While trying to find out whether the Southern Appalachian Railway Museum ever did any more restoration work on NC&StL boxcar #20156 that they acquired some time ago, I found some other info on their Facebook page. Norfolk Southern donated a cantilever signal bridge set up for double track to them, and the museum removed it to their property. The bridge had a triple set of GRS type SC searchlight signals for each of the two tracks for a total of six signal heads. There were single SC signals for moves from the opposite direction, for a total of 8 heads. I don't know if SARM reinstalled the cantilever bridge on their property, although I did not see any info on their page that they had yet done so.

This is a really nice "save" and got me to wondering if perhaps there were other cantilever signal bridges preserved at other museums. There was one that was supposed to come to HVRM, but that never happened. Too bad as I know the perfect place where we could have installed it. Are there any others preserved out there?

Les

Les,

SARM actually has two CNO&TP cantilevers -- North Oakdale, and Tunnel 26. They also have a nice assortment of signals from other lines, including the NC&StL USS tri-color signals from Waverly, TN -- one of the few things left standing after the unfortunate derailment and explosion in the 1970s. There are also signals from L&N, ATSF, CB&Q, SOU, N&W and others.

I seem to recall that both SERM and the Monon group have/had very nice signal displays, but don't know about cantilevers at either of those groups. I think TVRM got the streamlined cantilever from Jersey -- at least I hope they did as it was unique on all of Southern Railway, IIRC.

ETA

ETA -

Thanks for all of the interesting info. Much appreciated. I was a member of the Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society for a number of years and I don't believe they had a cantilever signal anywhere. Perhaps you are talking about the independent Monon Connection Museum near Monon, Indiana. They might have one but I am not sure one way or the other.


Les

Although not a cantilever, and instead a full signal bridge, the Altoona Railroader's Museum has a PRR Signal Bridge, the former Horseshoe curve signals if I remember correctly, erected on the property.

The US&S R-2 from Fostoria,OH right near the park now resides in Port Huron, MI near the former car float for the ferries.

The streamlined cantilever from Jersey has been on the ground for more than a year and is/was located between the NS mainline and the TVRM tracks just east of the main TVRM station earlier this year.

I found a group of photos that Chris Guenzler took on a visit to the Monon Connection just about two years ago. If you have ever seen Mr. Guenzler's photos when he visits a railroad museum, he takes shots of just about EVERYTHING. Although there are a number of items, including quite a few different signals, scattered around the museum grounds, I don't see any cantilevers. Perhaps one was moved in after Chris's visit.

I'm not sure where the car floats for the ferries are in Port Huron that TrainWatcher describes, so can't confirm the display of a cantilever there. I did check various photos of the old Grand Trunk depot there that is now a museum, but saw no cantilever, but the car floats referenced, may be elsewhere in Port Huron. A photo of this installation would be appreciated as it appears it may be the only cantilever mentioned that has actually been put up on display.

Les