HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSING - WIG WAG SIGNAL w/BELL - STOP / LOOK / LISTEN BRASS NEW

Description: Grade Crossing Signals -- Wig-Wag w/Stop, Look & Listen Sign pkg(2 - Nonpowered, Brass) BRASSHO Scale HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSING SIGNALnon-poweredWIG WAGLOOK / STOP / LISTEN Lettering BRASS CONSTRUCTION WIG WAG ARM does swing freely Out-Of-Production item GRADE CROSSING SIGNALMOVEABLE WIG WAG ARMS MAST on CABINET BASE (SEE PHOTOS) SOUND Module for BELL (sold separately) Wigwag is a nickname for a type of railroad grade crossing signal once common in North America, referring to its pendulum-like motion that signaled a train's approach. The device is generally credited to Albert Hunt, a mechanical engineer at Southern California's Pacific Electric (PE) interurban streetcar railroad, who invented it in 1909 for safer railroad grade crossings. The term should not be confused with its usage in Britain, where "wigwag" generally refers to alternate flashing lights, such as those found at modern level crossings. RationaleSoon after the advent of the automobile, travel speeds were increasing and the popularity of enclosed cars made the concept of "stop, look, and listen" at railroad crossings difficult. Fatalities at crossings were increasing. Though the idea of automatic grade crossing protection was not new, no one had invented a fail-safe, universally recognized system. In those days, many crossings were protected by a watchman who warned of an oncoming train by swinging a red lantern in a side-to-side arc, used universally in the United States to signify "stop". This motion is still used today by railroad workers to indicate stop per the General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR) Rule 5.3.1. It was presumed that a mechanical device that mimicked that movement would get the attention of approaching motorists and give an unmistakable warning. Design The earliest wigwags used by Pacific Electric, built in the railroad's shops, were gear-driven, but proved difficult to maintain. The final design, first installed in 1914 at a busy crossing near Long Beach, California, utilized alternating electromagnets pulling on an iron armature. A red steel target disc, slightly less than two feet (610 mm) in diameter was attached, which served as a pendulum. There was a red light in the center of the target, and with each swing of the target a mechanical gong sounded. The new model, combining sight, motion and sound, was dubbed the magnetic flagman, and was manufactured by the Magnetic Signal Company of Los Angeles, California, though it is unclear exactly when production began. After the distinctive signals were installed, train and car collisions decreased at PE grade crossings. The signs became so common throughout the area that they were near-icons of Southern California motoring. Their popularity led to Magnetic Signal wigwags appearing at railroad crossings across the United States—including on Alaska's Copper River and Northwestern Railway and on several Hawaiian railroads—and across Canada, Mexico, and as far away as Australia. There are also photographs of the Magnetic Flagman in use in Europe. Three mechanically-identical versions were produced. The upper-quadrant model was mounted directly atop a steel pole and waved the target above the motor box. It was intended for use where space was limited. Since the target could not serve as the pendulum, a cast iron counterweight opposite the target was used. Accurate computer-generated animation of that type of signal can be seen in the 2006 movie, Cars. The lower-quadrant version waved the target below the motor box and was intended to be cantilevered from a pole, over road traffic. Some railroads, especially in the north-western US, mounted their lower quadrant versions directly on top of a tall steel pole similar to the upper quadrant signal. They were placed on one side of the road, or on an island in the center of the road, and often had crossbucks fastened on top of the motor box. A lower quadrant signal of that kind is seen in the 2004 film Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Though Magnetic Signal manufactured a steel pole and cast-iron base for the purpose (which served as a cabinet for backup batteries and relays), PE often mounted the cantilevers on the wooden poles that also supported the overhead catenary providing power for streetcars. That rendered batteries unnecessary, since any failure of PE's generators resulted in a shutdown of the railway. It also permitted the relays to be housed in a separate, inexpensive cabinet, reducing the cost of the installation. The third and least common version was a pole-mounted lower-quadrant signal, with the motor box fixed to the top of an octagonal steel frame that surrounded the target, presumably to protect both banner and motor box from being damaged by road vehicles. Dubbed the "peach basket" because of the protective framework, the apparatus was crowned by another visual warning, the traditional X-shaped "RAILROAD CROSSING" sign, or crossbucks. The majority of peach baskets were used by the Union Pacific Railroad. One version of the signal had the lower stripe on the banner replaced with the word stop that was lighted. When the signal was at rest, the words were hidden behind a screen that was painted to look like the missing stripe. They were either mounted on an island in the center of the road or on the side of the road. The Magnetic Flagman wigwag waves its target using large, black electromagnets pulling against an iron armature. Sliding contacts switch the current from one magnet to the other. Each Magnetic Flagman includes a builder's plate (bottom center) detailing patent dates and power requirements. There were a few other models that were either manufactured by Magnetic Signal or customized by the different railroads. Some examples included two signals on the same pole for different traffic approaches, a circular upper quadrant signal in which the target swung in a circular frame, and three-position signals where the target was hidden behind a sign when the signal was inactive. The Norfolk and Western Railway decided to make a change in which the motion-limiting bumpers were placed on the front of the signal instead of inside at the rear, so that the torque on the armature was reduced. They also had unique lights on their banners. Lower-quadrant magnetic flagman wigwag signal on Mountain Avenue in Redlands, California, photographed in 2004. For economy, railroads occasionally installed signals on existing utility poles. This signal was retired after more than six decades of service atop its Union Switch & Signal base, and replaced by highway gates and flashers as part of construction for the Arrow commuter rail service.Any version could be ordered to operate using the railroad signal standard of 8 volts DC (VDC) current, or the 600 VDC used to power streetcars and electric locomotives, with little more than a change in the electromagnets. Most, if not all, of the 600 VDC units were used by PE. With the conversion to diesel power after PE sold its passenger operations in 