A Gilbert Store Display Layout

By Clay Buckage

In 1953, Frank Ligocki walked into the toy department of Sibley’s Department Store in Rochester, NY and bought the entire American Flyer display including trains and accessories.  Art Department employees Frank Castiglione and Art Mauzaka built the layout in December of 1950.  Their dated signature is burnt into the underside with a soldering iron.  It measures 7’ x 16’.  The layout consists of three loops of track to run four trains simultaneously.  A plain oval on the outside, then a folded dog bone and inside of that an over-under figure eight.  The loops are ingeniously wrapped around the layout presenting a myriad of illusions including the possibility of a head on crash.  The layout is constructed sturdily of ¾" marine plywood coupled with door hinges.   The Display Department did some customizing of the layout.  Continuous rail was used to mold some of the wide-radii curves.  Continuous track pin was used as an electrical bus stapled to the underside.  The semaphore used to operate two trains on the folded dog bone is controlled by gaps in the rail and latching relays that Gilbert had made for the Navy.  A reverse unit is wired into another relay used to operate the whistle and crossing gate on alternating circuits of the train.  This allows the talking station to be operated without the interference of the whistle blowing continuously while the train is stopped.  The talking station is outfitted with a ceramic phono cartridge wired to a tube amplifier.  The amplifier is housed in a radio case and placed under the layout.  The talking station can now be heard above the din of the department store.  An article was written about the layout in the May 1998 issue of Classic Toy Trains.  In 2003, Dave’s Twacks & Twains was able to acquire the layout from Frank Jr.  We are happy to be able to share this piece of toy train history.  Since 2003 the layout has been displayed at train shows, children’s hospitals, and senior residences throughout the country.  We are in the process of preserving it and hope to continue display it. Donations to its preservation will be gladly accepted.  We hope you enjoy the display.