Old Traffic Signals

[thenetwork]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3528238,-119.0189962,3a,15y,306.95h,93.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su6X2mCmrbJ7YUW_3xNmwKw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Is that Green or Yellow on the signal?

They look to me like they were originally yellow, but painted green. But that's a far fetch. I don't think any city in California has ever used yellow signals. Perhaps that's why they might have been painted.

Moreso the crosswalk signal looks like it was originally yellow, then painted.  As for the traffic signals, they all look like they have been olive green since the start, but the crosswalk light makes them look like they have a tinge more yellow to them.

[Ian]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3528238,-119.0189962,3a,15y,306.95h,93.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su6X2mCmrbJ7YUW_3xNmwKw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Is that Green or Yellow on the signal?

They look to me like they were originally yellow, but painted green. But that's a far fetch. I don't think any city in California has ever used yellow signals. Perhaps that's why they might have been painted.

I don't think they've been repainted from yellow; It looks to me that it's just patina from years of baking in the southern California sun. Some municipalities have repainted their older signal heads in years past, but they've typically kept the forest green (sometimes switching dull black) color doing so. I remember seeing a lot of older signals out there two summers ago that had similar tints to them. Here's an example in Inglewood, along La Cienaga Boulevard at Hill Street...

[jakeroot]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3528238,-119.0189962,3a,15y,306.95h,93.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su6X2mCmrbJ7YUW_3xNmwKw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Is that Green or Yellow on the signal?

They look to me like they were originally yellow, but painted green. But that's a far fetch. I don't think any city in California has ever used yellow signals. Perhaps that's why they might have been painted.

I don't think they've been repainted from yellow; It looks to me that it's just patina from years of baking in the southern California sun. Some municipalities have repainted their older signal heads in years past, but they've typically kept the forest green (sometimes switching dull black) color doing so. I remember seeing a lot of older signals out there two summers ago that had similar tints to them. Here's an example in Inglewood, along La Cienaga Boulevard at Hill Street...

https://i.imgur.com/IKYCc4Gl.jpg

Yes, of course! That makes perfect sense. Although I wonder if any other cities in the sun belt have signals with the same issue? California almost certainly has the oldest signals, when averaging the age of installation, but I bet a few signals in Las Vegas or Phoenix have these same issues.

[mrsman]

I think those are Backplates in the early 1940's?

Looks like a backplate to me. Any idea what state that is?

I'm almost positive that this is from CA.  It looks to be in the Los Angeles area.  It is hard to read the street sign, though.

[jakeroot]

I think those are Backplates in the early 1940's?

Looks like a backplate to me. Any idea what state that is?

I'm almost positive that this is from CA.  It looks to be in the Los Angeles area.  It is hard to read the street sign, though.

It might also be Las Vegas. The signal pole looks to be yellow, which as far as I know, was a long-time staple of Las Vegas traffic lights. Of course, it's possible that areas of LA used yellow signal poles as well. Or, that the signal pole is in fact not yellow at all (rather just an illusion due to the color of the film).

[jeffandnicole]

I think those are Backplates in the early 1940's?

Looks like a backplate to me. Any idea what state that is?

I'm almost positive that this is from CA.  It looks to be in the Los Angeles area.  It is hard to read the street sign, though.

It might also be Las Vegas. The signal pole looks to be yellow, which as far as I know, was a long-time staple of Las Vegas traffic lights. Of course, it's possible that areas of LA used yellow signal poles as well. Or, that the signal pole is in fact not yellow at all (rather just an illusion due to the color of the film).

It also looks like the post is rather squarish and not truly round.

It also looks more silver in the actual video.

[Ian]

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...

[jakeroot]

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...

https://i.imgur.com/MUTkbYIl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/CME7wisl.jpg

Cool! I've never heard of something like this before. In my area, in the off chance that a single signal head needs replacing, they remove the old signal head, and attach the new one in-line. This seems like a rather complex way of solving whatever issue they had with the 8-inch red.

Was this ever done outside of Philly, that you know of?

[Big John]

Was this ever done outside of Philly, that you know of?

Appleton WI used to have those.  All gone now.

[Ian]

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...

https://i.imgur.com/MUTkbYIl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/CME7wisl.jpg

Cool! I've never heard of something like this before. In my area, in the off chance that a single signal head needs replacing, they remove the old signal head, and attach the new one in-line. This seems like a rather complex way of solving whatever issue they had with the 8-inch red.

Was this ever done outside of Philly, that you know of?

Both the 8" signal heads and the 12" adapter units were made by a company called Eagle, who did business (still does, though under the Siemens name) all over the country. I'm unsure of when exactly the adapter units were in production (60's, may be 70's era?), but they were mostly used in 8 to 12" signal retrofit jobs. Here's a random one I found online in San Gabriel, CA that's unfortunately been replaced...

https://goo.gl/maps/oSr6XcK19PA2

[traffic light guy]

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...

