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Steven A.Rosenow
Top Member
USA
1926 Posts |
 Posted - 03/23/2009 : 05:55:47 AM
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My traffic signal collection just exploded.
Exponentially. 
(and quite possibly the beginnings of a money-making opportunity!)
Last Thursday I received an e-mail I've been waiting on for a month. Was a bid on a pile of surplus traffic lights from a Puyallup-based electrical contractor whose primary business is installing and maintaining traffic signal and roadway lighting installs in Pierce County.
Let's just say that over the next month or so, I will be acquiring over two dozen traffic signals, perhaps as many as two and a half to three dozen.
A lot of them are standard 12" signal heads in standard RYG configurations, but a few are different in the fact that they have arrow lenses, and there's two that are optically programmable like my 3M (built by McCain).
In addition, I'm acquiring close to two dozen pedestrian crosswalk signals.
Photos to come shortly!!
And FWIW, here's what I have so far:
(4) - 3M Model 131 HVS heads. Three yellow, one black, all with yellow or black visors. (and an assortment of 3M lenses to boot)
(1) - 3M Model 131 HVS written command pedestrian signal. Yellow with black visors and AstroBrac mounts
(1) - 12" RYG Automatic Signal/Eagle Signal MarkIV head with all incandescent indications.
(2) - 8" Econolite Shortgroove signals, all RYG, one with full incandescent indications, the other with Dialight/Lumileds incandescent-like LED modules in the red and green indications. Painted dark green (one restored, the other original)
(1) - LFE/Automatic Signal 8" RYG head (painted dark green) with 3M Model 130 8" PV adapters. 3M adapters painted flat black with green left turn arrow, red and yellow ball lenses.
(1) - Crouse Hinds Type M RYG head with louvered green indication, Dialight/Lumileds incandescent-like LED modules in the red and green indications and a yellow incandescent. Has a "NO LEFT TURN" sign attached.
(1) - ICC Incandescent ITE Hand/Man pedestrian signal with eggcrate visors. Original condition.
(1) - Econolite shortgroove single-section. Awaiting 2 Econolite 12" bullseye round-door parts to become a 12-8-12.
And this is what I'm picking up Tuesday barring any technical difficulties don't strike.
(1) - McCain Programmable Visibility head with all left-turn arrows. (and a 2-section McCain head to rebuild the broken RYG unit). Another complete RYG McCain PV signal is tentative.
(1) - Marbelite 12" RYG GA<- head.
(1) - LFE 12" RYG head
(1) - Econolite square-door 12" RYG
(1) - Econolite 12" RYG buttonback signal head.
(1) - 12" Singer doghouse
(1) - One LFE 12" Doghouse
(1) - Eagle 12" RYG flatback with left turn arrows ca the early 1960s.
On top of this is the remainder of the scrap pile, which will be picked up in successive visits.
And these are from the city of Seattle, recently pulled and waiting my pickup.
(1) - (possibly 2) Econolite 8-inch Shortgroove RYG signals. Dialight/Lumileds incandescent-like LED modules in the red and green indications with yellow incandescent indications. Cutaway visors and 5" backplates
(1) Econolite 12" 2-section written command pedestrian signal
(1) ICC neon written command pedestrian signal with a dual-volt 7500/4000 volt transformer.
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Steven A.Rosenow
Top Member
USA
1926 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2009 : 02:09:18 AM
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Here's the pix of the first haul. Was unable to bring some of it home due to space constraints.
Also, it looks like the McCain Programmable Visibility units had never been used. There's hardly any defects in the paint, and one of them (the parts donor) had a lens that still had its protective wrap on it.
The McCain PV parts donor.
Also found out that you can only fit so many of these in the back seat of a Taurus! Only three heads here, a McCain PV unit, an Econolite "Bullseye" signal laid down on its lenses, and an Eagle flatback signal with backplate.
