Stangest Traffic Lights

[freebrickproductions]

I saw an inline 5 traffic light somewhere and the solid 'balls' were 8' but the left arrows were 12' (unfortunately no photo)

Is this common?

I've seen this at the WSU campus in Pullman, WA: https://goo.gl/fxFA2B

Some old Econolite signals there!

I'm still new to this. Are the 8 inch orbs or the 12 inch arrows the Econolites?

Both! The 8 inch indications are Econolite "Short-groove" signals while the 12 inch indications are "Square-door" Econolite "Bullseye" signals.

Oh, gotcha. In that case, there's quite a few of both around my area! Always looks odd when the Bullseyes don't have frames: https://goo.gl/DxNCiz

That's the round-door variant. They came out before the square-door ones (which came out in 1963, whereas the "round-door" ones came out in the late 50s after Econolite took over GE's signal line, IIRC). Both were produced side-by-side for a while, IIRC.

Is that a 12-8-8-12-12? Never seen one of those

Yes. They aren't too common, though, IIRC, Washington tended to use them quite a bit years ago.

[jakeroot]

Always looks odd when the Bullseyes don't have frames: https://goo.gl/DxNCiz

That's the round-door variant. They came out before the square-door ones (which came out in 1963, whereas the "round-door" ones came out in the late 50s after Econolite took over GE's signal line, IIRC). Both were produced side-by-side for a while, IIRC.

Thanks for the info. There's quite a few round doors in my area, but almost all have backplates.

In the next town over, there's quite a few signals that appear to be round doors from the back, but have frames on the front. What up with that? https://goo.gl/WXkNaM (you'll need to click around)

Is that a 12-8-8-12-12? Never seen one of those

Yes. They aren't too common, though, IIRC, Washington tended to use them quite a bit years ago.

Yeah, there's quite a few, mostly in Pierce County though. Tacoma, infamous around here for the "Tacoma Tower" (aka 5-section tower as used in many other states, but rare over here where the bimodal or doghouse layout is preferred), has many intersections with two signals in each direction, with fully permissive phasing. Whenever the city decided to add pro/per phasing, they just threw on a couple of arrows below the green orb (sometimes, bimodal 12-inch signals were used). Here's an intersection where two of the approaches have 12-8-8-12-12, whereas the other two are fully permissive 12-8-8: https://goo.gl/fgEuek.

I believe 8-8-8 was pretty common for a while, but the city upgraded most signals by the mid 2000s.

[mrpablue]

Are arrows ever 8', or is that only ball lights?

[Big John]

Are arrows ever 8', or is that only ball lights?

8" arrows can be found in Canada and older signals in the US.  They have been banned in the MUTCD for a long time now.

[freebrickproductions]

Always looks odd when the Bullseyes don't have frames: https://goo.gl/DxNCiz

That's the round-door variant. They came out before the square-door ones (which came out in 1963, whereas the "round-door" ones came out in the late 50s after Econolite took over GE's signal line, IIRC). Both were produced side-by-side for a while, IIRC.

Thanks for the info. There's quite a few round doors in my area, but almost all have backplates.

In the next town over, there's quite a few signals that appear to be round doors from the back, but have frames on the front. What up with that? https://goo.gl/WXkNaM (you'll need to click around)

Those are square-doors with backgrounds on them.

[thenetwork]

Denver, CO is always a great town to find old &/or strange traffic lights. 

One thing I caught over the weekend is that on some of the freight rail lines not too far from Downtown, even the trains have their own traffic signals at some street crossings:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7200409,-105.0116287,3a,15y,357.61h,87.75t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTf_b17wN6N-3yu1JVEng_g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Look just to the right of the curve sign and zoom in.  It is a 4-segment, double-red-head signal that is linked with the signalized crossings that do NOT have the traditional red light flashers nor crossing gates for vehicular traffic.

If you follow the rail line to near the other main streets in the aforementioned area, you may catch a glimpse of some more of these 4-segment rail signals.  I only searched for this one since I knew you could see it on GSV.

[freebrickproductions]

Denver, CO is always a great town to find old &/or strange traffic lights. 

One thing I caught over the weekend is that on some of the freight rail lines not too far from Downtown, even the trains have their own traffic signals at some street crossings:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7200409,-105.0116287,3a,15y,357.61h,87.75t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTf_b17wN6N-3yu1JVEng_g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Look just to the right of the curve sign and zoom in.  It is a 4-segment, double-red-head signal that is linked with the signalized crossings that do NOT have the traditional red light flashers nor crossing gates for vehicular traffic.

If you follow the rail line to near the other main streets in the aforementioned area, you may catch a glimpse of some more of these 4-segment rail signals.  I only searched for this one since I knew you could see it on GSV.

They also have some for a long abandoned spur there:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7209111,-105.0116357,3a,75y,13.81h,78.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYCJhQxC_E5PzanKoFiWmbQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7209117,-105.0117001,3a,63.7y,132.88h,74.93t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skkgMZOMbDdjNsnjBqVNVlg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Ain't the first time I've seen this signals either...

[MNHighwayMan]

That's the first freight railroad crossing I've ever seen where the train does not automatically have the right-of-way.

[traffic light guy]

Here's something very strange that PennDOT used to do back in the day, whenever there would be a Left Turn Signal, the red ball and green arrow would be simultaneously lit, and the amber would be the only stand-alone indacator. What was the sole purpose of the 24/7 red ball?