1953, those 600 VDC wigwags were gradually converted to 8 VDC units. There were also some 110 volt AC models of Magnetic Flagman used on several railroads, including Norfolk and Western, Winston-Salem Southbound, and the Milwaukee Road. Since AC power did not generate good torque, a coil cutoff device was installed that utilized all four magnets until full motion of the banner was obtained, then two of the magnets went off line and movement was maintained by the remaining two magnets. Various options were available. One was a round, counterbalancing "sail" for use in windy areas and which was sometimes painted in the same scheme as the main target. A warning light with adjustable housing was offered, as was an "OUT OF ORDER" warning sign that dropped into view if power to the signal was interrupted. There was a rare adjustable turret-style mount for properly aiming the signal if space did not allow the cantilever to fully extend over the roadway. The last known example of the turret-mounted wigwag was removed from service in Gardena, California in 2000, while the versions with the warning signs were mostly shipped to Australia. One surviving example is on display at the Newport Railway Museum in Melbourne, Victoria, and one has been restored and now operates on the Puffing Billy Railway. An example or two of each signal still survive with collectors. A ruling by the United States Interstate Commerce Commission mandated a change in the target in the early 1930s. It required a change in the paint scheme from solid red to a black cross and border on a white background, but there was no other change until a ruling that required the alternating red lights in use today. That, along with other rules about grade crossing signaling that the wigwags were unable to meet due to their power requirements, rendered them obsolete for new installations after 1949, but grandfathering laws allowed them to remain until the crossings they protected were upgraded. The Magnetic Signal Company was sold to the Griswold Signal Company of Minneapolis shortly after World War II. Production of new signals continued until 1949, and replacement parts until 1960. The symbol of a black cross on a white background was adopted in the US as the traffic sign warning drivers about an unprotected grade crossing and was incorporated into the corporate logo of the Santa Fe Railroad. It remains in use today, although with a yellow background and the cross rotated 45 degrees into an "X". Some railroads, among them the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, used a concentric black circle on a white background, resembling a bullseye, but that scheme was rare, partly because the L&N used few wigwags. In modern America and elsewhereFew wigwag signals currently remain in place, and the number dwindles as crossings are upgraded and spare parts become scarce. Once broken down and sold (or given away) as scrap as modern flashers took their place, they are now railroad collectibles, commanding a hefty price and winding up in personal collections of railroad officials, train spotters, and other individual collectors. Magnetic Flagman made in Minneapolis, Minnesota after production was moved from Los Angeles are especially rare and are valued by collectors.Although many wig wags are still used by heritage railroads and railroad museums, there are only 14 railroad crossings with at least one wigwag remaining in use for regular railroads in the United States as of 2022. All 14 are in California. There is also a non-working example located in Pullman, Washington. This is stark contrast from Federal Railroad Administration data from 2004, showing there were 1,098 railroad crossings in the United States having one or more wigwags as their warning device. Of those 1,098 crossings having wigwags, 398 were in California, 117 in Wisconsin, 97 in Illinois, 66 in Texas and 45 in Kansas. The 2004 data showed a total of 44 states have at least one railroad crossing having a wigwag as its warning device. A previous FRA publication from 1983 showed 2,618 crossings equipped with wigwags. The last wigwag on a main rail line, a Magnetic Flagman upper-quadrant at a rural crossing in Delhi, Colorado on the BNSF Railway, was removed in March 2021 and now resides at the Colorado Railroad Museum. Until destroyed by a truck in April 2004, a lower-quadrant Magnetic Flagman wigwag protected a private crossing of a BNSF line hidden from public view by a sound barrier in Pittsburg, California. The wigwag, the last "Model 10" in active use, was replaced by standard highway flashers. The Model 10 was distinguished by its short, low-hanging cantilever and use of crossbucks mounted higher than the cantilever. They were almost exclusively used by the Santa Fe, although there were also a few of this model on the Southern Pacific. In 2011–12, working replica wigwags were installed at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California along the Red Car Trolley as well as show wigwags that were placed in Radiator Springs Racers. Wigwags manufactured by WRRS and its predecessors were once numerous in the Midwest, with almost every town using them to protect their main crossings. The most common model was called the Autoflag #5. They functioned in much the same way as the Magnetic Flagmen. They utilized alternating electromagnets to swing a shaft with an attached illuminated banner. Bells were not integral to the devices as with the Magnetic Flagmen. They employed standard bells that were used on other types of signals, and mounted either to the mast or to a bracket on the top of the center harp style, as in the Devil's Lake, WI. Autoflag #5s were widely used on the Chicago & North Western (C&NW), Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q), Illinois Central, Soo Line and the Milwaukee Road Railroads. A few were also used on the Louisville & Nashville and the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio (GM&O) as well as other roads in the US and Canada. Most of these wigwags were removed in the 1970-1980s as crossings were updated. They were made in both a lower quadrant style and a center harp style similar to the Magnetic Flagman's peachbasket style. Early on, there were Autoflag #5s that would hold the banner behind a shield much like the Magnetic Flagman disappearing banner-style. These were replaced as time went on with the standard two-position banner that hung vertically when not energized. Several railroad, such as the GM&O and CB&Q, had a second light below the main light on the banner. This served as a second reserve light in case of failure of both bulbs in the main light and as a signal maintainers' warning of a burned-out bulb without having to climb up and open the main light to check each bulb. If the secondary light was illuminated, there was an issue with burned out bulbs in the main light. Wigwags were also manufactured by Union Switch and Signal (US&S). They were primarily used in the northeastern US, with a few in Florida, although the Frisco had some in the Great Plains. They were manufactured in both a disappearing banner style in the East and standard two-position in the Great Plains. While