First doghouse

[traffic light guy]

I made a few topics like these before, but now this has got me scratching my head. When were the first doghouses installed? The oldest I could find within my area were these 12" Eagle flatbacks in Lower Merion, PA. These are the oldest doghouses that I've ever seen in person. As far as I know, these signals were installed at some point during the seventies:

Eagle Signals on a silver pole w/old doghouse mounted on the side by thesignalman, on Flickr

Eagle Flatback Doghouse by thesignalman, on Flickr

[Brandon]

Illinois does not do doghouses, but 5 light towers have existed at least as far back as the early 1970s, if not into the '60s.  They seem to have been concurrent with the adoption of the aluminum truss Illinois used up until the 1980s.

Example, now gone, at 55th and Cass in Westmont: https://goo.gl/maps/5XKTPUTmzNx

[Signal man619]

The oldest doghouse I've encountered, was a Parallelogram Logo Marbelite 8in from Oberlin and Clark in Raleigh NC. I've since sold this light, but its the oldest green and amber protected left turn light I've encountered. 

[traffic light guy]

The oldest doghouse I've encountered, was a Parallelogram Logo Marbelite 8in from Oberlin and Clark in Raleigh NC. I've since sold this light, but its the oldest green and amber protected left turn light I've encountered.

......1960s? Anyways, what about the guy who has this in their garage: http://www.kbrhorse.net/signals/marbdh.html. That's probably older than my Lower Merion doghouses.

[Signal man619]

The oldest doghouse I've encountered, was a Parallelogram Logo Marbelite 8in from Oberlin and Clark in Raleigh NC. I've since sold this light, but its the oldest green and amber protected left turn light I've encountered.

......1960s? Anyways, what about the guy who has this in their garage: http://www.kbrhorse.net/signals/marbdh.html. That's probably older than my Lower Merion doghouses.

     Oh Willis Lamm, a personal good friend of mine, hes extremely knowledgeable. Mine looked identical to his, same hardware and everything. Finding the oldest doghouse signal is a very difficult task, because jurisdictions experimented with different configurations, who knows where the idea of the doghouse originated from. A doghouse signal only requires 5 single section heads and a two way connector bracket. Southern Autoflow experimented something called a "Phasing Red" also called the "Type T" because it was shaped like a "T", it had a modified two way bracket with three red ball signal indications with a single amber and green on the bottom. Kinda hard to describe but I think you get the idea.

[traffic light guy]

The oldest doghouse I've encountered, was a Parallelogram Logo Marbelite 8in from Oberlin and Clark in Raleigh NC. I've since sold this light, but its the oldest green and amber protected left turn light I've encountered.

......1960s? Anyways, what about the guy who has this in their garage: http://www.kbrhorse.net/signals/marbdh.html. That's probably older than my Lower Merion doghouses.

     Oh Willis Lamm, a personal good friend of mine, hes extremely knowledgeable. Mine looked identical to his, same hardware and everything. Finding the oldest doghouse signal is a very difficult task, because jurisdictions experimented with different configurations, who knows where the idea of the doghouse originated from. A doghouse signal only requires 5 single section heads and a two way connector bracket. Southern Autoflow experimented something called a "Phasing Red" also called the "Type T" because it was shaped like a "T", it had a modified two way bracket with three red ball signal indications with a single amber and green on the bottom. Kinda hard to describe but I think you get the idea.

It's like kinda T-bone traffic light. And is Willis Lamm on this site?

[Signal man619]

The oldest doghouse I've encountered, was a Parallelogram Logo Marbelite 8in from Oberlin and Clark in Raleigh NC. I've since sold this light, but its the oldest green and amber protected left turn light I've encountered.

......1960s? Anyways, what about the guy who has this in their garage: http://www.kbrhorse.net/signals/marbdh.html. That's probably older than my Lower Merion doghouses.

     Oh Willis Lamm, a personal good friend of mine, hes extremely knowledgeable. Mine looked identical to his, same hardware and everything. Finding the oldest doghouse signal is a very difficult task, because jurisdictions experimented with different configurations, who knows where the idea of the doghouse originated from. A doghouse signal only requires 5 single section heads and a two way connector bracket. Southern Autoflow experimented something called a "Phasing Red" also called the "Type T" because it was shaped like a "T", it had a modified two way bracket with three red ball signal indications with a single amber and green on the bottom. Kinda hard to describe but I think you get the idea.

It's like kinda T-bone traffic light. And is Willis Lamm on this site?

Not quite sure what a T-bone traffic signal is. I don't know if he is on this site or not, I doubt it. He does not get online that often, he posts rarely on Highway Divides.

[traffic light guy]

The oldest doghouse I've encountered, was a Parallelogram Logo Marbelite 8in from Oberlin and Clark in Raleigh NC. I've since sold this light, but its the oldest green and amber protected left turn light I've encountered.

