Traffic signal

[freebrickproductions]

In Tacoma, the signals at the 15th and Commerce St intersection had to be located on the edges of the intersection due to trolley wires. This signal is oddly reminiscent of something you might see in DC, but nevertheless, the outer signals are still placed up rather high on the masts. This intersection also features a decidedly unusual [in WA] left-side green orb signal (and with a bi-modal arrow -- the protected left only activates when a train approaches from the south, to clear out waiting cars).

Might want to check that link.

[jakeroot]

Might want to check that link.

Whoops! I go a little link-happy, and sometimes I get lost.

https://goo.gl/oyaRhy

(I've edited my original post accordingly)

[jakeroot]

I feel like I'm in California with this new signal in Puyallup, WA. Three through lanes, one overhead signal, one post-mounted on right. Brand new install from about three weeks ago, though it's not complete just yet (still needs some backplate work). The old installation had two overhead signals, one of which was a doghouse (mounted on the now unused tenon between the FYA and through signal).



Doesn't even compare to this signal in Spokane, though: Four/five through lanes, one overhead signal (though it is only one-way): https://goo.gl/dmbPfs

[steviep24]

Found this gem in the New York Transportation Museum in Rush, NY. Looks like it's from the 1930's or 40's. The controller is inside the wooden base they made for it but i'm sure it's a really old mechanical controller.

[jakeroot]

Found this gem in the New York Transportation Museum in Rush, NY. Looks like it's from the 1930's or 40's. The controller is inside the wooden base they made for it but i'm sure it's a really old mechanical controller.

https://i.imgur.com/zKUwos8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/d7lg8mF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ulFwl84.jpg

Looks the signal employed a green/amber combo before going red? Or were they just playing around? Cool stuff, man!



Lots of stuff in Spokane, WA, lately.

At this new signal in Spokane (from 2016), there is both a red arrow and red orb face on the same signal. Pretty sure that's not allowed...nor why it would be necessary. Yellow and green orbs below the signals, I believe. The only thing I can think of, is that the red arrow locks out left turns during the pedestrian phase, before disappearing. That would make it very Australian, IIRC.

https://goo.gl/kD6L5X (S Monroe (one-way SB) at Fourth Ave (one-way EB))

[Brandon]

(mounted on the now unused plumbizer between the FYA and through signal).

"Plumbizer"?  Are you talking about this: Connector to mastarm?
In Illinois we usually connect to the mastarm using this: Connector to mastarm.

[jakeroot]

(mounted on the now unused plumbizer between the FYA and through signal).

"Plumbizer"?  Are you talking about this: Connector to mastarm?
In Illinois we usually connect to the mastarm using this: Connector to mastarm.

Yes, that's what I'm referring to. My quote is actually incorrect. A "plumbizer" is only used when a signal is attached. The unused pointy bit is actually a "tenon" (thanks roadfro).

The connection used in Illinois is also used here, and has become more common. But the older way (link #1) is still the most common connection type.

[freebrickproductions]

In Illinois we usually connect to the mastarm using this: Connector to mastarm.

The connection used in Illinois is also used here, and has become more common. But the older way (link #1) is still the most common connection type.

That's an Astro-brac (IIRC).

[jakeroot]

In Illinois we usually connect to the mastarm using this: Connector to mastarm.

The connection used in Illinois is also used here, and has become more common. But the older way (link #1) is still the most common connection type.

That's an Astro-brac (IIRC).

Google image search confirms that.

They are my preferred connection type, as they allow the signal heads to be centered along the mast arm. Plumbizers are placed in between signal faces, so, technically, only 4-section towers can be truly centered.

[Roadwarriors79]

Only case of a 4 head horizontal overhead signal I've ever seen in Arizona:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/W+Olive+Ave+%26+N+El+Mirage+Rd,+El+Mirage,+AZ+85335/@33.5655141,-112.3244528,3a,75y,271.42h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sM8uYAxJvoyme7Uy05xBTdQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DM8uYAxJvoyme7Uy05xBTdQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D271.4227%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x872b4157b6a9b43b:0x754c36902d5cc0e9!8m2!3d33.5654743!4d-112.3244564

I'm pretty sure the green arrow on the overhead should be to the left of the green ball, but it's not. Don't know if it's still like that today.

[steviep24]

Found this gem in the New York Transportation Museum in Rush, NY. Looks like it's from the 1930's or 40's. The controller is inside the wooden base they made for it but i'm sure it's a really old mechanical controller.

https://i.imgur.com/zKUwos8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/d7lg8mF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ulFwl84.jpg

Looks the signal employed a green/amber combo before going red? Or were they just playing around? Cool stuff, man!

Just a sloppy controller. It didn't do that with every cycle.

[traffic light guy]

Found this gem in the New York Transportation Museum in Rush, NY. Looks like it's from the 1930's or 40's. The controller is inside the wooden base they made for it but i'm sure it's a really old mechanical controller.

The signal looks like an Eagle

[Revive 755]

Lots of stuff in Spokane, WA, lately.

At this new signal in Spokane (from 2016), there is both a red arrow and red orb face on the same signal. Pretty sure that's not allowed...nor why it would be necessary. Yellow and green orbs below the signals, I believe. The only thing I can think of, is that the red arrow locks out left turns during the pedestrian phase, before disappearing. That would make it very Australian, IIRC.

https://goo.gl/kD6L5X (S Monroe (one-way SB) at Fourth Ave (one-way EB))

I don't see anything in the national MUTCD prohibiting using a steady red arrow and circular red in the same signal head.