there are a few examples in museums, the sole surviving US&S wigwag in service in the US is a two-position style in Joplin, MO on an ex-Frisco industrial spur. It was not destroyed in the May, 2011 Joplin tornado, being a few blocks outside the damage path. These were a bit different in design from the Autoflag #5 and the Magnetic Flagman. The swing of the banner was produced through a drive shaft. Some of them, particularly on the Boston & Maine Railroad, had chase lights mounted above the banner that simulated the movement of the banner. The last one of this type with the chase lights was removed in 1985 and US&S wigwags were thought to have disappeared from the USA until the discovery of the specimen in Joplin. There are a number of US&S wigwags that have been preserved and restored by museums. US&S and WRRS wigwags were also used by the CPR on its Canadian lines. There were two wig-wags in service in Canada, located on the CN CASO sub near Tilbury, Ontario. Both were WRRS Autoflag #5s with disappearing banners. Disappearing banners were the only style of wigwag approved for use in Canada. They were slated to be removed in early 2009, although they were still in place as of November 2009. In 2011, the CASO sub was abandoned and the wigwags were removed.The wigwags at the crossing that mark the location of the western terminus of the BNSF Railway (successor to the Santa Fe) on West Richmond Avenue in Point Richmond, CA became pawns in a fight over local control in 2001 when BNSF said it was going to remove them once they installed more modern devices, after the state's transportation authority pressured it to upgrade the crossing. Nevertheless, in July 2019 the two upper wig wags were put operative again after the Richmond community raised funds ($2,000) to restore the devices, which had been out of use for 18 years. The two upper-quadrant wigwags are the last of their kind paired together in active use. Both wigwags remain as non-operative decorations at the crossing, coexisting with the modern gates, red lights and bells. In the interest of safety, information signs were posted at the wigwags stating that the wigwags are non-operational. The ability to be activated by trains was retained, but only for special events. Automated level crossings are found in most developed nations and vary greatly.The basic signal consists of flashing red lights, a crossbuck and an alarm (either a bell, speaker that mimics a bell sound or an electronic siren), attached to a mast. At most crossings, the signals will activate about 30 seconds before the train arrives but there are sensors measuring speed so that the crossing knows when to activate; so, the slower the train is, the longer the delay and the faster the train is, the earlier the crossing activates. At many crossings, there will be a barrier (or "gate" in the US) added to the signal, which descend over the road and block entry. The barriers will be fully lowered 15 to 20 seconds before the train arrives (US), and will rise and the signals will shut off once the end of the train clears the island circuit.Automatic crossings generally have no or half-width barriers to prevent cars and pedestrians becoming trapped on the tracks with no escape, and manually-operated crossings have full-width barriers (either 2 or 4 arms which block the whole road). However, a number of counties automate fully-closed crossings anyway despite the obvious dangers; however, many such crossings are accompanied by obstacle detection sensors to ensure the tracks are clear. The time interval may be controlled by a level crossing predictor, an electronic device which is connected to the rails of a railroad track, and activates the crossing's warning devices (lights, bells, gates, etc.) at a consistent interval prior to the arrival of a train at a level crossing. Crossbucks also may have legends saying, for example: "RAIL ROAD CROSSING" First devices "Wigwag" was the nickname given to a type of crossing signals once common in North America, named for the pendulum-like motion it used to signal the approach of a train. Albert Hunt, a mechanical engineer at Southern California's Pacific Electric (PE) interurban streetcar railroad, invented it in 1909 for safer railroad level crossings. He utilized alternating electromagnets pulling on an iron armature. A red steel target disc, slightly less than two feet in diameter, serving as a pendulum was attached. A red light in the center of the target illuminated, and with each swing of the target a mechanical gong sounded. The new model, combining sight, motion and sound was dubbed the "Magnetic Flagman" and produced by the Magnetic Signal Company. Modern devices Rail crossing signals in Northeast, Minneapolis, July 2018First developed in concept by the Stanford Research Institute in the late 1950s at the request of the Southern Pacific Company (the Southern Pacific Railroad, now merged into the Union Pacific Railroad), and patented in 1966, the design goal of the level crossing predictor was to provide a consistent warning time for trains approaching a level crossing. Before this invention, the circuits used for activating a crossing's warning devices were very simple, activated whenever a train came within a fixed distance (hundreds or thousands of feet) of the crossing. This method required that the crossing be designed to accommodate a train approaching at the track speed limit, which leads to longer warning times for trains approaching the crossing at lower speeds. Very slow trains could have many minutes of warning time, thus delaying highway traffic unnecessarily. TechnologyAll level crossing predictors rely on the changes in the electrical characteristics of the rails that occur as a train approaches the point at which the predictor is connected to the rails (the feedpoint). A railroad track occupied by a train or other electrical shunt can be viewed as a single-turn inductor shaped like a hairpin. As the train approaches the feedpoint, the area enclosed by the inductor diminishes, thus reducing the inductance.This inductance can be measured by connecting a constant-current alternating current source to the rails, and measuring the voltage which results. By Ohm's Law, the voltage measured will be proportional to the impedance. The absolute magnitude of this voltage and its rate of change can then be used to compute the amount of time remaining before the train arrives at the crossing, assuming it is running at a constant speed. The crossing's warning devices are activated when the computed time for the train to reach the crossing is equal to the programmed threshold time. The earliest level crossing predictors used analog computers to perform this calculation, but modern equipment uses digital microprocessors. ImplementationA predictor includes a short "island" track which just covers the width of the level crossing.A predictor circuit in the middle of nowhere is usually terminated with a dead short across the rails at the outer ends. This assumes that there are no ordinary track circuits for block signalling purposes. Two predictor circuits may overlap, with tuned circuits used for one predictor to jump over