Classics from New York City

[M3019C LPS20]

I own several items that were once in use in New York City, and they are great pieces of the city's traffic control memorabilia.

My first item is a vintage pedestrian push button that was first installed by the city in 1969, and it was removed from service in late 2011. I believe it saw service somewhere in Manhattan.



Note that it has its original label from the city's department, which is "DEPT. OF TRAFFIC." Modern push buttons now use the "DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION" label.

I also have its original sign (right), and I have an additional one that came from Ozone Park, Queens. There were several types of these signs that were in use, and I believe the green sign is the most oldest one (1960s).



With regards to vintage signals, I own this classic four-way traffic signal. It was manufactured by a company named Ruleta, and it uses red and green signal indications. Two-section traffic signals were common to see on the streets of the five boroughs from the 1920s until the end of the 1950s. They slowly dwindled after the 1950s, and, by the late 1990s, they went extinct.

[empirestate]

I think the city has been nostalgically recalling the simultaneous red/green shown here...but instead using its ped signals, which have a rampant tendency lately to show simultaneous Walk/DontWalk indications! 

[roadman65]

 I remember these.   A few years ago, I still saw some along the beach in Rockaway, NY.  I even waited until both colors were lit simultaneously to grab a picture of so I can show people I know here in Florida that such things exist.

[M3019C LPS20]

I think the city has been nostalgically recalling the simultaneous red/green shown here...but instead using its ped signals, which have a rampant tendency lately to show simultaneous Walk/DontWalk indications! 

Those L.E.D. module inserts were manufactured by CooperLED/AtLite Inc. New York City's D.O.T. first began to install them in 2000. By 2004, D.O.T. finished the conversion from "DONT WALK" and "WALK" to the hand and man. The typical lifespan of one is at least eight years (from what I heard), and they typically begin to fail after they reach at least eight years. A faulty neutral wire is likely the culprit for this glitch.

I remember this problem was somewhat to see amongst worded pedestrian signals as well in New York City. Another possible culprit that I would take into consideration is the signal controller itself. When worded pedestrian signals were in use, electro-mechanical signal controllers still controlled them. A likely problem within the signal controller itself was either a broken segment on a cam or a faulty contact finger.

[empirestate]

I think the city has been nostalgically recalling the simultaneous red/green shown here...but instead using its ped signals, which have a rampant tendency lately to show simultaneous Walk/DontWalk indications! 

Those L.E.D. module inserts were manufactured by CooperLED/AtLite Inc. New York City's D.O.T. first began to install them in 2000. By 2004, D.O.T. finished the conversion from "DONT WALK" and "WALK" to the hand and man. The typical lifespan of one is at least eight years (from what I heard), and they typically begin to fail after they reach at least eight years. A faulty neutral wire is likely the culprit for this glitch.

Yes, to clarify, these are LED picture signals doing it, and in various parts of the city. It seems consistent and common enough that I would hope DOT is putting pressure on the manufacturer to resolve the issue from their end.

[M3019C LPS20]

Yes, to clarify, these are LED picture signals doing it, and in various parts of the city. It seems consistent and common enough that I would hope DOT is putting pressure on the manufacturer to resolve the issue from their end.

CooperLED/Atlite Inc. is no longer in the business. The company discontinued to manufacture their own signal products in 2005 or so.

New L.E.D. module inserts from mainly General Electric and Dialight are what now replace the aging L.E.D. module inserts that date back to the conversion.

311 is the ideal number to report a problem, but D.O.T. can't repair everything in one night.

[empirestate]

311 is the ideal number to report a problem, but D.O.T. can't repair everything in one night.

Quite right, and I've done it before. Of course, with so many malfunctions, I don't have the time to be calling 311 several times a week, either!

(I did recently call for a signal that was displaying an extra phase between yellow and red: blank! That same intersection is now one of the many with the pedestrian glitch as well...)

[M3019C LPS20]

I did recently call for a signal that was displaying an extra phase between yellow and red: blank!

Ah, yes. The infamous "dark-out period."  I used to see that problem quite a handful of times when I used to live in New York City. The electro-mechanical signal controller is the one to blame. The cam finger that corresponds to the red indication probably did not drop forward properly to close the circuit. Either its position next to its signal cam is out-of-place or a damaged segment on a cam is present, in which, if so, causes its corresponding finger not to close properly. 

Could be easily fixed with some minor adjustments and patience, though.