TRAIN TIME / CIRCUS TIME: American Flyer No. 577 Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus Whistle Billboard w/Lights (1946-48)

Here's a nice little circus accessory I picked up earlier this year: the American Flyer No. 577 Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus Whistle Billboard. This was a terrific accessory for the immediate Post-war era and although made for the new line of American Flyer S-gauge trains (prior to World War II, American Flyer was making 3-rail O-gauge trains), this does in fact, fit just fine with 3-rail O-gauge. The big metal housing holds an old school air whistle mechanism, while underneath there are lights which would show from the bottom of the pieces (you can see in the photos how the base is slightly raised). The billboard itself is cardboard and is simply inserted into the metal frame, and unfortunately many of the cardboard signs have deteriorated or have been lost, but on a positive note repos are available. All that being said, I bought this thing yet haven't yet hooked it up to see if it works!! Oh heck, all in good time. Enjoy! Opa Fritz