the other. The tuned loops would be a dead short for one predictor, and an open circuit for the other. RAILROAD SIGNALSNorth American railroad signals generally fall into the category of multi-headed electrically lit units displaying speed-based or weak route signaling. Signals may be of the searchlight, color light, position light, or color position light types, each displaying a variety of aspects which inform the locomotive operator of track conditions so that they may keep their train under control and able to stop short of any obstruction or dangerous condition. There is no national standard or system for railroad signaling in North America. Individual railroad corporations are free to devise their own signaling systems as long as they uphold some basic regulated safety requirements. Due to the wave of mergers that have occurred since the 1960s it is not uncommon to see a single railroad operating many different types of signaling inherited from predecessor railroads. This variety can range from simple differences of hardware to completely different rules and aspects. While there has been some recent standardization within railroads in terms of hardware and rules, diversity remains the norm. This article will explain some of the aspects typically found in North American railroad signaling. For a more technical look at how signals actually work, see North American railway signaling. Signaling aspect systemsThere are two main types of signaling aspect systems found in North America, speed signaling and weak route signaling. Speed signaling transmits information regarding how fast the train is permitted to be going in the upcoming segment of track; weak route signaling transmits information related to the route a train will be taking through a junction, and it is incumbent upon the engineer to govern the train's speed accordingly. Weak route signaling is applied with the term weak because some speed signal aspects may be used in the system and also because exact route information is not typically conveyed, only the fact of a diverging or straight route, each having a predictable range of known speeds. Typically railroads in the Eastern United States ran speed signaling, while railroads in the west used route signaling, with some mixing of systems in the Midwest and South. This was due to the lower train density in the west combined with generally simpler track layouts. Over time, the route signaling railroads have incorporated segments of speed signaling through merger and have also adopted more speed-based aspects into their systems. Of the five major Class 1 railroads in the United States, CSX uses speed signaling, Union Pacific and BNSF use speed enhanced route signaling (or what by now is effectively speed signaling with some route elements), and Norfolk Southern uses a mix of speed and route signaling based on the original owner of the line. Commuter railroads and Amtrak all use speed signaling where they own or maintain the tracks they run on. Canadian railroads all use a strong system of speed signaling in Canada, but have some segments of route signaling on lines they have acquired in the United States. Common signaling practicesSignal typesNorth American signals are commonly of three types. Absolute – Absolute signals are usually connected to an interlocking controlled by a block operator or train dispatcher. Their most restrictive aspect is "stop" and trains cannot pass them at stop unless they obtain special authority. Absolute signals will default to displaying stop unless expressly cleared by a control authority. In older practice, multiple signal heads are directly above and below each other on the mast.Automatic – Automatic signals are governed by logic connected through electrical track circuits which detect the presence of trains or obstructions automatically. Automatic signals are permissive with their most restrictive aspect being one of the "restricted proceed" variety. Trains can pass an automatic signal displaying "restricted proceed" without any outside permission. Automatic signals are typically recognized by having an attached number plate and in older practice, having multiple signal heads offset from each other on the mast (i.e., on opposite sides of the mast).Semi-automatic – Semi-automatic signals are those that typically act as an automatic signal, but can be set to display an absolute "stop" aspect. Semi-automatic signals do not have a number plate, but can display an explicit "restricted proceed"-type signal.Other types of signals include train order signals, manual block signals or signals governing special safety appliances such as slide fences, non-interlocked sidings, road crossings, etc. These are much less common than the three standard types. North American signals generally follow a common layout. A high signal consists of one to three heads mounted roughly in a vertical stack, each head capable of displaying one to four different aspects. Automatic signals are identified with a number plate whereas absolute signals are not. The signal's aspect is based on a combination of the aspects each individual head displays. Where a signal has multiple heads, aspects are read from top to bottom and are described as "X over Y over Z". Dwarf signals are smaller signals used in low-speed or restricted-clearance areas. Most signaling aspect systems have a parallel set of aspects for use with dwarf signals that differ from aspects used in high signals. Dwarf signals may have multiple heads just like a high signal, but sometimes dwarf signals use so-called "virtual heads" to save on space and cost. This is where a dwarf signal displays multiple lamps on what would ordinarily be a single signal head creating the effect of multiple signal heads. For example, a stack of dwarf lamps in the order yellow, red, green can display plain yellow, red and green as well as yellow over green and red over green. Behind the signal head is placed a dark backing or target, which helps improve signal visibility in bright ambient lighting. Target designs vary, but are usually round or oval, depending on the layout of the signal lamps. For each type of signal there are usually a range of target dimensions that can be chosen by the individual railroad company. As dwarf signals are not designed to be seen from long distances, they are not generally equipped with targets. Mounting A Pennsylvania Railroad position light signal bridge with replacement mast signals in the background. The design of steam locomotives meant that all signals had to be placed to the right of the running track. Current diesel engine design allows both left- and right-hand siting.Signals are most commonly mounted on trackside masts about 12 to 15 feet (3.7 to 4.6 m) high to put them in the eyeline of the engineer. Signals can also be mounted on signal bridges or cantilever masts spanning multiple tracks. Signal bridges and masts typically provide at least 20 feet (6.1 m) of clearance over the top of the rail. Bracket masts are arranged with multiple signals are mounted on the same masts governing two adjacent tracks. Bracket masts tend to be the tallest type of signal to allow the train crew