Unique Warning Signals

[index]

Here's a pretty lousy excuse for an active railroad crossing:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2751998,-94.4038595,3a,60y,207.2h,92.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swl6pbqfEzOk9lVXYEtW7qA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
One dinky light on each side in Farnhamville, IA.

I wonder how much activity this line sees. Probably very few trains come through, so it doesn't really need a full signal system. Also, there are also stop signs mounted under each light that are manually rotated into place when a train comes.

Edit: Looking at this Trains Magazine map, that rail line is cut at Farnhamville, so it probably only sees a couple trains a year. A flashing light at a crossing is more than the line deserves.

If you have to manually activate parts of the crossing, that kind of defeats the purpose of giving the crossing any features of an active one at all, which makes the poor little light even more lousy. You may as well make it passive and flag the crossing at that point.

[FrCorySticha]

If you have to manually activate parts of the crossing, that kind of defeats the purpose of giving the crossing any features of an active one at all, which makes the poor little light even more lousy. You may as well make it passive and flag the crossing at that point.

Agreed, but the light probably exists only to tell drivers, "Hey, there's actually a train here."

[Big John]

A flashing red light and stop sign near the railroad switching station. The red light flashes all the time regardless of if a train is crossing it https://goo.gl/maps/aiwVGHc6cZUx8Dgg8

[fillup420]

Railroad crossing lights on wires in Chattanooga, TN. This crossing has since been removed
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Tennessee/A-F/Chattanooga/Riverfront/2.jpg

wow thats crazy, never seen anything like that before. I wonder what the reason was for such sloppy work?

[US71]

Joplin, MO has an old wig-wag, or did about 10 years ago

[index]

Joplin, MO has an old wig-wag, or did about 10 years ago

Isn't it still up? There's some recent videos/pictures that show it in operation. They even retrofitted it with LEDs (which makes it even more unique, I'm sure you can't name another wigwag that uses LEDs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D216Nkr4Pqo

[ErmineNotyours]

Simple mast arm installation.  Since removed.  Probably put up by the city to replace a full street intersection signal.  Yes, little Houser Way once had signals, earning Renton the honor of Traffic Light Capital of the World.

[US71]

Isn't it still up? There's some recent videos/pictures that show it in operation. They even retrofitted it with LEDs (which makes it even more unique, I'm sure you can't name another wigwag that uses LEDs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D216Nkr4Pqo

I've not been by in a while so I wasn't sure,

[Dirt Roads]

Railroad crossing lights on wires in Chattanooga, TN. This crossing has since been removed
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Tennessee/A-F/Chattanooga/Riverfront/2.jpg

wow thats crazy, never seen anything like that before. I wonder what the reason was for such sloppy work?

Can you say "can opener"?  That was a cantilevered mast with the cantilever missing.  An overheight truck probably took down the cantilevered signals.  Which raises the obvious question "how do you know if your truck will fit under the railroad cantilever?"  This crossing is still level with the roadway, but most of the well-utilized trackage in the United States have been raised significantly over the past 3 decades to assure proper drainage.  A two-foot increase in the crossing elevation will most certainly result in a wedge angle for trucks approaching the design height of the cantilevered flashing light signals (CFLS).

[kphoger]

Here's a pretty lousy excuse for an active railroad crossing:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2751998,-94.4038595,3a,60y,207.2h,92.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swl6pbqfEzOk9lVXYEtW7qA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
One dinky light on each side in Farnhamville, IA.

A flashing red light and stop sign near the railroad switching station. The red light flashes all the time regardless of if a train is crossing it https://goo.gl/maps/aiwVGHc6cZUx8Dgg8

It seems like you guys think all grade crossings typically get signals.

[index]

Here's a pretty lousy excuse for an active railroad crossing:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2751998,-94.4038595,3a,60y,207.2h,92.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swl6pbqfEzOk9lVXYEtW7qA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
One dinky light on each side in Farnhamville, IA.

A flashing red light and stop sign near the railroad switching station. The red light flashes all the time regardless of if a train is crossing it https://goo.gl/maps/aiwVGHc6cZUx8Dgg8

It seems like you guys think all grade crossings typically get signals.

I mean, not really. Are these crossings not unusual? That's, well, the whole reason they were posted here. I'm not saying "it's weird because it's a passive crossing and has no automatic warning", it's weird because of the way it warns people. I don't know of any other crossings that have a stop beacon or need to have their (one) light manually activated every time a train approaches.

[RobbieL2415]

This flashing arrow on US 6 in Provincetown, MA. It's used to help guide traffic onto MA 6A when that particular stretch is blown over with sand or the crosswind is high.
https://goo.gl/maps/T39tMxxCt9MD3GVv9

This pair of covered signs on CT 15 entering the West Rock Tunnel. Removed as of 2013. They warned of either and accident in the tunnel or ice in the tunnel. I never saw them uncovered, except the first line is most likely CAUTION.
https://goo.gl/maps/YyEHn2g2hKoBhKc4A

RR Xing signals and gates on the SB end of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway going NB. I guess to close that span.
https://goo.gl/maps/6HnXy4MZodtnaWfj9

One of the infamous light-up LANE ENDS pictograms on the approach to the former Tappan Zee Bridge. These would come on when the movable barrier gave the opposite side the extra lane.
https://goo.gl/maps/35EzCMq6SQvdPT4f9

[rickmastfan67]

Isn't it still up? There's some recent videos/pictures that show it in operation. They even retrofitted it with LEDs (which makes it even more unique, I'm sure you can't name another wigwag that uses LEDs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D216Nkr4Pqo

Kinda cool that it was made here in the Pittsburgh (Swissvale) area.

[ErmineNotyours]

Supplemental traffic light crossing in front of a traffic light that already responds to the train, which gets it's own traffic light signal.