Nostalgia & History > Wigwags and other signals

I don't have too many pictures of these, but they used to be common at one time. The Vineland Ave. crossing, just off of Valley Blvd. in Baldwin Park, CA had one. These are a few others from the past.

1) is from a 1972 Instamatic slide, location unknown.

2) January 1974, in Whittier, CA. (Agfachrome 35mm)

3) also January 1974, in Whittier, CA. (Agfachrome 35mm)

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A few more, some rather primitive.

4) January 1974, Whittier, CA (Agfachrome 35 mm).

5) July 1973, near Pacific Electric Depot, El Monte, CA (Ektachrome 35 mm).

6) Not a wigwag, but an odd-ball crossbuck, 1972, Anaheim, CA (Instamatic slide)

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And, for a bit of humor: I saw this in February, 1973, on the SP, along Valley Blvd (probably in Walnut, CA). Fortunately, I had a camera with me, so I turned around, laughing, and got the shot. Two smug, self satisfied signals.

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I tried an experiment with the above pictures. My HP scanner is on the fritz, so I set up a screen in the garage, curtained off all the light sources (windows, etc) and tripod mounted my Canon digital. The pictures were then processed a little (using Photo ImpactPro 8.5) and seem to have turned out ok, taking into account my limited skills with the camera and the computer.

If any of you have photos of these old type of grade crossing signals, I think it would be fun to see them. The old clang, clang, as they wagged back and forth, is still in my memory.

That photo of the locomotive bell crossing signal is a true rarity. Those pre-dated wigwags. Surprised to see that one lasted into the 70's. Tons of wigwag photos on my site...

http://www.trainweb.org/dansrailpix/WIG_WAG_PAGE1c.htm

Got more? Send them to me!

Great site, Dan. I am totally dumbfounded that any of these old signals is still in use. Thought they were all gone long ago. Will check my stuff to see if I have any more.

There's still a few around, clanking and dinging. This one is on the UP's Riverside Branch (ex-SP, ex-PE) along 9th street at N street. This shot was taken in May of this year. Not the best picture of it, but it's difficult to try and take a picture while running a train down the middle of the street and having to watch for not only cross traffic, but traffic coming at you or trying to pass you.-BMT

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Taking a second look at that locomotive bell crossing signal, I'm wondering if that one went to OERM. They have one and I think it came from Anaheim or somewhere nearby.

danf Wrote:
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> That photo of the locomotive bell crossing signal
> is a true rarity. Those pre-dated wigwags.
> Surprised to see that one lasted into the 70's.
> Tons of wigwag photos on my site...
>
> http://www.trainweb.org/dansrailpix/WIG_WAG_PAGE1c
> .htm
>
> Got more? Send them to me!
There was a locomotive bell signal on Crestnut Street and the SP until about 1965. It was replaced by a wig wag from First Street when the grade seperation was built there. One problem with the locomotive bell signals in later years was that motorists were not used to them and were often confused (not the normal crossing bell sound and no visual warning).

Cliff

I definitely recognize photo #3 -- the SP crossing Whittier Blvd near the Nelles School. This was part of the SP's original route into Whittier, much of which is still visible (or was in 2001). Eventually they abandoned part of that line and used the ex-PE Whittier branch. The latter was in use into the 1990s, I believe.

Thanks for bringing back memories of one of my favorite cities in southern California!