RR Crossbuck Questions...

[thenetwork]

A couple of questions regarding railroad crossbuck signs.

1) Is there a move to make current RAILROAD CROSSING text more BOLD on the crossbucks?  Reason why I asked is I'm starting to see new Bolder text replacing the traditional text on some state highways in Western Colorado.

2) In the mid 80s, when I occasionally crossed the border into Canada (Windsor, Ontario), railroad crossing crossbucks said RAILWAY CROSSING.  They later changed over to text-less crossbucks with red borders...

When did Canada (or maybe it was just Ontario) make the switch to the generic signage?

[1995hoo]

As to question 2, it looks like the version with no text is the current standard. Presumably if it's imposed at the federal level, a sign with no words is deemed preferable due to bilingualism concerns.

[kphoger]

2) In the mid 80s, when I occasionally crossed the border into Canada (Windsor, Ontario), railroad crossing crossbucks said RAILWAY CROSSING.  They later changed over to text-less crossbucks with red borders...

When did Canada (or maybe it was just Ontario) make the switch to the generic signage?

Here's a good article for you to read:

https://tracksidetreasure.blogspot.com/2017/09/red-white-crossbucks.html

[freebrickproductions]

#1. Got a link to a crossing with what you're talking about? I know crossbucks made by Harmon feature(d) a thick, blocky lettering in the style of what the old cast-iron crossbucks used, and Conrail (among other railroads) was a big user of them, along with a good few shortlines across the country. Union Pacific's also been installing new crossbucks as of late with a slightly bolder, and rather ugly-looking font on them (which some railfans have taken to calling "ugly font crossbucks"), but most railroads still use normal, thinner fonts on their crossbucks.

#2. I believe "Railway Crossing" was the standard for the English-speaking parts of Canada, you can still find the odd one on some abandoned crossings if you know where to look. IIRC, the Yukon & White Pass Route still has one left on its OOS part in Canada. Quebec used to use some very wordy crossbucks that contained both the English and French warnings written-out on them back in the day as well. I'd imagine the current red and white ones were chosen as the standard due to Canada's official bilingual nature, and the fact that the design is basically shared with any country that follows the Vienna Convention.
EDIT: Found the one on the Yukon & White Pass, sadly it's now gone:
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.6321717,-134.9963246,3a,15y,9.07h,94.2t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1snkZqw7zhMDKfz4o4iZwdYQ!2e0!5s20090701T000000!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-4.197951657952544%26panoid%3DnkZqw7zhMDKfz4o4iZwdYQ%26yaw%3D9.068766913399543!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkxNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

As a side note for #2: "Railway Crossing" is still the wording used on crossbucks in Australia and New Zealand, though the latter has theirs mounted so that they read "Crossing Railway". I believe "Railway Crossing" also some use here in the US before crossbucks were standardized with "Railroad Crossing", as I've seen a really old photo (I want to say from like the late-1800s or early-1900s) of downtown Madison, AL, where the Church Street crossing was protected by a lone crossbuck that read "Railway Crossing".

[Stephane Dumas]

I confirm, Quebec did the same thing, I mentioned a old sign in an other thread at https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=2353.msg2315722#msg2315722 who was still there in 2015 but sadly, showing a recent GSV picture, it was removed. :_( https://maps.app.goo.gl/CZA4dR89TbVdtusF7

I saw another one picture taken in the 1980s on the former CP line to Maniwaki.
http://www.railpictures.ca/upload/a-rather-unusual-set-of-crossing-signals-with-bilingual-crossbucks-and-top-illuminating-danger-sign-at-one-of-the-grade-crossings-along-canadian-pacifics-line-to-maniwaki-in-1982