to see the signal over a train on the intervening track. Signals in electrified territory may be mounted on the catenary structure, and signals on bi-directional lines may be mounted back-to-back on the same mounting device. Prior to 1985, signals were required by regulation to be mounted above and to the right of the track they governed. This mounting was designed to allow the engineer to view the signal when driving a steam or diesel locomotive with a long hood that restricted the view to the left. In most situations, especially where bi-directional running was implemented, signals needed to be mounted above the track or on bracket masts to allow this right hand placement. As locomotive design changed to allow good visibility on both sides of the track, regulations were changed allowing railroads to shift to bi-directional mast type signals, using signal bridges only in special situations involving multiple tracks or restricted views. Dwarf signals are typically mounted on the ground in areas of low speed movements or restricted clearances. Dwarf signals may be sometimes mounted higher up on a small mast or other structure for improved visibility. These can be known as "high dwarfs" or "stick signals," but a tall mounting does not change the lower speed applications of the dwarf signal. Signal colors and lampsElectric signal lamps are typically low power (35 watt) incandescent lamps running off of low voltage DC current or, more recently, high output LED arrays. Incandescent signals use a doublet lens combination to directionally focus their small power out over a long range (3,500 ft or 1,100 m in daylight.) New LED signals may either use an unfocused array or act as a drop-in replacement behind a traditional lens. U.S. signal lenses have a standard diameter of 8+3⁄8 inches (210 mm). North American signals use a standard set of colors, defined in October 1905, and which became common to other modes of transportation as shown on page 384 of the Simmons-Boardman 1911 Signal Dictionary. Green - Used to indicate "clear" or proceed.Yellow - Used to warn the engineer of an impending stop or speed reduction for an occupied "block" ahead. Also used for low-speed movements.Red - Used to indicate a full stop or other restrictive condition, or used as a "placeholder" light (when that part of a signal is unused but to confirm to the crew the signal is working, so as not to require guessing the rest of the combination in case of a light failure).Blue - When on a signal doll post, indicates intervening track between the signal and the track to which the signal applies, or to indicate all equipment on the section of track to the rear of the blue signal is absolutely not to be moved as men are working under, on, or in said equipment.Purple - Obsolete. Up to around 1940, purple lenses were used rather than red as the "Stop" indication in some yards and derails. In 1952, the Interstate Commerce Commission ruled that purple should no longer be used in the U.S. for that purpose.Lunar White - Blue filtered light to eliminate all trace of yellow used to indicate a restricted proceed condition.Lemon Yellow (The AAR's official name) - Used in position light systems as an all-purpose high visibility color, greatest fog penetration.(Plain) White - Plain incandescent white light. Used in dwarf position light signals with frosted lenses.Individual signal heads may be set to flash a color to create a different signal aspect. Signals in the United States typically flash only one head at a time, while signals in Canada may flash two heads at a time; flashing lights are generally less restrictive than steady lights. A few rapid transit systems utilize just two signal lamp colors (lunar white for proceeding and red for a full stop); examples include the Baltimore Metro SubwayLink, the Washington Metro and the PATCO Speedline. SpeedsSignal rules and aspects make use of several pre-defined speeds. These speeds are also used in Weak Route type signaling. Normal Speed - The normal speed for the railroad line, also known as Maximum Authorized Speed (MAS).Limited Speed - A speed less than Normal Speed that was employed starting in the 1940s for use with higher speed turnouts (switches). This speed is defined by individual railroads and ranges anywhere from 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).Medium Speed - Original concept for a standard "reduced" speed normally set to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) and can range as high as 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). This is the typical speed for diverging movements through interlockings and is also the speed trains are limited to when approaching a Stop or Restricted Proceed-type signals.Slow Speed - 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) while within the limits of an interlocking and 20 mph when not in the limits of an interlocking. This is used for trains negotiating complex trackwork at interlockings.Restricted Speed - Used for trains entering or operating in unsignaled territory or when entering a de-energized track circuit. Regulatory definition of no greater than 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) outside interlocking limits, 15 mph within interlocking limits. Trains operating at restricted speed must be able to stop within half vision short of any obstruction, and must look out for broken rails.Fault toleranceSignal aspects are designed to incorporate some degree of fault tolerance. Aspects are often designed so that a faulty or obscured lamp will cause the resulting aspect to be more restrictive than the intended one. Operating rules (GCOR, NORAC or CROR) require that dark or obscured signal heads be treated as displaying their most restrictive aspect (i.e. stop), but fault-tolerant aspect design can help the engineer take a safer course of action before the failure of a signal becomes apparent. While not all aspects are fault-tolerant, the green lamp on the topmost head is only used by the least restrictive signal aspect, "Clear," so there is no case where a failure could accidentally display a clear aspect. Where a signal aspect incorporates a flashing lamp, the flashing lamp is always applied to less restrictive signals. This is to prevent a stuck flashing relay from accidentally upgrading the signal. Some signaling logic incorporates "bulb out" (lamp failure) or other fault detection, to attempt to display the most restrictive aspect in case of a fault. However, this feature is not required nor universally adopted. Signal types Semaphore signalsA semaphore signal on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1943 Semaphore signals were first developed in England in 1841. Some U.S. railroads began to install them in the early 1860s, and semaphores gradually displaced other types of signals. The Union Switch & Signal company (US&S) introduced an electro-pneumatic design in 1881. This was more reliable than earlier, purely mechanical versions, and more railroads began to use them. At that time, however, they were considerably more expensive than Hall disc, or "banjo", signals. By the end of the 19th century, particularly as trains became longer