......1960s? Anyways, what about the guy who has this in their garage: http://www.kbrhorse.net/signals/marbdh.html. That's probably older than my Lower Merion doghouses.

     Oh Willis Lamm, a personal good friend of mine, hes extremely knowledgeable. Mine looked identical to his, same hardware and everything. Finding the oldest doghouse signal is a very difficult task, because jurisdictions experimented with different configurations, who knows where the idea of the doghouse originated from. A doghouse signal only requires 5 single section heads and a two way connector bracket. Southern Autoflow experimented something called a "Phasing Red" also called the "Type T" because it was shaped like a "T", it had a modified two way bracket with three red ball signal indications with a single amber and green on the bottom. Kinda hard to describe but I think you get the idea.

It's like kinda T-bone traffic light. And is Willis Lamm on this site?

Not quite sure what a T-bone traffic signal is. I don't know if he is on this site or not, I doubt it. He does not get online that often, he posts rarely on Highway Divides.

A t-bone traffic light is this:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rock+Hill+Rd+%26+Conshohocken+State+Rd,+Bala+Cynwyd,+PA+19004/@40.0182907,-75.2402591,3a,75y,348.07h,81.03t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sLZu8i-Cu-AxCblWEpdJbsg!2e0!5s20120501T000000!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c6b8ae38e9e4d1:0xbfcccbd769c681b7!8m2!3d40.0182455!4d-75.2401663
Look at the head on the far left

[Signal man619]

Its a fairly common configuration

[traffic light guy]

Here are the doghouses in Bristol, although I couldn't get any pictures, I know where they are on Google Maps. These doghouses are slightly newer than the ones in Lower Merion, but still pretty old, these were also installed during the 1970s:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.1189177,-74.8641729,3a,75y,105.75h,77.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sn2oE_dlsgVmJmCO00LiyQA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.1423913,-74.8460061,3a,75y,155.41h,87.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scLiyG65-eXPfxQiRM2CkYg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

Not sure if these are still up, the other signalgeeks in my area might know.

[jeffandnicole]

Ohio has/had some impressively old doghouses.

And Delaware loves the T-bone. I'd hedge to say they have more of them than any other state.

[traffic light guy]

Ohio has/had some impressively old doghouses.

And Delaware loves the T-bone. I'd hedge to say they have more of them than any other state.

What brand were they, Marbelite. And are they older or newer than the Lower Merion, PA doghouses

[jeffandnicole]

No clue.  They simply appeared much older than most other signals.

[traffic light guy]

I wanna show you guys where the other two really old doghouses were, I just gotta dig it up on google maps. The first one got replaced in 2009, the second one got replaced in 2012.

[Hurricane Rex]

I know I've seen older doghouses but the only ones I can remember of the top of my head are on Tualatin Sherwood Road where I think only one remains (I'll look tomorrow on Google maps).

[jakeroot]

Washington State's standard operating procedure for many years, as far as I can tell, was basically to go from fully permissive to fully protected. I can't think of any solidly-old doghouses anywhere in the state. They'd probably be in Spokane, if I had to guess, since of the largest cities in the state (usually the ones with the oldest roads), they're the only one that regularly uses them. Seattle seldom uses doghouses, preferring FYAs these days but formerly a flashing yellow orb, aka "Seattle left turn signal". Tacoma has always used tower setups, attaching a green and yellow arrow to the bottom of the farthest-left green signal when pro-per operation became necessary (like here). Vancouver might have some old doghouses, but I'm not sure. Bellevue has always used bimodal signals (until switching to FYA completely a few years ago).

Based on the age of the intersection, I would guess that this doghouse is probably one of the oldest in Pierce County. The interchange was built in the 60s, but I have no clue if this dates to then: https://goo.gl/EG99FT

Another relatively old signal Puyallup, WA: https://goo.gl/dPmzx9 -- the back has 9 distinct sides. A bit odd.

This old doghouse also has large bumps on the back of each head: https://goo.gl/QyXSGJ



Here's a Washington example of a "t-bone" traffic light (Fife, WA) (very rare up here)

https://goo.gl/9vb1tZ

[traffic light guy]

Washington State's standard operating procedure for many years, as far as I can tell, was basically to go from fully permissive to fully protected. I can't think of any solidly-old doghouses anywhere in the state. They'd probably be in Spokane, if I had to guess, since of the largest cities in the state (usually the ones with the oldest roads), they're the only one that regularly uses them. Seattle seldom uses doghouses, preferring FYAs these days but formerly a flashing yellow orb, aka "Seattle left turn signal". Tacoma has always used tower setups, attaching a green and yellow arrow to the bottom of the farthest-left green signal when pro-per operation became necessary (like here). Vancouver might have some old doghouses, but I'm not sure. Bellevue has always used bimodal signals (until switching to FYA completely a few years ago).

