Traffic signal

[freebrickproductions]

Here's an 8-8-8 GE/Econolite left turn signal with a green arrow in West Vancouver, BC. These are quite common and are still installed. This one was pretty easy to access, otherwise I would have captured a newer one. They're basically only used in the median of the road.

That's probabky either a CGE (Canadian GE, who made signals independent of GE here in the US) or early Fortran signal. Nice find!

SM-G900V

[MNHighwayMan]

That reminds me: here's an interesting 8" left turn arrow installation in Salt Lake City. Previously for traffic at the stop line, the only visible turning signal was a ground mounted arrow on the far left corner. I don't know of any other examples like this, except at ramp meters.

Ramp meters excepted, I just don't understand why any agency would ever mount a signal head that close to the ground. It looks like a poorly-implemented hack job as installed.

[traffic light guy]

Generation 2 Durasigs, McCain signals, and pedestrians by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Anyone else here have seen these weird louvered backplates, these were only used in PA during from the Late-1960s to the mid-80s. At one point, when these were first installed, the backplates were black, now they have faded to white.

[Signal man619]

Yeah, lots of states used them, like Virginia. They fade to white because of the exposed primer coat under the black.

[jakeroot]

Anyone else here have seen these weird louvered backplates, these were only used in PA during from the Late-1960s to the mid-80s.

New backplates in my area have slats cut into the backplates, but not to such an extreme degree: https://goo.gl/V32FYb

I believe the holes reduce wind load on the signal, but I could be wrong.

[MNHighwayMan]

New backplates in my area have slats cut into the backplates, but not to such an extreme degree: https://goo.gl/V32FYb

I believe the holes reduce wind load on the signal, but I could be wrong.

I dunno what else they'd be for, but I have a hard time believing those little slats make all that much difference mitigating wind stresses.

[roadfro]

New backplates in my area have slats cut into the backplates, but not to such an extreme degree: https://goo.gl/V32FYb

I believe the holes reduce wind load on the signal, but I could be wrong.

I dunno what else they'd be for, but I have a hard time believing those little slats make all that much difference mitigating wind stresses.

Yep, that's what they're for. I've never seen any documentation that they make a quantified statistically-significant difference in the wind loading on a mast arm though. (Admittedly, I've never looked for such information and am now curious.)

[jeffandnicole]

New backplates in my area have slats cut into the backplates, but not to such an extreme degree: https://goo.gl/V32FYb

I believe the holes reduce wind load on the signal, but I could be wrong.

I dunno what else they'd be for, but I have a hard time believing those little slats make all that much difference mitigating wind stresses.

That's what I would think too.  You don't see those things slatted anymore.

[roadfro]

That's what I would think too.  You don't see those things slatted anymore.

Depends on location. In Nevada, you'll be hard pressed to find a signal head that doesn't have wind slats on the backplate. The only ones I can ever recall seeing were older ones pole-mounted on a signal mast–never overhead.

[US 89]

That's what I would think too.  You don't see those things slatted anymore.

Depends on location. In Nevada, you'll be hard pressed to find a signal head that doesn't have wind slats on the backplate. The only ones I can ever recall seeing were older ones pole-mounted on a signal mast–never overhead.

Same situation in Utah, where I have never seen a backplate without wind slats. Whether or not they actually do anything is another matter...

[jakeroot]

That's what I would think too.  You don't see those things slatted anymore.

Depends on location. In Nevada, you'll be hard pressed to find a signal head that doesn't have wind slats on the backplate. The only ones I can ever recall seeing were older ones pole-mounted on a signal mast–never overhead.

Same situation in Utah, where I have never seen a backplate without wind slats. Whether or not they actually do anything is another matter...

Up until the mid 2000s, most new backplates in Washington did not have wind slats. But new installations since then have all had it. Not sure which policy changed.

British Columbia, however, does not use wind slats on any installations that I'm aware of (even brand new ones, even in areas that are fairly flat and could conceivably be quite windy).

[MNHighwayMan]

I apologize if this has already been discussed thoroughly–but I just noticed this unusual setup when I posted the picture in another thread. I thought it was a plain old regular doghouse setup (even way back in 2015 when I was standing on the side of the road taking the goddamn picture ), but I'm now noticing that it's a five-section FYA doghouse-style setup:



I can't imagine this is a common configuration. Anyone else ever come across these?