Here's one of the few surviving examples, these are a set of older TCT signals:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0418278,-75.0883273,3a,75y,219.79h,81.22t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVybAHeO7bbNS5uGJ_4Uctg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[jeffandnicole]

Here's something very strange that PennDOT used to do back in the day, whenever there would be a Left Turn Signal, the red ball and green arrow would be simultaneously lit, and the amber would be the only stand-alone indacator. What was the sole purpose of the 24/7 red ball?

Here's one of the few surviving examples, these are a set of older TCT signals:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0418278,-75.0883273,3a,75y,219.79h,81.22t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVybAHeO7bbNS5uGJ_4Uctg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Delaware did this as well on occasion.  I can't think of any location off the top of my head that still has such a signal.

[freebrickproductions]

CT and VA also have signals that operate in that way, IIRC.

[thenetwork]

Going a little further into the intersection then doing a 180, you'll find this unusual find:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0417339,-75.0883064,3a,75y,325.15h,82.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swZ3ra3lLTnxFX_iWV_x8Bw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[jakeroot]

Going a little further into the intersection then doing a 180, you'll find this unusual find:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0417339,-75.0883064,3a,75y,325.15h,82.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swZ3ra3lLTnxFX_iWV_x8Bw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Is that left turn supposed to be permissive or protected? There is a green orb on the left, but a protected signal overhead. Unless the green is for the pedestrians? I think that's a Pennsylvania thing.

[traffic light guy]

Going a little further into the intersection then doing a 180, you'll find this unusual find:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0417339,-75.0883064,3a,75y,325.15h,82.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swZ3ra3lLTnxFX_iWV_x8Bw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Is that left turn supposed to be permissive or protected? There is a green orb on the left, but a protected signal overhead. Unless the green is for the pedestrians? I think that's a Pennsylvania thing.

Trust me, PennDOT's older signals are very strange.

[Brandon]

Going a little further into the intersection then doing a 180, you'll find this unusual find:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0417339,-75.0883064,3a,75y,325.15h,82.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swZ3ra3lLTnxFX_iWV_x8Bw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Nothing really odd about the type of signals other than the r-y-g signal on the left side pole with a left turn signal (one only!?!) on the mast arm.  That would never fly with IDOT.

[kj3400]

The intersection of Edmondson Av and Franklin St where US 40 turns off of Edmondson Av. still has signals that display red orbs and green arrows simultaneously:
https://goo.gl/maps/f3KzYYJGedN2

[jakeroot]

Nothing really odd about the type of signals other than the r-y-g signal on the left side pole with a left turn signal (one only!?!) on the mast arm.  That would never fly with IDOT.

Don't get me started. I do not understand why the FHWA still permits one signal head for a left turn.

[hotdogPi]

Why would you need more than one? There aren't multiple lanes turning left.

[traffic light guy]

Going a little further into the intersection then doing a 180, you'll find this unusual find:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0417339,-75.0883064,3a,75y,325.15h,82.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swZ3ra3lLTnxFX_iWV_x8Bw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Nothing really odd about the type of signals other than the r-y-g signal on the left side pole with a left turn signal (one only!?!) on the mast arm.  That would never fly with IDOT.

Pennyslvania has ALWAYS done this with their left turn signals, one Left Turn signal. It wasn't until recently that they've doubled up their left turn signals, since 2013, If I recall.

[traffic light guy]

Here's a set of really old signals (These signals were installed about 45 years ago). Notice how these have stainless steel poles, I wonder if the signals were original, or they re-installed them on to new mast-arms. How the hell do these silver poles not have a bit of rust, yet they've been up for decades, do these poles have special chemicals that don't allow them to rust?

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0161721,-75.3208749,3a,75y,346.03h,121.28t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sktaw-Viq4UhgfiyHb6uLdA!2e0!5s20170901T000000!7i13312!8i6656

[US 89]

Why would you need more than one? There aren't multiple lanes turning left.

What if the only red left-turn signal head burns out?

[plain]

Why would you need more than one? There aren't multiple lanes turning left.

What if the only red left-turn signal head burns out?

This happened a few times in Virginia, particularly pre-LED. I automatically treated it as if the red phase was active.

[jakeroot]

Why would you need more than one? There aren't multiple lanes turning left.

What if the only red left-turn signal head burns out?

Yep. Redundancy is key. Never rely on a single signal. More importantly, signals on the edges improve visibility for vehicles further back in a line of cars, and those behind tall vehicles.

[paulthemapguy]

Why would you need more than one? There aren't multiple lanes turning left.

What if the only red left-turn signal head burns out?

Yep. Redundancy is key. Never rely on a single signal. More importantly, signals on the edges improve visibility for vehicles further back in a line of cars, and those behind tall vehicles.

Yes.  Exactly.  This and the use of flimsy cables make me shake my head any time I drive through Indiana, or almost any other state in the Eastern time zone.  It's like they don't care if the turn arrow burns out, no matter how important the turning movement is to traffic flow at an intersection.  Illinois ALWAYS has two arrows visible for any turn movement, except in extremely rare cases where a mistake was made.

[Brandon]

Here's a set of really old signals (These signals were installed about 45 years ago). Notice how these have stainless steel poles, I wonder if the signals were original, or they re-installed them on to new mast-arms. How the hell do these silver poles not have a bit of rust, yet they've been up for decades, do these poles have special chemicals that don't allow them to rust?

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0161721,-75.3208749,3a,75y,346.03h,121.28t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sktaw-Viq4UhgfiyHb6uLdA!2e0!5s20170901T000000!7i13312!8i6656

I think you may have the wrong metal.  These are probably aluminum, not steel.