Things I miss in roads

[Alps]

I just spied a cutout PATP on my last trip through.  Damned if I can remember, but it'll come out in an update eventually.

[xonhulu]

This is starting to stray from the strand's topic, but I was in Eugene today, and can confirm that there is now only one remaining vintage OR 126 shield, and this is it, on [redacted - don't want the same thing happening to that 126 as happened to the 5/105 pair]:



On the bad news front, the state-named I-105 and I-5 shields by Valley River Center are now gone; all that remains is a sawed-off signpost (which I couldn't photograph because a homeless guy was leaning on it).

However, I also got a new photo of the reverse-color OR 99 shield, at the bottom of the off-ramp from WB OR 569's (Belt Line Rd) Prairie Rd exit; here it is:



Not as weird as the 126 shield; at least this one's the right shape.

While in REI looking at maps I realized another highway-related thing I missed: free road maps!  The National Forest maps which were free when I was a kid were $12.00 at the store.  The free gas station maps are also just a fond memory...

[Bryant5493]

I miss the two lines for crosswalks, as opposed to the ugly bars they use nowadays.

I prefer the bars, because they are more visible than the parallel bars, imho.


Be well,

Bryant

[mightyace]

Open-wire telephone lines along highways and railroad tracks.

Well, the railroad ones are a relic of a bygone era.  Before going with full-fledged radio, many railroads used a "railroad telephone" or "radio telephone."  I may have the verbiage wrong, but the radio signal or induction would only have to travel the few feet from the locomotive or caboose to the wires.  Plus, they could use poles that were already carrying telegraph wire.

[agentsteel53]

fudge!!! the 5/105 pair is gone!?

sawed off implies someone stole them.  wonder when they'll show up on eBay.

and what about the 126 in Redmond?  gone too?

can you email me please the original high-resolution version of your 99 photo?  thanks!

[xonhulu]

fudge!!! the 5/105 pair is gone!?

sawed off implies someone stole them.  wonder when they'll show up on eBay.

It was mostly sawed-ff, but there was part of a splintered-off piece.  It may have snapped in the big June windstorm we had.  Or it could have been stolen.  No idea.

and what about the 126 in Redmond?  gone too?

No, I saw it less than a month ago -- still there.  I meant that the other vintage 126 in Eugene was gone.  It was on the N-S segment where 126 turns to meet 99 (Garfield St).  But it may have been gone for some time.

can you email me please the original high-resolution version of your 99 photo?  thanks!

Yup, on its way.

[agentsteel53]

the one on Garfield - I did not see that in June 2008.

[Biff858]

Have been thinking about this for a few years now, and thought I'd share with other road people. This list is about things in roads that are gone or being phased out in favor of standardization or modernization.

Feel free to add to this list:

- button copy signage
- overhead sign lighting
- embossed license plates
- state named interstate shields
- u.s. shields with the state name
- cutout route markers
- incandescent traffic light bulbs
- old Eagle and Crouse Hinds traffic lights
- temporary interstate designations
- colored route markers
- art deco guard rails
- concrete freeways
- mercury vapor street lighting

Someday soon I might add Highway Gothic Font to the list...

Here in Southern California you can still find plenty of button copy signage that dates back to the 80's or even earlier.  Some sections of L.A. area freeways (I-5 & I-10 in particular) have signage that dates back to the early 60's or 70's when the freeways were first built.  Given the state's current financial situation, I doubt the old button copy signs will be replaced anytime soon.

Most of the freeways in CA are concrete.  Head east out of LA on I-10 towards San Bernardino and Palm Springs- the condition of the road is so bad you'll swear you're driving on the original concrete that was laid down when they built it!

[agentsteel53]

the oldest freeway green sign I know of dates to 1959.  It's on I-5 southbound and specifies the distances to the next three exits.  Main Street is, I believe, the first one.

there are two black guide signs on old US-50 in Oakland that date back to 1951.  Right in front of the Alameda County courthouse.



I know I have better photos somewhere but I am too lazy to find them right now.

[larryao]

Open-wire telephone lines along highways and railroad tracks.

And what about wigwag railroad crossings, I think the only left in socal is in Redlands, CA on Nevada St just south of I-10

[roadfro]

Also, how about optically-programmed left turn signals?

Ah, good one.  These were certainly necessary back when a circular red was often used to terminate the green arrow.  With the advent and wider use of the red arrow, the need for optically-programmed left turn signal heads has certainly decreased.

Programmed visibility heads seem to be disappearing in general, especially in cases where sets of signals are closely spaced.  The new method appears to be to insert louvers inside the visor of a standard signal head.  Probably cheaper, but not quite as effective.

[Stephane Dumas]

Open-wire telephone lines along highways and railroad tracks.

And what about wigwag railroad crossings, I think the only left in socal is in Redlands, CA on Nevada St just south of I-10

some immortalized these wigwag signals on films and posted them on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5fIQZON3P8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZw9Y1jH-To
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6zxy23gFEU

the last wigwag signal in Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xBdep4yRzo

[Biff858]

Great photo, agentsteel53! I don't ever recall seeing a sign that read "northerly" or "southerly" before.  And lighted, too.  definitely a classic.  Hope it's not replaced anytime soon.  Here's a link from Google Streetview for a daytime view of it:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=courthouse&sll=37.798978,-122.260781&sspn=0.000769,0.002776&ie=UTF8&radius=0.08&rq=1&ev=zi&ll=37.799003,-122.260889&spn=0,359.997224&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=37.79903,-122.261007&panoid=pE6xJuUklu9DtHjAYbreVg&cbp=12,319.71,,0,5