Western Railroad Discussion > Iowa Interstate Question - Ex'RI signals

Was driving across Iowa today on I-80 and happenned to see a turning wheel on the Iowa Interstate so I hopped on to the 2 lane for a few miles to give chase, out by Menlo. This was really the first time I have followed any of the ex-RI line. I was very surprised to still see the old searchlight signals and masts still standing in many places. I probably saw at least 3 or 4 sets of them between Menlo and Casey.

Wondering out loud why these signals are still standing after they have been dormant for the past 35 years? As a point of comparison, the ex-MILW Council Bluffs mainline a few miles north which is now the BNSF Bayard Branch had had its signals gone since the Milwaukee gave up on that mainline. Also, many of the old signals are still in place along the ex-RI in northern Kansas as well.

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On a trip to Arkansas for a family event I noticed several former (what I think were) CRI&P signal installations as well.  Being a "preservationist" (?), I couldn't help but to wonder, if the track structure has been removed and said right of way long since abandoned, are the remaining bits of infrastructure "fair game", or is it best to get your pictures and run?  I wanted to stop and explore, but with a 4 year old and no air conditioning (car's 62 years old) on a near 24 something hour drive, we just didn't have time to stop.

Opinions?

Probably not much to worry about other than the local sheriff or adjacent property owners showing up.  If you could get in and out quickly (doubtful as those signals are heavy) you'd probably be okay.

As far as the western IA signals, it's mostly just a matter of inertia; not worth the trouble of going out to take them down.  In eastern IA where the sections of double track were removed, the scrappers took all the signals when they went through, so we don't get to enjoy using them as photo props in this part of the state.

Andy

AndyBrown Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Probably not much to worry about other than the
> local sheriff or adjacent property owners showing
> up.  If you could get in and out quickly
> (doubtful as those signals are heavy) you'd
> probably be okay.
>
> As far as the western IA signals, it's mostly just
> a matter of inertia; not worth the trouble of
> going out to take them down.  In eastern IA where
> the sections of double track were removed, the
> scrappers took all the signals when they went
> through, so we don't get to enjoy using them as
> photo props in this part of the state.
>
> Andy  They are heavy, it would take a a tractor with a front end loader and a heavy duty chain to pick one up and load it on a truck or trailer. 

Funny story about stealing signals that I think I've related here before, when the Wilton IA depot preservationists decided they wanted a train order signal (previously removed- probably when the depot was no longer an open agency) mounted on the base out front, they simply drove over to West Liberty (who hadn't begun to think about their own restoration), took that one down and hauled it back to Wilton.

Andy

I remember going through western Montana along the old MILW mainline and seeing signals still standing, and this was in the early 1990's. The tracks had been removed a decade earlier.

The Kyle ex-RI line to Limon has hundreds of still standing and turned away searchlights,
remember the Rock!

Out

Yes, signals are heavy.  When I purchased a train order signal a couple years back, I could not believe
it weighed 2,900 pounds.  It took a semi to haul it and a 10-wheel wrecker to remove it from the trailer.
With restoration almost complete, (new roundels and powder coated blades) the next step is to get
it vertical in a concrete sleeve, it will take another crane and another big bill.

Southern3205 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On a trip to Arkansas for a family event I noticed
> several former (what I think were) CRI&P signal
> installations as well.  Being a "preservationist"
> (?), I couldn't help but to wonder, if the track
> structure has been removed and said right of way
> long since abandoned, are the remaining bits of
> infrastructure "fair game", or is it best to get
> your pictures and run?  I wanted to stop and
> explore, but with a 4 year old and no air
> conditioning (car's 62 years old) on a near 24
> something hour drive, we just didn't have time to
> stop.
>
> Opinions?

Don't know about the signals, but was your 62 year old car built at LaGrange?

IRT IC1038west

Apologies for the late response,  the car (per Van Pelt Sales) was assembled in Memphis.  I know, there was supposed to be some humor in the original question, and I wouldn't mind if it had been built in Lagrange.