Yellow Traffic Signals with Black Backplates History

Started by Treliazz, January 05, 2018, 07:01:48 PM

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Treliazz

Yellow Traffic Signals with Black Backplates is my favorite style of Traffic Signals. They mostly appear in some states like Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Utah. I was looking at history and some photos of these lights. These signals was first used in 1954 in Tucson AZ. What other places used these lights in the 50's, 60's, or 70's? What year did Philadelphia start using them (Around 1974?). I will also like to see photo of these lights around 50's, 60's, 70's.


Econolite Bullseye on Wichita Falls TX in 1965 (First used in the 1960's before 1962)


Treliazz


Newport News VA (June 6, 1975)


Newport News VA (June 17, 1974)

Ian

New Hampshire used to use the yellow signal/black backplate combo up into the 1980's, and there's still a fair amount left. Here's an example that's still alive in Center Harbor...

https://goo.gl/maps/DETQUB71P872
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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Treliazz


Philadelphia PA (May 1975)


Philadelphia PA (May 1975)


Philadelphia PA (1975)

Treliazz

Quote from: Ian on January 05, 2018, 07:27:04 PM
New Hampshire used to use the yellow signal/black backplate combo up into the 1980's, and there's still a fair amount left. Here's an example that's still alive in Center Harbor...

https://goo.gl/maps/DETQUB71P872
These looks similar to the ones in Philadelphia in the 1980's

MNHighwayMan

#5
There's a few here still in Des Moines, at a few notable intersections.
On the south side alone, there's one at the SE 14th St (US-69) and E Army Post Rd (old IA-5) intersection:



and also, Fleur Dr and Army Post Rd:



Since Army Post Rd used to be under Iowa DOT maintenance, I think these were DOT installations and not City of Des Moines ones and that they've survived turnback. But this is my own pure speculation; I don't know what maintenance arrangement the city and state have, especially wrt to the first intersection since half of it is still a state road.

traffic light guy

#6
Quote from: Treliazz on January 05, 2018, 07:01:48 PM
Yellow Traffic Signals with Black Backplates is my favorite style of Traffic Signals. They mostly appear in some states like Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Utah. I was looking at history and some photos of these lights. These signals was first used in 1954 in Tucson AZ. What other places used these lights in the 50's, 60's, or 70's? What year did Philadelphia start using them (Around 1974?). I will also like to see photo of these lights around 50's, 60's, 70's.


Econolite Bullseye on Wichita Falls TX in 1965 (First used in the 1960's before 1962)

Philly started using them in 1974, Philly's suburbs begun using them in the Late-1960s.


This is the oldest example in Philly still up, these signals are mid-1970s vintage:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9538119,-75.1666418,3a,37.5y,277.68h,99.65t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1suIManOD1gAi4reaWxodWOw!2e0!5s20170701T000000!7i13312!8i6656

All the other mast-arm installs having missing backplates, that have fallen off due to weather conditions over the decades of wear and tear

Treliazz

#7
Quote from: traffic light guy on January 06, 2018, 12:17:35 AM
Quote from: Treliazz on January 05, 2018, 07:01:48 PM
Yellow Traffic Signals with Black Backplates is my favorite style of Traffic Signals. They mostly appear in some states like Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Utah. I was looking at history and some photos of these lights. These signals was first used in 1954 in Tucson AZ. What other places used these lights in the 50's, 60's, or 70's? What year did Philadelphia start using them (Around 1974?). I will also like to see photo of these lights around 50's, 60's, 70's.


Econolite Bullseye on Wichita Falls TX in 1965 (First used in the 1960's before 1962)

Philly started using them in 1974, Philly's suburbs begun using them in the Late-1960s.


This is the oldest example in Philly still up, these signals are mid-1970s vintage:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9538119,-75.1666418,3a,37.5y,277.68h,99.65t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1suIManOD1gAi4reaWxodWOw!2e0!5s20170701T000000!7i13312!8i6656

All the other mast-arm installs having missing backplates, that have fallen off due to weather conditions over the decades of wear and tear

This signal might be replaced. Here one of the examples. It got replaced around 2009 though. https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9540522,-75.1682813,3a,75y,262.92h,108.9t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3D5LyIk1diwPqLEgD5bM9w!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Here another example:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9544286,-75.1714112,3a,75y,291.97h,101.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sa7y1Rfg383yhLHowgHHuAQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Rick1962

Tulsa, 1961. Tulsa began using backplates in the mid-1950s. Interestingly, the city made their own backplates out of some kind of rubber composite material into the late '70s.