Based on the age of the intersection, I would guess that this doghouse is probably one of the oldest in Pierce County. The interchange was built in the 60s, but I have no clue if this dates to then: https://goo.gl/EG99FT

Another relatively old signal Puyallup, WA: https://goo.gl/dPmzx9 -- the back has 9 distinct sides. A bit odd.

This old doghouse also has large bumps on the back of each head: https://goo.gl/QyXSGJ



Here's a Washington example of a "t-bone" traffic light (Fife, WA) (very rare up here)

https://goo.gl/9vb1tZ

Those doghouses don't look quite as old as mine, I think Pennsylvania takes the cake. Ian however, has pictures of impressively old doghouses that are found in Delaware. Just like mine, they were made by the same company; Eagle Signal. The only difference is, they're hung on span wires, mine are on montotubes. Ian's Delaware doghouses might be even older than mine, just maybe by two or three years. My doghouses are all fully 12-inches, his have a 12-inch read, with 8" yellow and green sections on either side.

The large bumps on the back of that doghouse, are because it's made by a specific company. Each model of signals have a different design on the back. That particular signal was made by the Indiactor Controls Co. (ICC).


That last doghosue, that's shaped like a diamond, was made by Econolite.

[freebrickproductions]

I call those "T-bone" traffic lights "Upside-down Ts" personally, though most collectors seem to refer to them as "Dolly Partons". I've seen "4-section Doghouses" used to refer to them as well.

Also, I want to say somewhere up in the northeast (I think it was Delaware), someone found a 12-8-8-8-8 doghouse that had a square-door Econolite bullseye section for the red, which could date it all the way back to 1963 at the earliest.

[traffic light guy]

I call those "T-bone" traffic lights "Upside-down Ts" personally, though most collectors seem to refer to them as "Dolly Partons". I've seen "4-section Doghouses" used to refer to them as well.

Also, I want to say somewhere up in the northeast (I think it was Delaware), someone found a 12-8-8-8-8 doghouse that had a square-door Econolite bullseye section for the red, which could date it all the way back to 1963 at the earliest.

You mean this (photo taken by signals unlimited, not me)

12-8-8-8-8 Econolite Long-groove / square door Bullseye  doghouse signal by Signals Unlimited, on Flickr

That econolite doghouse is very simular to Ian's 12-8-8-8-8 Delaware Eagle flatbacks:
Old DelDOT Style Eagle Signals (1) by Ian Ligget, on Flickr

DSC_0078 by Ian Ligget, on Flickr

[traffic light guy]

I just found two more really old doghouses, they're also eagle flatbacks, in Harrisburg. Unlike the setups in the eastern side of PA, these are hung on wires:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2596024,-76.8398728,3a,75y,126.74h,116.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s5pqBzXY9-PtpOP9KKYDbQg!2e0!5s20170701T000000!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

I also believe that Pittsburgh might have some econolite bull's eye doghouses (The square door versions), who knows, besides, old doghouses look more interesting when they're on monotubes, not wires.

[Signal man619]

Nice find, what I find unique about this intersection is the abandon signal head on the NW corner, and the Marbalite 8in green indications on the cross streets.

[traffic light guy]

Here are some aluminum econolite diamondback doghouses from NJ (These are from the 1980s) (This is special because NJ no longer uses doghouses) Another one of Ian's pics:

NJ Econolite Buttonbacks!!! by Ian Ligget, on Flickr

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

Any guesses on how old the older doghouse clusters are? And what brand?

From LI, NY. The type of doghouse on the left cluster, up until NYSDOT started using FYA, is/was the standard left turn signal on LI. The other older type is rarely seen.

https://goo.gl/maps/YuvC9fN8dGo

[jeffandnicole]

Here are some aluminum econolite diamondback doghouses from NJ (These are from the 1980s) (This is special because NJ no longer uses doghouses)

Just a note: NJ does use doghouses, but very sparingly.  One was just installed last year on US 30 near I-295.  I point this intersection out because NJDOT managed to use traditional 3 section lights, the 4 section Jersey Special with bimodal green/yellow arrow, a 5 section tower, and a traditional doghouse all within the same intersection!  https://goo.gl/maps/VjaZTaY6FUz

Another was installed on Fellowship Rd at the exit for a new Walmart.  Not sure why, as they used a 4 section Jersey Special elsewhere in the overall project.

Some counties in NJ use them more than others as well.

(and yeah, I just made up the Jersey Special term.  I know they're used elsewhere on occasion)

[traffic light guy]

Any guesses on how old the older doghouse clusters are? And what brand?

From LI, NY. The type of doghouse on the left cluster, up until NYSDOT started using FYA, is/was the standard left turn signal on LI. The other older type is rarely seen.

https://goo.gl/maps/YuvC9fN8dGo

Google Maps is a bit fuzzy, I'd say either TCT or ICC. These aren't too old these are most likely from the nineties.