and faster, and railroad lines grew more congested, the banjo signal was considered to have a single and terminal flaw: visibility. The internal disc was difficult to see in foggy weather and when snow clung to the glass panel. Earlier types of electro-pneumatic semaphores made by US&S had seen some limited application by 1880 as automatic block signals. The need to maintain air pressure in the long pneumatic lines eventually led the railroads to discontinue their widespread use as automatic block signals. However, these types did see long service in interlocking plants. Early semaphores also had limited range with manual wire operation and poor reliability in bad weather. Thus some railroads continued to use disc signals where automatic block signal operation was needed between manual block stations as borne out by period rule books well into the 1920s and beyond. By the early 1890s more railroads began installing electric motor-operated semaphore signals, which were visible at distances of thousands of feet, during the day and under inclement weather conditions. In 1893 the high voltage, electric motor automatic block signal semaphore made its debut. By 1898, the US&S Style "B" semaphore, the first successful low voltage, entirely enclosed mechanism electric motor semaphore appeared. It was revolutionary, improving on all earlier semaphore designs, with the last such example being taken out of service as recently as 2009 on the former Siskiyou line of the S.P., now CORPS. The motor-controlled North American semaphores used since the advent of the track circuit block system of 1872, provided a form of automation sought after by the railroads to reduce labor costs and improve reliability over manually operated systems as in the UK, Germany and elsewhere. Dwarf signals were worked mechanically, pneumatically to give restricting-type signals as did mast type signals at interlockings, but motorized dwarfs were more common after the development of the Model 2A signal in 1908. As early as 1915, the technological push by -such intellectual giants as A.H. Rudd of the Pennsylvania R.R. and his concept of speed signaling combined with his development of the Position Light signal and the concurrent color-light signals using William Churchill's doublet lens combination in practical terms made the semaphore technically obsolete. Semaphore signals have been almost completely replaced by light signals in North America, but they contain several important design elements. The overwhelming majority of semaphore type signals used in North America, and the only type surviving in service as of 2009 are of the three position, upper quadrant variety. Those of the lower quadrant variety would most often have two positions, but three roundels, with two being of the more restrictive color. This 60-75 degree lower quadrant, three aperture design of semaphore spectacle was known as the "Continuous Light Spectacle" and predates the Loree-Patenall patented, three position upper quadrant spectacle of 1902. The intent was to reduce the chance of a malfunction or snowfall causing the signal to only partially rise towards the horizontal, yet still displaying the most restrictive color night indication. Color images of these signals bear this out as the "Red-Red-Green" of the home and "Yellow-Yellow-Green" of the distant arms were universal used on 60 and 75 degree (B&M, Central Vermont) L.Q. semaphores. There were no three color 60 or 75 degree signals used. The "standard" 90 degree 3 position Lower Quadrant spectacle saw limited application (the last were used in Memphis, Tenn. and St. Louis, Mo,. Terminals) as the Lorre-Patenall U.Q. spectacle provided significantly greater visual range. The blade portion of the semaphore was of several designs, each conveying a different meaning: Those with a square end are "absolute" signals and generally force trains to stop when in their most restrictive position.Those with a pointed end are "permissive" signals and permit a train to continue at a significantly lower speed rather than having to come to a complete stop.Semaphores with a "fishtail" end (that is, a V-notch end) are "distant" signals conveying to the engineer what the aspect of the next signal is (as a forewarning).The color of the semaphore frequently matches the above categories as well, with absolute signals typically having a white stripe on a red blade and the others having a black stripe (most often repeating the shape of the blade's end) of either square or 60 degree, were the RSA Standard. Searchlight signalsThe 1911 patenting of the "Doublet-Lens" combination for long range (2,500 ft or 760 m in daylight) by Dr. William Churchill at Corning Glass's research facility in Corning, New York, indicated the reign of the semaphore signal in railroad use was rapidly approaching its end. By 1916, this optical combination and a flagging sales response prompted the management of the Hall Signal Company to realize their just-introduced and most advanced Style "L" semaphore mechanism (the very last produced by any U.S. signal company) was indeed obsolete. That dual-lens device had been developed by Cornell University's William Churchill, while he was working at Corning Glass Works. He had finished developing color standards for railroad glassware, which Corning had patented on October 10, 1905. They were immediately put to use as daylight short-range and tunnel-type electric incandescent-bulb illuminated signals. He then turned his attention to medium- and long-range daylight signals using the same incandescent electric lamps with greatly improved optics: the "Doublet-Lens" combination. Hall's response to this situation was to buy the 1918 filed patents from one Mr. Blake for his "Searchlight" signal. In reality, the searchlight signal was an updated and modernized variation of the old Hall enclosed disc signal. What Blake had done was to harness the standard railroad three-position polarized vane relay, add a miniature spectacle and Pyrex, low-expansion Borosilicate glass roundels, and couple that with a very efficient elliptical reflector and optical lens system with a very large 10+1⁄2-inch-diameter (270 mm) stepped outer lens. This revolutionary development provided a signal with a visible indication of over 1 mile (1.6 km) from the signal in broad daylight, when the signal was located on tangent track. The early color light signals were visible for only about half that distance (2,500 feet or 760 metres) while using about the same electrical current, then a major concern in "primary battery territory". By 1925, the development of "high-transmission colors" of railroad glassware by Gage and Corning Glass improved this limited distance to an acceptably competitive 3,500 feet (1,100 m) on tangent track. In the UK, original electromechanical searchlight signals consisted of a low-power incandescent bulb mounted behind a semaphore spectacle devoid of a blade behind a target. The Union Switch and Signal Company searchlight signal ubiquitous to the United States has an internal cable with weights system to mechanically align the signal in the red position if there is a system failure. Searchlight