SM-T580


Treliazz


Treliazz


traffic light guy


Treliazz

I wish I could see some photo of Roosevelt Blvd in the 1970's

jakeroot

#13
At the state level, Washington has always used black-on-black signals. Backplates were used variably, but now appear to be standard. However, a couple cities have used yellow w/ black backplates. Renton continues to use them, with a yellow retro-reflective border; they also paint the backside of the backplate yellow, something you can't do to the front. The city of Federal Way also used yellow signals with black backplates, but they now use black-on-black signals, with a retro-reflective border. Tukwila is in the same boat as Federal Way, having used the setup previously, but has moved away from it quite recently.

I can't quite trace the history of signals in any of these three cities, but the oldest in each three are all yellow with black backplates, so my assumption is that they've been in use for many decades.

Treliazz

Quote from: jakeroot on January 07, 2018, 10:39:24 PM
At the state level, Washington has always used black-on-black signals. Backplates were used variably, but now appear to be standard. However, a couple cities have used yellow w/ black backplates. Renton continues to use them, with a yellow retro-reflective border; they also paint the backside of the backplate yellow, something you can't do to the front. The city of Federal Way also used yellow signals with black backplates, but they now use black-on-black signals, with a retro-reflective border. Tukwila is in the same boat as Federal Way, having used the setup previously, but has moved away from it quite recently.

I can't quite trace the history of signals in any of these three cities, but the oldest in each three are all yellow with black backplates, so my assumption is that they've been in use for many decades.
They started to used in 1954 on Tucson AZ.

dfnva

Many signals installed in Virginia in the 1980s used these large backplates. Most of these signals have been replaced, but some remain in the Richmond suburbs and one in Northern Virginia remains, on US-50 west of Fairfax.

https://goo.gl/maps/bF3Vxpn1ptk

traffic light guy

Quote from: Treliazz on January 07, 2018, 09:52:23 PM
I wish I could see some photo of Roosevelt Blvd in the 1970's

I found an old picture somewhere, I just gotta dig it up

mrsman

Quote from: traffic light guy on January 09, 2018, 10:22:47 AM
Quote from: Treliazz on January 07, 2018, 09:52:23 PM
I wish I could see some photo of Roosevelt Blvd in the 1970's

I found an old picture somewhere, I just gotta dig it up

Roosevelt is such a wide street, I wonder how they managed before mast arms to make the signal visible (unless the mast arms pre-date thte extra-wide Roosevelt.)

Scott5114

Yellow-and-black has been the standard in Oklahoma City for years.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

mrcmc888

#19
Newark, DE uses black with yellow backplates as the standard, and has done so for a number of years.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6829109,-75.7536398,3a,75y,2.1h,85.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1so72wf0NOMpmgnnOJmYRV9A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

My hometown of Knoxville, TN used to use yellow-on-black traffic lights but has replaced most of them in the past 10-20 years with black-on-blacks.

Big John

Quote from: mrcmc888 on February 15, 2018, 12:21:53 AM
Newark, DE uses black with yellow backplates as the standard, and has done so for a number of years.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6829109,-75.7536398,3a,75y,2.1h,85.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1so72wf0NOMpmgnnOJmYRV9A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There are no backplates around those.  Backplates are borders surrounding the traffic light and not the housing on the back side of the traffic light.

Treliazz

Is Witcha Falls TX is the only place that used Yellow Econolite Bull's-eye Signals with Black Backplates in the 1950's and 60's?

freebrickproductions

Quote from: Treliazz on July 24, 2018, 11:32:00 AM
Is Witcha Falls TX is the only place that used Yellow Econolite Bull's-eye Signals with Black Backplates in the 1950's and 60's?
Huntsville did as well, though theirs were made of plywood.
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

plain

Quote from: Treliazz on January 05, 2018, 07:22:47 PM

Newport News VA (June 6, 1975)


Newport News VA (June 17, 1974)

Do you by any chance know what intersection this is?
Newark born, Richmond bred

roadman65

Quote from: mrsman on February 14, 2018, 07:48:39 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on January 09, 2018, 10:22:47 AM
Quote from: Treliazz on January 07, 2018, 09:52:23 PM
I wish I could see some photo of Roosevelt Blvd in the 1970's

I found an old picture somewhere, I just gotta dig it up

Roosevelt is such a wide street, I wonder how they managed before mast arms to make the signal visible (unless the mast arms pre-date thte extra-wide Roosevelt.)
In Montgomeryville, PA at the intersection of PA 309, PA 463, and former US 202 had side mount pedestal signals before the current overhead gantry was installed in 1983.  It had no overheads at all, and it managed even with 5 different ways of traffic and a wide PA 309.

Most likely the same was as present day Benjamin Franklin Parkway has all side mounts due to the view that the parkway is supposed to have.  Seeing the art museum at one end and City Hall at the other.  The part NW of Logan Square is a wide street with the same set up as Roosevelt in NE Philly.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe



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