the whistle did not work well.
The video stressed how important the rubber feet were and other rubber grommets used
to mount unit in over all housing. Mine have all the rubber grommets. He also used foam
under the housing so noise did not transfer to a wooden layout and make it worse..


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Both of my billboards are 568. One came in a red and white box and one came in a blue and yellow box. Both are marked no. 568 Whistling Billboard.


----------



## Jwh2000 (Dec 4, 2017)

Why not buy an ERR railsounds kit and get chug,steam whistle and bell? They are not hard to install.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I think a more modern set up would be better. The AF purists would not like it.
I guess I half way try to be a purist but it is not working too good.


----------



## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

mopac said:


> I think a more modern set up would be better. The AF purists would not like it.
> I guess I half way try to be a purist but it is not working too good.


It's your railroad. I think that you should do as what pleases you. I enjoy my N Scale DCC layout because of the sound and scale realism. I also like my AF because of the semi scale realism but technology has developed light years ahead from the 40's and 50's and won't compare to today's. I suppose that I groan, moan, and squeak as I move around because I am also from the 40's. So I can forgive and overlook what I don't like with post war American Flyers. And, who cares what others think when it comes to your railroad!:laugh::laugh::laugh:


----------



## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

I think you pretty well summed it up B.C. You and Mopac are spoiled with DCC and the quality of electronic sounds available today. Flyer and Lionel depended on mechanical means to make sounds. It's apples and oranges trying to compare. I enjoy the electronic bells and whistles today, some are really remarkable in the realistic sounds they can produce. As AmFlyer said, some make more noise than others, but they're acceptable to me. Same with the 977 or walking brakeman, some buzz louder than others. Mopac, I would have thought the plastic base whistles would be quieter vs. the metal base ones. I have a 577 like AmFlyer, I bought it because it lights up and a 762 2 in 1 whistle because it's not too common. Both make some noise but it doesn't bother me all that much. I have a 566 that came in a boxed set(5525TBW) that I've never tried. I'll gather them up and post some pics tomorrow.


----------



## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I can run the Gilbert AF engines on my permanent scale detailed layout but sometimes I just want an original Gilbert style layout. The operation, accessories, sounds and smells are great. I have al fleet of Legacy engines and a large assortment of AM engines converted to TMCC & Railsounds. They are great but original Gilbert is still enjoyable. Good thing because I own a lot of it.


----------



## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

I think your layout is splendid Tom, but I like the Flyer layouts you have posted pics of even more. If I only can have one it will always be a traditional one with all the noise and lights along with Plasticville, which became another mild obsession of mine. Maybe I need to call a therapist. I dabbled in HO for a while but rediscovered my love for Flyer after my Dad passed. Maybe because they are toy trains and don't pretend to be anything else. They sure are fun to run and nothing beats crouching down to track level and watching them roll by.


----------



## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Many years ago I gave all the HO to my brother and sold off the N gauge I had. The S gauge collection continued to grow. I have the layout of my dreams but it has been 1 1/2 years since I had a Gilbert layout, I really miss having one. I think I will build a Gilbert layout in my home office beginning this fall, it could be done by Christmas. I am thinking 6’x12’ full of accessories and Snow Village plus some plasticville. 
Which one of us really needs professional help???


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

LOL, maybe we can get a bulk discount with the therapist. I have had my 282 since I was 5 years old but I did not have any of the AF toys. So these are not bringing back any memories.


----------



## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

None of us. Sorry for the delayed response, glasses fell apart and lost my internet for a few minutes at the same time. My problem is trying to build the Gilbert showroom layout on a 8x6.5 piece of plywood. I visualize what I'd like and realize it won't fit. I guess I'll have to re-think this. That's the problem with buying stuff for a future layout, it never works out quite the way it was intended.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

My rolling stock binge is almost over. I have 10 more cars coming from same seller. 
When they arrive I will post pics as promised. I think I will have plenty of knuckle cars.
Probably still short on link cars. May have to make some transition cars. I think my
loco roster is about half knuckle and half link couplers. I like cabooses and think I may
have plenty. 2 of the 10 cars I have coming are yellow AF cabooses. 2 different numbers.
Did not have any. Will probably pick up a 935 bay window caboose later. Still do not have
a AF bay window caboose.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

The 10 cars I have coming is nothing to get excited over. They are in very much played with condition. There are a couple cars I did not have. A covered hopper and a flat bed car with girder. And the yellow cabooses. They were around 5 bucks each.


----------

