Early Grade Crossing Signage / Signaling Question

[NW Mailing List]

Hi,
Does anyone have a working model wig wag? I have a static model.
David

On Sun, Dec 31, 2023, 7:49 AM NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

> Tim, I’d like to hear a recording of your wig-wag. I’m curious how close
> (or far off) my memory of the rate of the wigging and wagging and dinging
> is!
>
> As a modeling side-note, I spoke to Iowa Scaled Engineering at a recent
> RPM - they’re working on a wig-wag sound module. His recording is also a
> magnetic flagman, albeit a western railroad.
>
> Matt Goodman
> Columbus, Ohio
>
> Sent from my mobile
>
> On Dec 30, 2023, at 4:41 PM, NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <
> nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
> 
> I think the first documented usage of wig-wigs on the N&W dates from
> 1926.  Officially, they were called the "Magnetic Flagman," and were made
> by the Magnetic Signal Co. of Los Angeles.
>
>  I have the one from the eastern-most crossing in Circleville;  I came
> along as they were removing them and the signal maintainer gave me one --
> man o' man, did it ever weight that Toyoto Corolla station wagon down!  It
> now flops and dings in my back yard.
>
> Tim Hensley
>
> On Friday, December 29, 2023 at 04:36:27 PM EST, NW Mailing List via
> NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
>
> Hi Abram.  Thanks for those references. As always, your insight is always
> interesting!
>
> You included that very interesting 1930 photo of the US&S exhibit. That
> year must have been a watershed of some sort as it’s the same year that the
> N&W started installing wig-wag “flashlight” signals at some crossings in
> Circleville. The city ordinance stated that the railroad “desires to
> construct automatic wig-wag flashlight signals and their supports for the
> safety of pedestrian and vehicular traffic…”, then went on to specify where
> in the street they should go. A second batch of wig wags were put in place
> in 1937-38 - with only the two main drags (Court and Main) still protected
> by a manned tower (an Interlocking tower and Watchman’s tower,
> respectively).
>
> The Main Street Watchman’s tower was torn down in 1943, when the last of
> the watchmen were retired. Prior to that (if I interpreted the contemporary
> news articles correctly) the Main Street wig-wags were operated (or not) to
> cover whichever eight hour shift was vacant. As the men were retired or
> died, the Wig-wag would pick up that shift. I further interpreted this as a
> way of avoiding furloughing men during a tough time.  The Court Street
> crossing was still manually protected by the VI Tower operator into the
> 1950’s; dad was an hanger-on in that tower at that time, and occasionally
> got to push the foot pedal that lowered the gates.
>
> On another note, I was checking my Dorney files for an unrelated reason,
> and came across an article that Abe previously shared about a 1911 ABS
> installation, which included a discussion of a power plant at Dorney. It
> answered my question (or, more correctly, provided some additional context)
> about how that crossing signals in question were powered.  (Dorney is about
> two miles south of Circleville).
>
> “... *two extra number 4 B. & S. gauge copper wires between Dorney and
> Lockbourne, to take care of the heavy line drop occasioned by some station
> lighting, the installation of eleven solenoid type highway crossing alarms,
> operated by 110-volt, 60-cycle, a.c., and 30-ampere, 110-volt mercury arc
> rectifier at Circleville, Ohio*”
>
> My guess is that the watchman triggered the bell locally (not a track
> circuit).
>
> I should note that 1911 is also when the re-alignment and double-tracking
> through Circleville was completed, and also when all the watchman and
> interlocking towers through town were built. A busy time.
>
> Matt Goodman
> Columbus, Ohio
>
> On Dec 15, 2023, at 12:11 PM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> wrote:
>
> Herr Comrade Matteos Goodmanovski... and associates :
>
> The history of crossing warning devices has not yet been thoroughly
> researched, cataloged or documented. The documentation to do the job (in
> the form of digitized trade press periodicals (e.g. Roadmaster & Foreman,
> Signal Engineer, Railroad Gazette, etc) is certainly there to do the job.
> Pray that some young fellow gets the inspiration ...
>
> In the early days, there were no standards. Signage was experimental, and
> depended on the whims of local management. Electrical devices were in the
> developmental years. All the manufacturers and suppliers (Hall Signal,
> National Signal, Federal Signal, General Signal, Union Switch & Signal and
> more) tried to establish themselves in this line of business and rushed a
> number of items to market.  Railroads were expanding and were profitable,
