Hi,

I'm a railroad signal collector, as in collect, restore, and preserve, not hoard. Bring 'em back to life and make 'em operational.
This was my latest effort taking my cantilevered wig-wag and making it into a peachbasket version. A whole bunch of work but I'm pleased with the outcome.
I'm still waiting to get the "stop when swinging" and "3 tracks" signs back from the sandblasters.
Always looking to share info and signal stories, and assist others in signal preservation.

Thanks for looking, Jeff

Nice work!

Vintage signals are disappearing rapidly. I have one of the oldest operating in service signals in Maryland (according to my FRA inspector). It's nice to know there are those of you who invest the effort, and $$$, to keep some of them extant.

I know where there's a restored Griswold signal with the rotating "Stop" sign. If you want to know more about it, leave me a private message.

Nice wig-wag. I own a few signals, too, and have have an interest in preserving them. Here are my thoughts on signal preservation:

I have noticed that "preservation" means different things to different people. One unfortunate practice that museums and signal collectors do in the name of "preservation" is to shorten the mast. To me, doing that destroys the historic value of the original. Another unfortunate practice I see is components of the signal assembled in an inauthentic way. There are countless, cringe-worthy examples of incorrectly-assembled signals at museums, which include things like ladders removed, signal heads turned at odd angles, signal cases turned 90-degrees, semaphore blades mounted backwards, incorrect blades installed, or incorrect painting. The result of that customization is a kind of generic signal that doesn't represent anything that existed along the line. A final unfortunate practice is when the collector or museum does not document where the signal came from. I think it adds a lot of value to a signal to know which number it was, and where on the route profile (milepost) it was located.

To sum up, my signal preservation philosophy is this:
- Document where the signal came from.
- Assemble the signal components the way the railroad had them assembled.
- Do not shorten the signal mast.


FLO

I agree with all three of the above, unfortunately #3 creates an issue living in suburban Los Angeles and HOA's. This wig-wag is the tallest and it's still 12" short of actual. And as much as I'd love to have my semaphores at 24' - 26', some of my neighbors don't feel that love, and I'm ok with that.
I do know where all of mine came from, short of an H-2 or an H-5, but knowing where is half the fun, and half the battle.
As for proper display, in this day and age of endless internet information, there really is no excuse for having it any other way, especially at a museum. Sort of like having a wig wag and hearing it go thunk-thunk as opposed to a nice equal ring on both sides (locations withheld to protect the guilty). ;)

JG

FLO -

At the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, we have the following signals installed, and operating, on our museum property:

1. Upper quadrant semaphore; Erie (from m.p. 921 track 1) US&S type S.
2. Upper quadrant double semaphore TTO; Erie (m.p. 948 track 1) US&S type S.
3. Tri-color light; CI&L (NYC type, n.b. approach at San Pierre, IN) GRS type G.
4. Tri-color light; GTW #709 (Edwardsburg, MI and Stillwell, IN) US&S style TR-3.
5. 3 heads signal; NKP (from Hibbard, IN) includes US&S style R2 tri-color heads
6. Searchlight 2-head; Erie (from Bass Lake, IN m.p. 908 track 2) US&S style H.
7. Searchlight 3-head; Erie/C&O (from Griffith, IN) US&S style H.
8. Two head signal; C&O (from North Judson, IN) US&S style R2.
9. Searchlight; EJ&E (from near Dyer, IN m.p. 100 track 5); GRS type SA.
10. Yellow position light (modified); PRR (from ?); US&S
11. Color position light B&O (from ?); GRS type U.

Also:

Lower quadrant semaphore train order board; IC (from Monroe, WI depot).
Train order board levers in HVRM North Judson depot (CRI&P from ?)
No Right Turn warning; PRR (from Effingham, IL)
Wig Wag road crossing; WRRS model 5 Auto Flag (origin unknown).

None of these signals are shortened height-wise. But because of our relatively short museum trackage, the signal blocks themselves are all short, which enables visitors to see the signals change as a train goes through the blocks.

We also have additonal signals that have not yet been erected and are always looking for other signals to add to the collection.

Les

It is obviously easier for a museum to replicate an authentic working signal display than it is for a private collector.

At the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, most of our main line is protected with either 1928 US&S track circuit ABS, or by Nachod trolley contactor signals, which provide opposing car but not following car protection. We are currently replacing the Nachod signals with the US&S signals on our longest section of single track, about 3500', in order to improve reliability and for following car protection on a section with blind curves.

Several other museums have working signal systems. The system at IRM is quite complex and provides for comprehensive control of operations at a museum that can be a very busy place.