signals' use became widespread mostly due to their relatively low maintenance, high visibility, low power-consumption, and after 1932 using a compound lens with a 4-watt 3-volt bulb that worked quite well in territory with battery-powered signaling. Also of significance was the single lens giving the indications in multiple-head interlocking signals in a fixed location with regard to the mast and the other signal heads, this not being the case with multiple-lens color light signals. In time the costs of the significantly more expensive searchlight signal's relay began to outweigh the savings from its compact size and single bulb when compared with the simple multiple-lens color light signal. By the end of the 1980s the searchlight had lost its position as the most popular signal style in North America. To overcome the issues of associated with moving parts, new solid-state, single-lensed signals were developed. The first such product, marketed in 1968 as the "Unilens" by Safetran, uses fiber optics to concentrate the output of up to four light sources behind a single lens. However, other than as low-speed signals requiring only short-range visibility, these have not been entirely successful and most are now being removed from mainline service after a relatively short working life. Capable of four aspects, most examples had two lamp units simultaneously light red to give the most restrictive indication greater visual range than obtained with the use of a single lamp unit.Triangular color light signalsTriangularly arranged color light signals consist of a cluster of three color lamp sockets in the middle of a large circular target. They were one of the first widely used type of high intensity color light signal, notably adopted by the New York Central and Seaboard Coast Line railroads, and later used exclusively by Conrail and New Jersey Transit. The original General Railway Signal (GRS) Type "G" design consisted of a cast iron box containing three doublet lens units in a triangular arrangement. The US&S "TR" and "TP" models used three smaller connected single-lamp housings with a common background. The long defunct Chicago Signal Company had a version that used standard 5+3⁄8-inch (140 mm) switch lamp lenses (often of Macbeth manufacture) instead of the otherwise standard inverse-convex and stepped lens type found in the standard inner-doublet design. The Union version was later updated to a single unit akin to the GRS model. As modular color light signals have become widespread, target-type configurations have been typically offered alongside vertical type configurations. The triangular color light signal was especially useful in physically restricted and confined areas. Vertical color light signals Hooded GRS Type D modular color lights on the DRGW TN Pass Line.Vertical color light signals are the second major pattern of color light signals, and today represent the most popular form of signal in North America, supplanting the searchlight. These signals are not different from the triangular type color signal in function, but present a much altered visual appearance. Continuing problems with reliable, long range light sources from a single, optical colored lens and a focused bulb restricted the first use of color light signals to short range daytime exterior applications, or tunnels and other underground or low speed complexes. The 1911 New York Penn Station project was one example of this type of color light signal, with an outer colored 8 3/8" optical lens, some of which are still in service as of 2011. Development of the doublet lens by Churchill at Corning Glass Works allowed an electric light source to be more effective than with previous daytime colorlight signal designs. There are two main types of cases: the single case, where two or more lamps were contained within a single cast housing, and the modular light, where each lamp was an independent unit capable of being arranged into a signal of arbitrary configuration, including triangular. US&S has a popular single case type with its styles R/R-2, P-2/5 and N, while GRS offered their triangularly arranged Type G, with the Chicago Signal Company providing a similar version. Today's Safetrans Triangular is a copy of the GRS Type G but with vertically arranged double doors. Signals like the model N/N-2 could also be mounted directly on the ground as a dwarf signal without a backing. The most notable user of this type of signal was the Chesapeake and Ohio, but units could be found on railroads all over the country. Over time, due to its low cost and versatility, the modular color light signal became the standard in North America. The first modular system was the GRS Type "D", first marketed in 1922, and adopted by the Southern Railroad along with many others: D&RG, etc. The GRS units used a smaller "background" than the comparable US&S vertical possibly somewhat compromising long range visibility. Today the most popular type of new signal in North America is a modular design manufactured by Safetran, as it is the cheapest, with all of the four major Class 1 railroads installing it almost exclusively.[citation needed] Today, both GRS and Safetran market separate modular systems for high and dwarf signals, while US&S uses the single modular Style "R-2" design for high and Style N-2 for dwarfs. Modular color lights allow for all the cost savings inherent in color lights, but also make it easier for railroads to stock signals and perform alterations to interlockings. Instead of having to order custom heads, new modules can be taken from stock to build new signals or modify existing heads. With simple bracketry, even triangular color lights may be built up with these standardized components. Modular color light signals are often fitted with a full-length sun shade often called "Vader Hoods" by railroad employees and railfans due to the appearance similar to Darth Vader in the Star Wars series of films. These extended signal shades improves visibility in bright sunny conditions and blocks other light from other sources that could illuminate and provide a false aspect to the engineer. The shades also provide an unintended bonus of helping to focus the light to be more noticeable from far distances. This shade was originally adopted by the Union Pacific and Denver Rio Grand and Western railroads to prevent snow buildup on one shade from obscuring the signal lens above it. Position light signals Position light signals use rows of 5+3⁄8-inch-diameter (140 mm) lamps to simulate the positions of an upper quadrant semaphore blade. Position lights were developed by A.H. Rudd, Superintendent of Signalling of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). They were introduced in 1915 as a replacement for semaphore signals on the Main Line between Paoli and Philadelphia as an effort to reduce the maintenance required by semaphore signals as well as visibility problems caused by the new overhead electrification project. The original system used rows of four lights. The system was later reduced to use rows of three lamps, surrounding a common center. This reduced the "sail" effect of the inordinately large and tombstone shaped