I seem to recall Delaware having an option in their manuals for a cluster with a steady red arrow next to a circular red for when they wanted to occasionally prohibit turns on red with a 'no turn on red arrow'.

EDIT:  Found a picture of this on Page 67 of 132 of https://www.deldot.gov/Publications/manuals/de_mutcd/pdfs/draft/DEMUTCD_Part4_training_051611.pdf.  It's also mentioned in 4D.22 Paragraph 1A of the Delaware MUTCD (Page 53 of 118 of http://regulations.delaware.gov/register/may2018/final/MUTCDPart4HighwayTrafficSignals.pdf

[SignBridge]

I guess it's telling us "No Turn On Red"?

[traffic light guy]

I guess it's telling us "No Turn On Red"?

On the contrary the arrow is simultaneously lit with the red

[SignBridge]

Yes, that's my point. They're using the combined red arrow and red-ball in place of a sign prohibiting a left turn on red light along with the red ball.

[thenetwork]

One of the people I follow on Facebook had the following photo on their Facebook post today -- The Holy Grail of Traffic signals, IMHO.



And now the Million Dollar Question... Where is this beautiful array of traffic signals???

[jakeroot]

Lots of stuff in Spokane, WA, lately.

At this new signal in Spokane (from 2016), there is both a red arrow and red orb face on the same signal. Pretty sure that's not allowed...nor why it would be necessary. Yellow and green orbs below the signals, I believe. The only thing I can think of, is that the red arrow locks out left turns during the pedestrian phase, before disappearing. That would make it very Australian, IIRC.

https://goo.gl/kD6L5X (S Monroe (one-way SB) at Fourth Ave (one-way EB))

I don't see anything in the national MUTCD prohibiting using a steady red arrow and circular red in the same signal head.

I seem to recall Delaware having an option in their manuals for a cluster with a steady red arrow next to a circular red for when they wanted to occasionally prohibit turns on red with a 'no turn on red arrow'.

EDIT:  Found a picture of this on Page 67 of 132 of https://www.deldot.gov/Publications/manuals/de_mutcd/pdfs/draft/DEMUTCD_Part4_training_051611.pdf.  It's also mentioned in 4D.22 Paragraph 1A of the Delaware MUTCD (Page 53 of 118 of http://regulations.delaware.gov/register/may2018/final/MUTCDPart4HighwayTrafficSignals.pdf

They're using the combined red arrow and red-ball in place of a sign prohibiting a left turn on red light along with the red ball.

Turning on a red arrow is not prohibited in Washington, so that's not it. There is a sign that prohibits turning on red, as you can see in the image, since the red arrow does not explicitly say this.

One of the people I follow on Facebook had the following photo on their Facebook post today -- The Holy Grail of Traffic signals, IMHO.



And now the Million Dollar Question... Where is this beautiful array of traffic signals???

I think that's in the UK.

[kj3400]

One of the people I follow on Facebook had the following photo on their Facebook post today -- The Holy Grail of Traffic signals, IMHO.



And now the Million Dollar Question... Where is this beautiful array of traffic signals???

Traffic Light Tree
5TG, Trafalgar Way, London E14 5TG, UK

https://goo.gl/maps/LNNppFVxHFE2

There you go.

[jeffandnicole]

I seem to recall Delaware having an option in their manuals for a cluster with a steady red arrow next to a circular red for when they wanted to occasionally prohibit turns on red with a 'no turn on red arrow'.

EDIT:  Found a picture of this on Page 67 of 132 of https://www.deldot.gov/Publications/manuals/de_mutcd/pdfs/draft/DEMUTCD_Part4_training_051611.pdf.  It's also mentioned in 4D.22 Paragraph 1A of the Delaware MUTCD (Page 53 of 118 of http://regulations.delaware.gov/register/may2018/final/MUTCDPart4HighwayTrafficSignals.pdf

The option is rarely used, although there's one location that many people probably have passed by that does have it: US13/40 North at Boulden Blvd, which is the last traffic light prior to getting onto I-295.  In this older GSV https://goo.gl/maps/9umcsKg5SAL2 you can see the sign stating 'NO TURN ON RED ->', and the traffic light in the background is Red Ball next to Red Arrow, over Yellow Ball over Green Ball.  The Red Arrow was mostly lit when opposing traffic had a left green arrow.

However, something must've happened there - maybe a pedestrian fatality I'm guessing.  I noticed for quite a period of time the Red Ball and Red Arrow were always lit at the same time.  And the sign has now been replaced with an oversized 'NO TURN ON RED' sign.  https://goo.gl/maps/imhNCtk5GcC2

[ErmineNotyours]

One of the people I follow on Facebook had the following photo on their Facebook post today -- The Holy Grail of Traffic signals, IMHO.


And now the Million Dollar Question... Where is this beautiful array of traffic signals???

A public sculpture in Poplar, London

[Revive 755]

I don't think I've seen a signal with green visors but a yellow back before:  Ridge Street at Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, Illinois.

The northbound 5-Section on the trombone mast arm also has a case of disintegrating backplate.

[SignBridge]

Same thing happens to backplates here on Long Island every time NYS DOT tries using them. I don't know why they survive in the Chicago area but not in New York.

[paulthemapguy]

Has anyone seen anything like this?  Why is the backplate severed in the middle?  This is on Eisenhower in Mason City, IA.


IMG_5923 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

[jakeroot]

Has anyone seen anything like this?  Why is the backplate severed in the middle?  This is on Eisenhower in Mason City, IA.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1839/43218715025_2d5c78bbf9_c.jpg

Great question. The gap isn't big enough for it to have previously been attached to a 4-section signal. Maybe just broke off?