[Big John]

I can't imagine this is a common configuration. Anyone else ever come across these?

It was discussed before, but Minnesota developed that signal then got approval from the feds to install them.  Eau Claire WI has also installed them for the only doghouses in Wisconsin.

[freebrickproductions]

Atlanta, GA has a bunch in service, and I've suggested it to Huntsville's Traffic Engineering Department so we'll see if any crop up around here.

[roadman65]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/39969943395/in/dateposted-public/ I was wondering what is up with this signal on Paris Street in Kansas City, MO?  It uses all 3M signals.  There is no shallow angles or situations that others out of the cone of view would misinterpret, so it really is not needed.

[Big John]

^^ Looks like the signals are at an angle for the cross street,  so the engineer may have deemed the angle shallow enough to warrant it.  Can't tell how much of an angle the intersection is from the photo.

[SignBridge]

Not that much of an angle. Wouldn't it have been cheaper to just use full visors or maybe angle visors if they really thought there was a problem?

[freebrickproductions]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/39969943395/in/dateposted-public/ I was wondering what is up with this signal on Paris Street in Kansas City, MO?  It uses all 3M signals.  There is no shallow angles or situations that others out of the cone of view would misinterpret, so it really is not needed.

Those are all McCain PV signals. But they're pretty much a 3M that was reverse-engineered by McCain.

[traffic light guy]

This is kind of off-topic, but am I the only one who thinks that old traffic lights are ugly. Keep in mind, I love old traffic lights, it's just that the ugliness (chipped faded paint, dim lights, crooked discolored visors) add charm and make up of part of what makes old signals interesting.

[jakeroot]

This is kind of off-topic, but am I the only one who thinks that old traffic lights are ugly. Keep in mind, I love old traffic lights, it's just that the ugliness (chipped faded paint, dim lights, crooked discolored visors) add charm and make up of part of what makes old signals interesting.

That's the reason I prefer newer signals. They're just a helluva lot more presentable. Really old signals (that are chipped and discolored) give me the feeling that the local agency has been neglecting the infrastructure (which bothers me).

[thenetwork]

This is kind of off-topic, but am I the only one who thinks that old traffic lights are ugly. Keep in mind, I love old traffic lights, it's just that the ugliness (chipped faded paint, dim lights, crooked discolored visors) add charm and make up of part of what makes old signals interesting.

That's the reason I prefer newer signals. They're just a helluva lot more presentable. Really old signals (that are chipped and discolored) give me the feeling that the local agency has been neglecting the infrastructure (which bothers me).

If its damaged  light that is made of plastic,.then.yes, get rid of it.  BUT if it's an old metal light that is beaten up, then its a badge of honor and should be preserved.

[traffic light guy]

I was bored at home on the other day, so I did some searching around for some old traffic signals. I ran into an intersection with some really old Econolite "bull's eyes". They come in two versions, the round door (Which resembles the GE streamline) and the square door models. The versions I came across were square doors, Philly used to have a ton of these several decades ago, now the city only has about.....five left! Five that I'm aware of, since God knows where the rest of them are. Not sure if it's common in other states, but here's a little treat for you guys, so here are two that I found last weekend, the other two I captured a couple months ago during the super bowl parade (Which some of you have already seen).

Econolite Bullseye (side-view) by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Another Econolite Bullseye (Side View) by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Might be common where you guys live. But pretty uncommon in SE PA.

[freebrickproductions]

Nice! Huntsville's removed most of the ones around the city years ago, and many of the remaining ones will be going within the next year or so when the intersection they're at gets redone. There's a fair number in Central Alabama though, especially in Birmingham.

[traffic light guy]

Nice! Huntsville's removed most of the ones around the city years ago, and many of the remaining ones will be going within the next year or so when the intersection they're at gets redone. There's a fair number in Central Alabama though, especially in Birmingham.

It gets better, I found a few Crouse-Hinds Type Ms that are still in service, I believe those are currently the oldest signals in Philly, next to the art decos in the Naval Base. 

[Signal man619]

Nice! Huntsville's removed most of the ones around the city years ago, and many of the remaining ones will be going within the next year or so when the intersection they're at gets redone. There's a fair number in Central Alabama though, especially in Birmingham.

It gets better, I found a few Crouse-Hinds Type Ms that are still in service, I believe those are currently the oldest signals in Philly, next to the art decos in the Naval Base.

And the Marbelite 12in type L.