S gauge module layout from 1964

I also have the houses  the plastic mountains and tunnels that go with these units

Look at www.trainweb.org/allaboardsets/.

Those panels are from the final days of the A.C. Gilbert company. They came with pikemaster track and switches. In 1964 I attended Point Park College in Pittsburgh Pa. While there I went to Kaufman's Department store to look at the Christmas trains. When I saw what they were making, I could of cried.

The All Aboard sets and panels were cataloged in 1965 and 1966.

I used to go to Kaufmann's 9th floor every year to see the toys and trains. I was probably not there from 1962 on. My first Gilbert set, 1950, was purchased by my parents at Kaufmann's along with two add-on heavyweight passenger cars. When I began working across the street at 441 Smithfield I would go to Kaufmann's but Gilbert was long out of business. My office in the 441 building was approximately where the Frank and Seder Department Store Christmas toys were located ten years earlier.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that these panels were made in Portugal. I have no idea what made ACG build them there, perhaps someone knows more about this as I would be interested in knowing how this came about.

Without the buildings, trees and accessories they will not be as valuable as a complete set.  I bought 12 Panels at York years ago for $100, 90 percent complete (filled in the missing parts via eBay) and sold 4 complete panels on eBay for $450 and kept the other 8.

I have the trees , buildings and the rocks and tunnels.

If someone is interested I can count all the panels . There are a lot can bring to Allentown.

I just counted ....10 straight (1 with whistle shed ) 15 curves 4 cross tracks 3 left switches and 4right switches . 36 total panels.

I have collected several of these panels over the last couple of years.  They were made in Portugal, and yes they are less than top shelf quality.  

I think they are great for a guy looking for a temporary setup.  At 10 feet they look pretty good, I did my Christmas tree train with them last year, and will do it again this year.

Aflyer, the panel setup in your video sure looks good. The bigger surprise to me is the NYC Mikado running on PikeMaster track!

Tom,

You are very observant, the Mikado has no problem with the tight PikeMaster curves and I think it looks better than that 21107.  As for the S-Helper Christmas cars, I had to leave the longer ones on the upstairs layout.

Thanks for your response,

George

Here is some more interesting history about these Scenic Panels:
http://www.americanflyerdispla..._a_box/allaboard.htm

George, it was impossible to miss that Mikado circling the layout! It also sounds like 4 chuffs/rev so I am assuming DCC. I do not have any of the SHS Christmas cars and was not aware they used longer cars for that purpose. All my Christmas cars are AF by Lionel, they run on any S gauge curves.

Tom,

Thank you, it was actually running on a Lionel Legacy system.  Most of the  S Helper Christmas cars are either hoppers, or 40' box cars.  The ones I was referencing are built on 53' Flats as picture attached. it doesn't look right on that Pikemaster track, LOL.

I also have several of the Flyonel Christmas cars you mentioned, they mostly get used on our club layout where we can run long trains.

George

Looks exactly like the traditional HO track and switches, but slightly larger.   Too bad Gilbert couldn't compete with the incoming slot car market which took over fast.

That PikeMaster track does look like HO track, which looks more Prototypical, then original Flyer tubular track, or Lionels 3 rail tubular track. But the radius was tight and the track could not take the abuse of young kids.  However here we are 50 years later putting together All Aboard panels and running trains on them.  Layout in a box is now sought after and in demand.

This is a photo of panels I was testing on the garage floor.

And a photo of a whistle panel that I built using a 568 whistle, just as A/F did.

That other magazine had an article a couple of years ago, made a fairly nice-looking layout despite the cheap quality.

A display at S Fest West six years ago.