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Old Traffic Signals

Started by Alex, June 21, 2009, 09:53:36 PM

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traffic light guy

Quote from: Signal man619 on March 01, 2018, 06:05:04 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 01, 2018, 05:54:42 PM
Quote from: Signal man619 on March 01, 2018, 05:40:57 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 01, 2018, 05:33:31 PM
I've noticed that all the signal configurations in Lower Merion have stainless steel poles. I wonder if the poles were always like that, or if they reinstalled the old signals onto new masts. I'm not really sure, since some of the stainless steel poles have arches and angles, and PennDOT stopped using angled mast-arms and double arches in 1977.

There Eagles from the 70's, not that old so my guess is that they are original. No need to replace all the poles in a town and keep the same signals up. Does this Lower Merion have any thing good? Like four-ways or something interesting?

They do have a few eagleluxes. There are also a few art decos in chester, which is a half-hour or so away from Lower Merion.

  Definitely those Eagleluxes and CHs are a better interest.

The eagleluxes and art decos were way to far out of my reach, that's why I had to settle with the doghouses. The art decos are VERY rare to find nowadays, ten of them of gotten replaced with in the past decade. There are a few CH art decos left, but you need to hitchhike to find them, since there are so few left, I can proably count them all on one hand. However Philly has a few Crouse-Hinds Type Ms, which I have pictures of:

Highway Signal & Sign Corporation and a Crouse-Hinds Type M by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

A Crouse-Hinds Type M paired up with a Marbelite flattop by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Not as old as the art decos, but still pretty decent. These signals are at least 40 years old



Signal man619

The last generation of type Ms are pretty cool, But CH Art Decos are pretty common, I have 12 single face and 6 four-way Decos in my personal collection, and I know many more still in use and in collections. I know Pittsburgh and its metro area has intersections of them.
Cameron

traffic light guy

Quote from: Signal man619 on March 01, 2018, 06:50:28 PM
The last generation of type Ms are pretty cool, But CH Art Decos are pretty common, I have 12 single face and 6 four-way Decos in my personal collection, and I know many more still in use and in collections. I know Pittsburgh and its metro area has intersections of them.

What I meant to say was, in the Philadlephia metropolitan area, art decos are very rare. The western side of PA is where are the old signals still thrive.

traffic light guy

Quote from: Signal man619 on March 01, 2018, 06:50:28 PM
The last generation of type Ms are pretty cool, But CH Art Decos are pretty common, I have 12 single face and 6 four-way Decos in my personal collection, and I know many more still in use and in collections. I know Pittsburgh and its metro area has intersections of them.

Do you happen to have a Flickr, if so, join the bandwagon, and take as many signal photos as you want. You don't have to if you don't want to. But it's fun, and it's a good way to connect with other traffic signal enthusiasts.

Signal man619

Quote from: traffic light guy on March 02, 2018, 12:03:16 AM
Quote from: Signal man619 on March 01, 2018, 06:50:28 PM
The last generation of type Ms are pretty cool, But CH Art Decos are pretty common, I have 12 single face and 6 four-way Decos in my personal collection, and I know many more still in use and in collections. I know Pittsburgh and its metro area has intersections of them.

Do you happen to have a Flickr, if so, join the bandwagon, and take as many signal photos as you want. You don't have to if you don't want to. But it's fun, and it's a good way to connect with other traffic signal enthusiasts.

Yeah its a good photo sharing website, but I'm way to busy to take and upload traffic light photos.
Cameron

traffic light guy

#555
Quote from: Signal man619 on March 01, 2018, 05:40:57 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 01, 2018, 05:33:31 PM
I've noticed that all the signal configurations in Lower Merion have stainless steel poles. I wonder if the poles were always like that, or if they reinstalled the old signals onto new masts. I'm not really sure, since some of the stainless steel poles have arches and angles, and PennDOT stopped using angled mast-arms and double arches in 1977.

