Eastern Railroad Discussion > The Signal

I saw a PRR position light the other day, still in use on the NS Marion Branch after all these years, and it made me wonder how much this signal has experienced, and how long it will be before it passes into history, to be replaced by a modern color light. I don't write a lot of poetry, but I couldn't help it with this one.

-Eric Shock

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I am a signal
My seven amber lights guide the way
Great black locomotives roar past me
With the words "Pennsylvania" on the side
They roar past with a hiss woosh
They spew ash and soot all over me
I wear it proudly as they pass
My lights change from up to across
Always guiding the way

The days and nights go by
The seasons change
More trains pass me by
Great streamlined locomotives
They rumble past with deep voices
They spew no ash and soot
There is nothing to wear proudly
Just my lights as they change from up to across
Always guiding the way

The trains still come
Box shaped locomotives
With "Penn Central" on the side
The passengers are gone
Only boxcars and other freight
The trains come less and less
Yet I am still here
My lights change from up to across
Always guiding the way

More seasons change
The trains still come
Changed from black to blue
One of the tracks next to me is torn out
My brother signal falls
But trains still pass me
I am alone but proud
My lights change from up to across
Always guiding the way

The trains come more often now
Great black locomotives
With Norfolk Southern on the side
They spew no ash and soot
But I still shine proudly
Doing my duty as I have for years
As another train passes
My lights change from up to across
Always guiding the way

The seasons change
I've shown my lights proudly
Guiding the trains on their way
My lights shine no more
I lay here on the ground
Fallen from my mast
Though trains still pass
My lights no longer change from up to across
Never again to guide the way

I am the signal
My three colored lights guide the way
Red, amber, green
Great black locomotives rumble past
With Norfolk Southern on the side
Faithfully doing my duty
I shine as the train approaches
My light changes from green to red
Always guiding the way

Nice poem!!

touching .... need i say more?



randy b.

As a collector of glass insulators, some of which have been trackside since the late 1800's, I too have wondered what tales they could tell if they could speak. Think of what has gone by them in 100+ years. Good job with the poem!

A nice poem, Eric, however the signal couldn't tell THAT much, considering it was placed in service on the Marion Branch in the late '60's early '70's. Prior to that, it was probably used on the PRR Richmond sub between Richmond and Indianapolis. The Marion Branch was always "non-block" (Timetable and trainorder) territory till the PC fixed up the track and installed the singnals...So the passing of Pennsy K-4's and C-liners through Greenfield, yeah. and mabye some former NYC geeps on the former NYC Michigan Division (now Marion Branch)so it would be interesting, but you should really ask that signal there on the Indianapolis Line at the country club in Muncie on #1 track--It's been there since the signals were put in!~~DRLOCO

*lol* Well, I didn't really write that just about the signal on the Marion Branch, but about just your generic signal from who knows where. :) But the one on the Marion Branch did inspire it. That's kinda interesting that they just moved the signals rather then putting new ones up, but whatever works! And it lets these old dogs stick around a few years. Who knows how long they're going to last.

-Eric Shock

Eric,

I really like it, too. I also reworded the poem for a semaphore signal. Very nice work.

Xingman
http://home.internetcds.com/~xingman/