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Hi folks.   One of very purchases at York was a flyer whistling billboard picked out by Mrs. Z.  She like the Ringling Brothers subject matter and why not.

So I see there are 3 wires underneath, a yellow,  a black,  and a green.   Can someone tell me how this gets wired up?  I am assuming that one is a common ground and the other two are for lighting and whistle.   

I think it's a nice piece and look forward to getting up and whistling🙂.

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Thanks in advance for any advice on getting this neat accessory powered up.

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Looking at the last photo...The yellow wire looks to be grounded to the chassis of the sign and to the whistle. So that would go to your Base Post. Then it looks like the black wire goes to the center of the bulb socket, that would go to the full power post to light up the lights. (the bulb on the left looks burnt out.) I'm assuming that the green wire goes to the whistle. This will also go to full power via an activation button.

Nice find by the way.

Last edited by Jayhawk500

The Hudson billboard whistle is a 2029 introduced in 1937. It predates the Gilbert acquisition of American Flyer. The 577 Royal Typewriter illuminated whistle billboard was introduced in 1939 as the replacement for the 2029. The Gilbert wiring convention for operating accessories was to place the control button, or track trip, in the Base Post (common) wire connection. There were a few exceptions to that convention.

jhz563

You did not give the AF number of your whistling billboard.  I have an  AF 762 two tone Whistling billboard that looks similar.  It has one wire to the whistle and one to a solenoid, that when engaged, blocks a vent on the whistle and changes the tone.  You may have to open it up and see if yours has a solenoid that should be hooked up to a second push button switch.

Charlie

@AmFlyer posted:

jhz563 has a 577 Whistling Billboard made in 1946 or 1947. It has a diecast , rather than pressed steel, billboard frame which was only used in 1946 and 1947. The 762 "2 in 1" whistle was made only in 1949 and 1950, used a dark green base and was not made with a diecast billboard frame.

Wow - and I was about to say I had no idea how to tell what product number I had.  I also didn't know they even made a two note whistle.   I sure hope this thing works after all the help you folks have provided.

@Jayhawk500 posted:

Looking at the last photo...The yellow wire looks to be grounded to the chassis of the sign and to the whistle. So that would go to your Base Post. Then it looks like the black wire goes to the center of the bulb socket, that would go to the full power post to light up the lights. (the bulb on the left looks burnt out.) I'm assuming that the green wire goes to the whistle. This will also go to full power via an activation button.

Nice find by the way.

I’m working on one of these right now.  Mine has been rewired, too.  Does anyone have a picture of how the original looks?  On mine someone has added a wire to the ground so there are 4 wires which I know is not correct.

On my 566, the ground wire runs from the brush to the bolt holding the motor together and from the same brush, to the closest light.  My 577 has the older style brush springs like this one.

In a separate thread, which I’ll name; “Coffee Grinder Whistling Billboards” (maybe later today), I hope to show a way to isolate the whistle.  I’ve already isolated my 566 so that all you hear is the whistle rather than the vibrating noise of the motor.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

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