There Eagles from the 70's, not that old so my guess is that they are original. No need to replace all the poles in a town and keep the same signals up. Does this Lower Merion have any thing good? Like four-ways or something interesting?

Those eagles are pretty old in my eyes, the '70s were a very long time ago....the signals in my doghouse photos were installed a few years closer to the 1920s, than to today

Signal man619

Quote from: traffic light guy on March 03, 2018, 12:07:00 AM
Quote from: Signal man619 on March 01, 2018, 05:40:57 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 01, 2018, 05:33:31 PM
I've noticed that all the signal configurations in Lower Merion have stainless steel poles. I wonder if the poles were always like that, or if they reinstalled the old signals onto new masts. I'm not really sure, since some of the stainless steel poles have arches and angles, and PennDOT stopped using angled mast-arms and double arches in 1977.

There Eagles from the 70's, not that old so my guess is that they are original. No need to replace all the poles in a town and keep the same signals up. Does this Lower Merion have any thing good? Like four-ways or something interesting?

Those eagles are pretty old in my eyes, the '70s were a very long time ago....the signals in my doghouse photos were installed a few years closer to the 1920s, than to today

Not quite sure what you want me to do with this information.....
Cameron

traffic light guy

Quote from: Signal man619 on March 03, 2018, 10:00:31 AM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 03, 2018, 12:07:00 AM
Quote from: Signal man619 on March 01, 2018, 05:40:57 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 01, 2018, 05:33:31 PM
I've noticed that all the signal configurations in Lower Merion have stainless steel poles. I wonder if the poles were always like that, or if they reinstalled the old signals onto new masts. I'm not really sure, since some of the stainless steel poles have arches and angles, and PennDOT stopped using angled mast-arms and double arches in 1977.

There Eagles from the 70's, not that old so my guess is that they are original. No need to replace all the poles in a town and keep the same signals up. Does this Lower Merion have any thing good? Like four-ways or something interesting?

Those eagles are pretty old in my eyes, the '70s were a very long time ago....the signals in my doghouse photos were installed a few years closer to the 1920s, than to today

Not quite sure what you want me to do with this information.....

Nothing, I'm just voicing my option on what I think is old, versus what you think is old

traffic light guy

Quote from: Ian on December 28, 2017, 05:08:25 PM
Was bored at home today, so I went around to do some old signal scouting in the SE Pennsylvania area. I came across these 8" Eagles that have 12" adapter units installed in the red sections. There used to be a ton of these types of signals decades ago around Philly, but these are the only ones left I'm aware of. Haverford and Remington Roads in Lower Merion Township...





There's another one in Elkin's Park, not sure if it's still up. If it is, I'll show you some pictures

traffic light guy


traffic light guy


jakeroot

#561
Walla Walla, WA has quite a few ancient setups in the city (most along East Alder St). Many are 8-8-8, with 12-8-8's posted overhead. I believe these are all Eagle Flatbacks, but I could be wrong. I wasn't aware of any "flatbacks" in Washington until I saw these.

These have some extra mounting stuff going on...



Here's a shot of one of the overhead 8-8-8 signals. The post-mounted signals at this intersections are also of the same type.



A nearby 12-8-8 of the same type. Looks to have been a retrofit...


traffic light guy

Quote from: jakeroot on March 20, 2018, 03:45:26 AM
Walla Walla, WA has quite a few ancient setups in the city (most along East Alder St). Many are 8-8-8, with 12-8-8's posted overhead. I believe these are all Eagle Flatbacks, but I could be wrong. I wasn't aware of any "flatbacks" in Washington until I saw these.

These have some extra mounting stuff going on...



Here's a shot of one of the overhead 8-8-8 signals. The post-mounted signals at this intersections are also of the same type.



A nearby 12-8-8 of the same type. Looks to have been a retrofit...