> and spent heavily for new technology and toys.
>
> Here are just a few tidbits... A drawing of a wooden crossbuck dating to
> 1884 exists, and it very much resembles what is in use today. The electric
> track circuit was first tested by Dr. William Robinson at Kinzua,
> Pennsylvania, in 1870, but it was not reliable because it used the "open
> circuit" principle and several years were required before a "closed
> circuit" track circuit was perfected. The only relays available at the time
> were telegraph relays, and that is what was used for the first track
> circuits ! (Robinson's patent drawings clearly show them.)  It took some
> years before railroads began installing Automatic Block Signaling in a big
> way (greater traffic volumes and increased speeds being the catalyst,) and
> there were a number of different ideas and equipments put forth for doing
> that job. Grade crossing protection, of course, was not as important and it
> came later. All manner of signs and automatic contraptions were put forth
> into the market.
>
> The Association of American Railroads (A.A.R.) in 1913 established a
> Highway Crossing Committee to develop and recommend standard technology,
> methods, circuits, devices, signage, gates, bells and suchlike. The first
> flashing light signal for a crossing was installed on the CNJ RR at Sewaren
> NJ in 1913. (The crossing is still there, but with current-day equipment.)
>
> In 1930, Union Switch & Signal hosted a huge exhibit of equipment and
> ideas at its Swissvale plant, which was widely attended by engineers,
> "public policy wonks" (i.e. politicians and others who spend money filched
> from taxpayers.) The attached photo will give you some idea of what was
> considered "modern" equipment at that time. From my understanding, that
> 1930 event pretty much marked the end of the age of unrestrained
> experimentalism by the many railroads, and the slow beginning of the age of
> national crossing standardization.
>
> That notwithstanding, even into the 1970s the various railroads had in the
> standard plans, in field use, diverse pieces of cast iron crossing signage
> left over decades before. It was only in the 1980s, when the various Public
> Utilities Commissions implemented requirements for reflectivity on crossing
> signage that things changed. The new reflective signage went up and the old
> cast iron went to scrap or into the hands of those who like old railroad
> cast iron.
>
> Somewhere in this continuum of more than a hundred years, you will have to
> figure out where the inspiration behind the various items of N&W signage
> came from, and when those items were discontinued. The old N&W Maintenance
> of Way Standard Plans will hold a good proportion of your answers.
>
> One more thing you aksed about: The cast iron boxes mounted on short poles
> contained relays for the block on either side of the crossing.  The items
> up higher or at the top of the pole are housings for bells. In the early
> days, there were only two relays used. There were no "island circuits" over
> the crossings themselves, and there was generally a 90 foot section of
> UN-circuited track right through the crossing itself. In later years,
>  island circuits were installed and signal cases (in single track
> territory) were wired with five relays for crossing warning devices. For
> the past 40 years there has been an attempt to shift crossing warning
> activation from batteries, track circuits and relays, to RF's (radio
> frequencies) induced directly into the rails... the same stuff that
> operates the DTMF (Dual Tone, Multiple Frequency) dialing pad on your
> telephone.
>
> When you finish researching this topic, I hope you will move on to the
> issue of batteries. There have been probably 30 or 40 different battery
> technologies used since Alessandro Volta built the first "voltaic pile"
> (battery) in 1799. The needs of the telegraph and the railroad industries
> spurred most of the progress. Check out the Cruickshank cell, the Trough
> cell, the Sturgeon battery, the Daniel cell, the Bird cell, the Gravity
> battery, the Grove cell, the Dun cell, the Leclanche cell, the Lead-Acid
> battery, the Alkaline cell, and more. And yes, there was even a "Sand
> Battery," made with sand... and it worked, too !
>
> And thank you, Mr. Goodman, for your help last month when I was wondering
> about operations between Clare and Cincinatti Union Station.  The last
> month has been very busy here, what with grandchildren and family, and I
> failed to say thanks to you.
>
> Somebody is calling me on the Wire... I need to get back to my telegraph.
> C.U.L.
>
> Attachment.
>
> -- abram burnett,
> Farmer and Purveyor of Plasma Toroid Turnips<US&S Test Grade Xing Signals
> 1930 Ivy St Swissvale PA.jpg>________________________________________
>
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