The Singer doghouse and a set of 12" signal louvers for primitive lane limiting control. That Singer doghouse signal took up the entire trunk, and I had to fold down my back seat for it to sit in there so I could fully close the trunk. |
http://www.gilligcoaches.net |
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kd4jfd
Top Member
USA
1168 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2009 : 06:00:30 AM
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| Northern Tool sells DIY trailers. Just get one, put it together and pile it full of signals. |
539 - Repair work in progress! |
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Steven A.Rosenow
Top Member
USA
1926 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2009 : 03:13:50 AM
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Here's some more pix of the McCain and the Econolite. The Singer and the Eagle are still in the car (haven't taken them out yet).
The McCain, as I had suspected, had never seen street service. Aside from some scratches that it encountered in the attic where I got it, and from hauling it in my car, it's largely blemish free. The lenses have no defects whatsoever and all mounting surfaces show no sign of any hardware having been attached to it.
The Econolite needs some minor TLC, and I'm thinking about repainting it. I have an extra 12" Econolite Bullseye squaredoor section in the trunk of the SHO I'm thinking on attaching to this one, and then installing a fiber optic bimodal arrow indication to mage this one a RYG YG<- inline-4 head. |
http://www.gilligcoaches.net |
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2009 : 2:07:14 PM
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| Steve, I didn't know Econolite made a round body signal like GE once did. And good job finding a mint PV signal. What a nice example of government waste though, if it was never put into service. Ugh! |
Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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Steven A.Rosenow
Top Member
USA
1926 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2009 : 02:32:32 AM
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Here's more photos!
Oh, and Mike, this wasn't a government agency. It was a private contractor.
This is a group shot. Not sure if I plan on keeping the Singer just yet. If I can locate the parts I need, I'll keep it.
This is the Singer, and the photos illustrate the damage this signal has incurred over the years.
The Eagle flatback. The bottom to the backplate is in my car, still. I've thoroughly cleaned all the signals now. Found a bees' nest in the Eagle! |
http://www.gilligcoaches.net |
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WallyG
Advanced Member
United States
255 Posts |
Posted - 04/01/2009 : 03:49:29 AM
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| What sort of market is there for this stuff? |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4547 Posts |
Posted - 04/01/2009 : 3:33:03 PM
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Oh you would be amazed.
Singer...like the sewing machine company or what? |
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Steven A.Rosenow
Top Member
USA
1926 Posts |
Posted - 04/01/2009 : 7:45:56 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Thomasbus24
Oh you would be amazed.
Singer...like the sewing machine company or what?
Yep. The *extact same* company.
The logo on the backside of the Singer doghouse is the exact same as that used by Singer today.
As for the market? There's a hefty market for these. They're often bought by collectors (like myself), or people who want to add a nice touch to a garage, rec room, or a den.
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http://www.gilligcoaches.net |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4547 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2009 : 04:42:58 AM
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About what years did Singer produce traffic signals?
This thread makes me miss the old light I had hanging on the farm I lived on, complete with a sequencer board...people gave me more compliments on that old thing...and sales offers!
Just one of the three antiques on display. Traffic signal, pepsi machine, IHC/Carpenter school bus still in service at that time! |
Edited by - Thomasbus24 on 04/04/2009 04:44:28 AM |
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Steven A.Rosenow
Top Member
USA
1926 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2009 : 04:28:08 AM
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I think Singer produced traffic signals sometime around the '60s and '70s. Don't know exactly when they ceased production, but from what I can tell the logo of the company hasn't changed one iota since then. It'd be interesting to find out.
One thing I have noticed about Singer traffic signals is that they're extremely heavy, but unlike their sewing machines (which usually stand up to the test of time), their traffic signals don't hold up well at all. They're very susceptible to aluminium corrosion issues and paint peeling. I'm having to JB Weld the hell out of two sections because they've corroded so bad.
From what I gather, the doghouse signal I have served downtown Tacoma and was pulled about five years ago. Was used as a temporary signal. |
http://www.gilligcoaches.net |
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Well, I've done it again...
