Adding Accessories to American Flyer All Aboard

[roborama]

I am new to this site and new to model trains. I have a 1966 American Flyer All Aboard pioneer set. This has the built in tracks attached to scenery. My question is, how do I add lights, signals, etc to this set? Where do I connect accessories? Do I need special connector track? Do I need the seperate "button" control I see on ebay to operate? Sorry for being so clueless. I'm wondering that since this is a built in set, I may have limited flexibilty.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

First, welcome.

I have severeal f the All aboard panel sets, and they are neat, but do have limitations.  The yellow wire that goes from rivet to rivet is the constant voltage source, and you can pick up base voltage from the track.  You do need to have the jumper clip connecting the panels together.  In addition to providing structural connection between panels, it provides continunity for the yellow wire.

A whistle and switches are the only accesories I can think of offered.  If I get a chance I will look in an all aboard catalogue I have.  These were a ful panel that fit into place.

You could add accesories to the regular  panels and feed the wire for the accesory through the panel throgh an existing hole or drill as needed.  The all aboard transformer is on the small side so you may be limited in using the original transformer.  Just run the wires as needed under the track panels, ther is at least 1/2" of room.

What accesory are you thinking of?  Whistles should be easy enough.  Track interfacing accesories like the 771 stockyard or the 766 Gilford station may be harder. Towers, like he 744, or aircraft beacons should not be any trouble either.

Jim

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Here is my 800

[FlyerRich]

Here is my 20813 set

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Very neat!!!!!

[skippygp123]

I know it has been awhile since you asked your original question.  Did you get things figured out?  I just got some panels and am thinking of doing the same things you asked about.  I thought it would be easy enough to just put a 2nd transformer on one corner of the layout to power the accessories. 

Do you have any new, updated, photos of what your layout looks like now?  Would love to see them!

[thesiding]

That was a drawback to the system You could NOT (technically) add stuff to it  such as the basic signal etc

 

Other then doing some damage to panels I do not think it is possible

 

BUT when connected and work properly they make nice displays/layouts  despite limitattions

[Major]

Having the pioneer set also I want to point out that mine did not come with the common yellow wires between the rivets. As I expanded the set to add the switches and crossover I had to add wire between the rivets for the common circuit on the original panels of the pioneer set. The extra panels had them but they were not on the pioneer set panels.

[cbq9911a]

I added a set of Lemax flashing grade crossing signals to an All Aboard straight section.  Using a Lionel infrared contactor to actuate the signals.

The signals are powered by a Lemax 4.5V power supply.  The contactor is powered by the All Aboard accessory power - yellow wire and track ground.

[EMC Juice]

I received a set like for Christmas in 1967. It was so cool and I have many fond memories of it. My aunt lived in an apartment upstairs from us and we would set it up in a spare bedroom.