The first one is an eaglelux

jakeroot

Quote from: traffic light guy on March 20, 2018, 06:34:21 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on March 20, 2018, 03:45:26 AM
Walla Walla, WA has quite a few ancient setups in the city (most along East Alder St). Many are 8-8-8, with 12-8-8's posted overhead. I believe these are all Eagle Flatbacks, but I could be wrong. I wasn't aware of any "flatbacks" in Washington until I saw these.

These have some extra mounting stuff going on...

https://i.imgur.com/3IZ25xn.png

Here's a shot of one of the overhead 8-8-8 signals. The post-mounted signals at this intersections are also of the same type.

https://i.imgur.com/WFnDztc.png

A nearby 12-8-8 of the same type. Looks to have been a retrofit...

https://i.imgur.com/pbVqgz8.png

The first one is an eaglelux

Are eaglelux's pretty common? I can't recall seeing one before.

traffic light guy

#564
Quote from: jakeroot on March 20, 2018, 06:06:31 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 20, 2018, 06:34:21 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on March 20, 2018, 03:45:26 AM
Walla Walla, WA has quite a few ancient setups in the city (most along East Alder St). Many are 8-8-8, with 12-8-8's posted overhead. I believe these are all Eagle Flatbacks, but I could be wrong. I wasn't aware of any "flatbacks" in Washington until I saw these.

These have some extra mounting stuff going on...

https://i.imgur.com/3IZ25xn.png

Here's a shot of one of the overhead 8-8-8 signals. The post-mounted signals at this intersections are also of the same type.

https://i.imgur.com/WFnDztc.png

A nearby 12-8-8 of the same type. Looks to have been a retrofit...

https://i.imgur.com/pbVqgz8.png

The first one is an eaglelux

Are eaglelux's pretty common? I can't recall seeing one before.

Eaglelux's were once very common back in the 1950s/60s/70s. Now they're far and few between, eagleuxes were commonly paired up with the flatbacks. Nowadays flatbacks are the most common old signal you see

traffic light guy

(Allgany Avenue/U.S. 13/Henry Avenue in Philadelphia, PA)

Here's the signal in May 1976:

Screenshot_2018-03-22-00-48-13.png by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Link to original image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dpirmann/39991742872/in/faves-144426590@N04/

Here's the signal in July 2017:

Screenshot 2018-03-22 at 12.50.16 AM by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

The SAME signal is in both photos, this is a Crouse-Hinds Type R, excuse me, WAS a crouse-hinds type r, since it just got replaced by yours truly. What do you guys think?

roadman65

PA has always kept their signals until time replacement is needed. NJ was the same. 

In Florida most old signals were in small towns and big cities as most signals now were added since the 1980's so many are indeed new.  Even so with all the road widenings we have had in the last 20 years more new signals have been added.

That is what I miss about living up north.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

jakeroot

Virtually all old signals in Washington are either in downtown areas (particularly those that stopped growing, like Walla Walla above, or Pullman), or in the suburbs, where a lot of signals were put in maybe thirty years ago, but haven't yet reached the end of their life cycle (only being replaced when the signal operation changed).

traffic light guy

There was nothing wrong with the old traffic lights, Philly had no good reason to replace a perfectly good setup. Those McCains will blank out in fifteen years, hell they can't even survive a flurry. That Crouse-Hinds had been chugging along for 42 years!

jakeroot

Quote from: traffic light guy on March 22, 2018, 02:49:15 PM
There was nothing wrong with the old traffic lights, Philly had no good reason to replace a perfectly good setup. Those McCains will blank out in fifteen years, hell they can't even survive a flurry. That Crouse-Hinds had been chugging along for 42 years!

Wait, what's wrong with McCain's? What do you mean "blank out"?

traffic light guy

Quote from: jakeroot on March 22, 2018, 06:19:56 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 22, 2018, 02:49:15 PM
There was nothing wrong with the old traffic lights, Philly had no good reason to replace a perfectly good setup. Those McCains will blank out in fifteen years, hell they can't even survive a flurry. That Crouse-Hinds had been chugging along for 42 years!