background of the four-light variant. The original installation made use of lamps positioned in front of a free standing black sheet-iron backing, but shortly thereafter, the new circular background was fitted to the then reduced 3 lamp per row device and directly to the backing on a framework referred to as a "spider." Each position lamp unit is equipped with a 12 volt, 6 candlepower bulb mounted in front of a parabolic mirror that increases the relatively weak bulb's intensity. To avoid phantom indications the design makes use of a special inverted toric lens (i.e. a single clear Fresnel lens mounted step sides outwards) with a portion of the lens steps painted black. A light yellow tinted conical glass with frosted tip was chosen, as this color was determined to have the highest visibility under fog conditions based on empirical studies at Corning at that time. A standard high position light consists of two heads; the bottom head can remain dark unless it is needed. In addition to the high position light signals the PRR developed a dwarf position light, as with many railroads, these dwarf signals are also referred to as a "pot," a tradition carried over from the 19th century revolving "Pot Type Signal." Four plain white lamps are able to display four low-speed aspects each with two lamps. In 1930, close clearances of the Philadelphia Suburban Station complex spurred development of the pedestal-type position, which consisted of two position dwarf signals in a common cast backing. PRR type position lights were used throughout the vast PRR system as well as the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), a PRR subsidiary, and the Norfolk and Western, which was one-third-owned by the PRR. US&S was the sole supplier of classic position light equipment as this manufacturer's factory was formerly located on the four track mainline of the P.R.R. in Swissvale, Pa. In 1954, the PRR experimented installing red lenses in the horizontal position of the upper head to help increase the at distance visibility of absolute Stop signals at Overbrook interlocking. Under the Penn Central and later Conrail it became standard practice to add these red lenses to high position lights and even some pedestal signals. The Norfolk and Western modified its signals to use red and green lenses in the upper head Stop and Clear positions and yellow lenses everywhere else. In the 1980s Amtrak modified most of its former-PRR position lights to use the equivalent color light colors in all of the positions of both heads. Internally referred to as position color lights, these are not to be confused with color position lights described below, which while functionally similar are structurally considerably different. New PRR type position lights continued to be installed up until the 1980s on former Conrail systems. Today most of the old PRR position lights are slowly being replaced by modern color lights, but Amtrak, SEPTA and the LIRR continue to install new position lights (Amtrak's being of the colorized variety). US&S no longer manufactures position light equipment, but updated models from Safetran continue to be available. Color position light The color position light (CPL) signal was developed by Frank Patenal, superintendent of signaling of the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) railroad, circa 1918. He also developed a proprietary signal aspect system to replace the earlier A.H. Rudd, ARA standard signaling system (PRR-based) then in use. The CPL system was unique in that it was a conceptually original design instead of being an update of an existing system. The CPL system incorporates several design principles that are otherwise unique to North American signaling. Use of the color red only in the case of an absolute stop or restricted speed situation is the most significant characteristic. The other 11 standard possible combinations do not display a red aspect. The CPL consists of a central position target with up to four pairs of doublet lens units around the perimeter of the background disc. The lens units are spaced at 45-degree axes using the positions: green |, yellow /, red — and a lunar white \ for restricting also being present in some installations. The main head is surrounded by up to 6 markers at the 12:00, 2:30, 4:30, 6:00, 8:30 and 10:30 o'clock positions. The function of the main head was block occupancy information with green representing two or more clear blocks, yellow one clear block, and red/lunar white representing a restricting indication, meaning the engineman was permitted to enter his train into an occupied block. The individual marker lamps provide speed information, 12 o'clock being Normal speed, 6 being Medium speed (Limited speed if flashing), 10 being Normal to Medium (Limited if flashing), 2 being Normal to Slow, 8 being Medium to Medium, 4 being Medium to Slow and no lit markers being Slow to Slow.This CPL was first deployed on the Staten Island Railroad (a B&O subsidiary) in the 1920s, and deployed system-wide shortly thereafter. Parts of the Chicago and Alton Railroad received CPLs later, when the B&O gained control of that line. In the 1980s both Amtrak's Chicago Union Station and Metra's Chicago Northwestern Station installed dwarf CPLs to replace earlier signals in those terminals. As of 2008 and as with all U.S. railroads, CSX is slowly replacing all of the remaining CPLs on its system with contemporary vertical color light LED signals. The signals on the old Alton Railroad have also been almost entirely replaced as have many of the CPL dwarfs at the two Chicago terminals. The sole exception is the Staten Island Railroad, which recently upgraded its signaling system with new CPLs using modern Safetran position light equipment.New in the Box Figures, Vehicles, background items are not included but sold separately SHIPPING: We do combine shipping on multiple purchases. If you do a Buy It Now the transaction requires immediate payment for each item separately. What you need to do is put it in the shopping cart and then when you go to checkout it will recalculate the shipping and combine the items for you. If you pay first I am unable to make any adjustment because ebay has then taken its fees on the shipping as well. If you have a concern message me and I can work something out for you. THIS IS AN UNASSEMBLED ItemThe item is NEW in the original box from old stock PERSONAL INVENTORY:Many of these unique items are from my personal inventory which was accumulated over the years. They are hard to part with but due to downsizing in retirement they too are looking for a good home which can appreciate and enjoy them. STORE INVENTORY:Having discontinued my Hobby Store and left frigid “Minne-Snow-Da” I have relocated and retired to the warmer part of the country, Down to Sunny TEXAS. I will be Liquidating the remaining stock. I will be listing items over the next year or so clearing them out. Please see the photos we take actual photos of each itemMost of these items are New in the box removed only to take photos of them.

Price: 99.89 USD

Location: Van, Texas

End Time: 2024-11-23T15:47:11.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD