Railroaders' Nostalgia > Value of a Full Size Signal

On Trainorders a running Classified Ad asks about the current value of a full size Wig Wag signal. 

After being removed from service, here is the used price of a different type signal, as offered by Southern Pacific in 1992. As I recall, the new price in the 1980s for signals (not semaphores of course)  was in the neighborhood of $12,000 including the relay case.  The typical buyer was a motorist who had lost control and struck one on the railroad right-of-way.

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I remember those flyers.

How much did it cost to transport one once the sale was made?

I think that was the real cost impeding most fans from having a real semaphore in their front yard.

gonx Wrote:
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> How much did it cost to transport one once the
> sale was made?
>
> I think that was the real cost impeding most fans
> from having a real semaphore in their front yard.

Transportation cost was probably a case of beer to the guy who loaned you his 20-foot flatbed trailer. That and fuel costs.

Posted from iPhone

offthebeatentrack Wrote:
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> gonx Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How much did it cost to transport one once the
> > sale was made?
> >
> > I think that was the real cost impeding most
> fans
> > from having a real semaphore in their front
> yard.
>
> Transportation cost was probably a case of beer to
> the guy who loaned you his 20-foot flatbed
> trailer. That and fuel costs.
>
> Posted from iPhone

These things aren't light, you're going to need something to lift it onto and off that trailer too.
 

gonx Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How much did it cost to transport one once the
> sale was made?
>
> I think that was the real cost impeding most fans
> from having a real semaphore in their front yard.

That and HOAs

WAF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> gonx Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How much did it cost to transport one once the
> > sale was made?
> >
> > I think that was the real cost impeding most
> fans
> > from having a real semaphore in their front
> yard.
>
> That and HOAs

The value of anything is exactly what a buyer and seller agree upon on that day.

I've gotten 13 signals over the years.  Spent nothing - gained $100.

First one was a GN Type "D" tri-color.  BN was upgrading signals on their line in Minneapolis, and an engineer friend of mine who was being delayed by the work asked the contractor what might happen if he left his pickup truck parked nearby the work.  Next day my friend called me and asked if I wanted a color light signal.  Well, sure!

Now, I had an ancient (1884) Queen Anne house in St.Paul (Built, would you believe, by Nathanial Langford, the founder of Yellowstone Park) with my garden railroad in the backyard.  I set up the signal and wired it to the model RR as a block signal.  OK, time/space warp in scale, but it worked.  FUN!       HOA?  None in the city, and in fact my neighbor loaned me a hoist to set it up!  It sat there nearly 20 years.
 
When a career change forced me to sell the house I ripped off a friend and got $100 for it.

Second event:   I was President of Minnesota Transportation Musuem when BN was tearing out a portion of the NP "Skally" line from St. Paul to Duluth.  I got them to give us a dozen US&SC upper quadrant block semaphores.  These things look like what a semaphore should.  NICE.       I think they're still taking up real estate in a rusty pile at MTM's Jackson Street facility.

-John

Many years I acquired an ancient but typical flashing crossing signal.  I acquired it with legal help of a local non-profit county museum.  I knew I'd have limited time if I were to ready and display it on my property, so I donated it to this museum.  They were to get it in order, painting and all and then erect it on their premises.  I have yet to see it come to fruition.

Westbound Wrote:
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> On Trainorders a running Classified Ad asks about
> the current value of a full size Wig Wag
> signal. 
>
> After being removed from service, here is the used
> price of a different type signal, as offered by
> Southern Pacific in 1992. As I recall, the new
> price in the 1980s for signals (not semaphores of
> course)  was in the neighborhood of $12,000
> including the relay case.  The typical buyer was
> a motorist who had lost control and struck one on
> the railroad right-of-way.

Did those semaphores come off the Siskiyou line? Considering the price of a used (locomotive) Nathan P3 airhorn at around 700 - 1000 these days, that's was reasonable back then.

One can still get signals from railroads for a decent price if you know the right people.