Wait, what's wrong with McCain's? What do you mean "blank out"?

"Blank out" means malfunction. And I've said time and time, I don't like McCains because my state abuses them to death, they're at EVERY OTHER INTERSECTION.

Signal man619

Quote from: traffic light guy on March 22, 2018, 06:23:52 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on March 22, 2018, 06:19:56 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 22, 2018, 02:49:15 PM
There was nothing wrong with the old traffic lights, Philly had no good reason to replace a perfectly good setup. Those McCains will blank out in fifteen years, hell they can't even survive a flurry. That Crouse-Hinds had been chugging along for 42 years!

Wait, what's wrong with McCain's? What do you mean "blank out"?

"Blank out" means malfunction. And I've said time and time, I don't like McCains because my state abuses them to death, they're at EVERY OTHER INTERSECTION.

"blank out" and your meaning of "abuse" don't really make any sense. Atleast not to me. 
Cameron

jakeroot

Quote from: traffic light guy on March 22, 2018, 06:23:52 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on March 22, 2018, 06:19:56 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on March 22, 2018, 02:49:15 PM
There was nothing wrong with the old traffic lights, Philly had no good reason to replace a perfectly good setup. Those McCains will blank out in fifteen years, hell they can't even survive a flurry. That Crouse-Hinds had been chugging along for 42 years!

Wait, what's wrong with McCain's? What do you mean "blank out"?

"Blank out" means malfunction. And I've said time and time, I don't like McCains because my state abuses them to death, they're at EVERY OTHER INTERSECTION.

I think "blank out" is most often a reference to the electronic sign at intersections.

PA must have some really shitty installs, because signals in my area almost never malfunction. New or old. Most new signals in my area are also McCains, but they don't seem to have any issues.

I suspect they're at every other intersection because McCain has a certain dominance on the market. That's not PA's fault.

traffic light guy

Delaware county, PA used to be traffic light heaven for traffic light geeks, they had all sorts of equipment:

Before the upgrades:
*Pedestal mounted Crouse-Hinds art decos and eagleluxes from the 1950s
*Econolite groovebacks (One of the signals were green!!!!)
*1970s-era mast-arm supported Eagle installs (With DONT WALW/WALK peds) (Some of them also had broad arrows and angled mast-arms)
*Automatic/LFE signals from the Late-1980s/early-90s
*Crouse-Hinds Type Rs scattered throughout the city, and an occasional Crouse-Hinds Type M
*Older 3M signals
*Durasigs from the first two generations
*Span wire TCT/Peek setups,  1990s
*Older Safetran signals
*Older McCain signals (The good ones from the nineteens that are still incandescent)
* Hell there might've even been a 4-way that I've missed out on, but the oldest that you could get were the art decos.
* ICC signals
* There might have also been a few Alusigs
* Incandescent TCT Signals
* Marbelite flattops

After the upgrades:
*Generic McCain signals with modern orange hand/white man countdown pedestrian signals of the same brand 

(Now it's a snore-fest for road/signal geeks)

I can always go to other states for traffic signals anyways, besides, Philly has plenty of old signals left, like the ones on Broad Street that I shot recently. I thank God for those

traffic light guy

Quote from: Ian on December 28, 2017, 05:08:25 PM
Was bored at home today, so I went around to do some old signal scouting in the SE Pennsylvania area. I came across these 8" Eagles that have 12" adapter units installed in the red sections. There used to be a ton of these types of signals decades ago around Philly, but these are the only ones left I'm aware of. Haverford and Remington Roads in Lower Merion Township...





Here's another fish-head eaglelux:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Coventry+Ave+%26+New+2nd+St,+Elkins+Park,+PA+19027/@40.0619555,-75.1176701,3a,90y,258.78h,91.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQHq2QRERzwNHlC3UVkz7cQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c6b72510dea385:0xb66854ac4df70563!8m2!3d40.061924!4d-75.1176543



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