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My New England Road (and sign-shopping) Trip (September 2008)

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ctsignguy:
Some of these piccys showed up in my LiveJournal last fall, others are seeing the light of day for the first time...(there are a lot of railroad photos as well...i am also a bit of a train (New Haven RR) buff!)

http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/ctsignguy/NE%20Vacation%2009-08/

I will warn you...some of the wild signs pictured are now currently residing in my personal collection...all obtained legally...

i am planning a follow-up trip in May (before the gas gets gonzo again)....so we shall see!

Michael:
So... How do you legally obtain old road signs, anyway?

ctsignguy:
Basically, i have a photo album of my collection which i take with me...if i see something interesting, i will try to contact the local DOT garage...or depending upon location, the local city or county garage as well.  I talk to the supervisor and show them my collection and ask if they can assist me.

Lately, i have been getting more 'no' than 'yes', and i think this is due in part to the poor economy crimping state and local budgets...and eBay has also made things harder for legit collectors as the sign guys are very aware of people who empty out scrap bins and sell them on eBay....so i am very careful to let them know upfront what i am looking for (say, "I need a state-named Interstate shield if you happen have one in your used stocks) ...and not to take any more than i request..

i also try to avoid taking newer stuff, or unused stuff from the shelves (many states use computerized inventory controls for newer signs nowadays, and we dont want the sign guys to get in trouble or lose their jobs for our little hobby....)

Michael:
Ah!  But I don't have a collection (even though it sounds cool!)  :)

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