Ian, if you wanna see more old traffic signals within the Philadelphia area, look at the northernmost tip of Broad Street (Econolite Bullseye and Crouse-Hinds signals lie there) There's a lot of undocumented classics in the ghetto neighborhoods of Philly.

[jakeroot]

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...

https://i.imgur.com/MUTkbYIl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/CME7wisl.jpg

Cool! I've never heard of something like this before. In my area, in the off chance that a single signal head needs replacing, they remove the old signal head, and attach the new one in-line. This seems like a rather complex way of solving whatever issue they had with the 8-inch red.

Was this ever done outside of Philly, that you know of?

Both the 8" signal heads and the 12" adapter units were made by a company called Eagle, who did business (still does, though under the Siemens name) all over the country. I'm unsure of when exactly the adapter units were in production (60's, may be 70's era?), but they were mostly used in 8 to 12" signal retrofit jobs. Here's a random one I found online in San Gabriel, CA that's unfortunately been replaced...

https://goo.gl/maps/oSr6XcK19PA2

Thanks for the information. Any idea why the retrofit occurred at all? As far as I know, 8-inch reds are still allowed, especially if they preceded any newer standards.

Here's a slightly newer shot of that San Gabriel retrofit: https://goo.gl/kAi3vz

[Ian]

Ian, if you wanna see more old traffic signals within the Philadelphia area, look at the northernmost tip of Broad Street (Econolite Bullseye and Crouse-Hinds signals lie there) There's a lot of undocumented classics in the ghetto neighborhoods of Philly.

Yes, I've been to Philadelphia (and Highway Divides) before...

Thanks for the information. Any idea why the retrofit occurred at all? As far as I know, 8-inch reds are still allowed, especially if they preceded any newer standards.

Increase in accidents and local DPW wanting to make the red more noticeable, perhaps? That'd be my guess. It was a cheaper solution at the time than to buy new heads and equipment.

[traffic light guy]

Here's a favorite of mine, located in the Huntingdon Valley:



Old Eagle flatback traffic signal setup by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

[traffic light guy]

Here's a close up shot:

12-inch Eagle flatback traffic lights mounted on the side of the pole by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

[traffic light guy]

And we have a few sets of cool older TCT signals in NE Philly, these signals appear to be suffering from a servere case of albinism


ASUS Chromebook C202SA

[jakeroot]

Love the placement of those signals. Too bad Pennsylvania doesn't adhere to those standards anymore.

[traffic light guy]

Love the placement of those signals. Too bad Pennsylvania doesn't adhere to those standards anymore.

Which pictures are you referring to? The Eagles, or the TCT signals? Or both?

[jakeroot]

Love the placement of those signals. Too bad Pennsylvania doesn't adhere to those standards anymore.

Which pictures are you referring to? The Eagles, or the TCT signals? Or both?

Both. They both leave no mast untouched. I believe PennDOT standard only requires signals overhead on the mast arm now.

[traffic light guy]

I'm just thankful that I got pictures of those Eagles, knowing PennDOT, they're not gonna be around for much longer. The TCTs might stick around for a while though.

[plain]

I wasn't sure what thread to ask this on so I'm asking here.

I was browsing through the Richmond Times-Dispatch's archives looking for old I-95 photos and came across this pic of the intersection of US 1/301 & US 33 (at the time)/250 from what looks like the 1940s. Have anyone ever seen a visor this long on this type of signal?

SM-S820L

[traffic light guy]

I wasn't sure what thread to ask this on so I'm asking here.

I was browsing through the Richmond Times-Dispatch's archives looking for old I-95 photos and came across this pic of the intersection of US 1/301 & US 33 (at the time)/250 from what looks like the 1940s. Have anyone ever seen a visor this long on this type of signal?

SM-S820L

It might be a Crouse Hinds Type T porthole 4-way, long visors are not abnormal for this model of 4-way signal

[traffic light guy]

I finally got photos of the old traffic signal installs that are found on the northernmost tip of Broad Street in philly. My phone camera kinda sucks, so bare with me. I got shots of old Eagle signals, a few Crouse-Hinds heads, and Econolite bullseyes. For some reason, these last few  intersections of Broad Street were left unaffected by the 2009 upgrades. It's only a matter of time before these get replaced. I'm pissed off that I couldn't get better quality. 

Old traffic signal setups found along the northernmost tip of Broad Street by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Old traffic signal setups found along the northernmost tip of Broad Street by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Old traffic signal setups found along the northernmost tip of Broad Street by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Old traffic signal setups found along the Northernmost tip of Broad Street by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Older mast-arm signal installs along the northernmost tip of Broad Street by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

[traffic light guy]

Feast your eyes men, here's a boatload of old traffic signals that I found on Spring Garden Street, during the super bowl parade:

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


Marbelite traffic signals by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr


Old Eagle flatback traffic signals by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Old Eagle flatback traffic lights by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr


Old Econolite Bullseye traffic signals by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr


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

Eagle flatback, Crouse-Hinds Type M, and a Highways Signs & Signals Corporation Signal by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

[busman_49]

Nice collection of oldies there!