Railroad Forums 

  • Used to be signals - Victor, NY

  • Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.
Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.

Moderator: scottychaos

 #748841  by expensivelawnmower
 
I've been looking back for hours on old posts with my lame computer, sidetracked over and over by many great bits of info and stories until this point where I will just post a question:
There used to be 2 signals [1EB, 1WB] and these had stood as long as I can remember until some time let's say in the last 10 years (sorry I can't be more specific) when they were unbolted from their bases and laid down. I'm wondering where they went after this. They were located right along and just south of Rt. 96 west of the village of Victor, NY. They were easily seen from the road right behind a shop called Decision Collision (should you decide to collide...) which later sold trailers and related equipment I think. For further reference this was opposite a Kwik Fill station and Muchard Chevrolet dealership. The nearest crossings: to the west Rt. 251, to the east School St. I remember what looked like yellow grease crayon writing on the signals - can't remember what it said but it gave me the feeling someone wanted them for more than just scrap iron. I hope to hear about how they were salvaged and where I might see them again.
Evan J. West
 #749378  by lvrr325
 
If they were removed during the era of independent Ontario Central ownership, it's likely someone purchased them.
 #749395  by scottychaos
 
I photographed them in May of 2006..
one laying on the ground, one still still standing.

photos here:
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/sho ... hp?t=13146

Many of my photos on that thread have disappeared..imageshack sucks.
(I stopped using imageshack years ago..because your photos disappear..
I then went to photobucket..photobucket also sucks..
im now using smugmug, paying some $ this time, for some quality image hosting! ;)
I will re-upload them:

Image

Image


(I will check and see if I have more photos of the signals from that day..I think I do..)

The one on the ground had "Property of NYMT" written on it.
New York Museum of Transportation in Rush.
perhaps the signals are now there?

Scot
 #749516  by FarmallBob
 
Scot - The mast and GRS searchlight housing for westbound signal was still standing when my wife and I walked the line a few weeks ago. It's eastbound mate was barely visible lying in the weeds on the opposite side of the rails.
scottychaos wrote: The one on the ground had "Property of NYMT" written on it.
New York Museum of Transportation in Rush.
perhaps the signals are now there?
Scot
Didn't notice any markings on either signal - but I didn't look closely either.

Incidentally the WB signal was once LV automatic #3701 and the EB #3702.

...FB
 #749524  by scottychaos
 
FarmallBob wrote:Scot - The mast and GRS searchlight housing for westbound signal was still standing when my wife and I walked the line a few weeks ago. It's eastbound mate was barely visible lying in the weeds on the opposite side of the rails.
scottychaos wrote: The one on the ground had "Property of NYMT" written on it.
New York Museum of Transportation in Rush.
perhaps the signals are now there?
Scot
Didn't notice any markings on either signal - but I didn't look closely either.

Incidentally the WB signal was once LV automatic #3701 and the EB #3702.

...FB
Thanks Bob!
wow..still there? I wouldnt have thought that..

I think you have them backwards however..(if we are talking about the same signals)

this photo:
Image
is looking East down the LV main..toward Sayre.

this photo:
Image
is from the north side of the tracks, looking south.
west to the right. east to the left.

so the standing signal would be the Eastbound signal.
the signal on the ground would be the westbound signal.

thanks,
Scot
 #749589  by FarmallBob
 
scottychaos wrote: so the standing signal would be the Eastbound signal.
the signal on the ground would be the westbound signal.
You are indeed correct Scot! (Had yet to have my morning coffee when I wrote earlier previous post...)

Here's a shot of EASTBOUND auto #3701. View is looking west along the "main" a couple years ago.

Thanks for the catch!

...FB

Image
 #749629  by FarmallBob
 
scottychaos wrote:Thanks Bob!
looks like things havent changed much in the 3 years since i was there..
"things haven't changed much in 3 years" is right Scot!

When the spur isn't blocked with cars and the leaves are down the signal mast can be spotted from one of my children's kitchen window.

Bob
 #749733  by psoyring
 
These are regular GRS type SA searchlight signals, which both the LV and NYC used. Restoring such an item would be a costly endeavor, just the mechanism runs about $150 and even then you would still need a latch, background, lense and a visor among other things. Would cost about $250 just for the parts to complete it. And that is at market prices for used stuff in good shape. The reason this type of signal is falling out of favor is that when someone takes a rifle and throws a bullet into the mechanism it takes more than a thousand dollars to buy a new one. When someone shoots out the traffic light type it only wastes a bulb, a lense and a reflector and that costs only a fraction of what a mechanism does. That said these are really interesting to see how they operate.
 #808231  by glennk419
 
psoyring wrote:These are regular GRS type SA searchlight signals, which both the LV and NYC used. Restoring such an item would be a costly endeavor, just the mechanism runs about $150 and even then you would still need a latch, background, lense and a visor among other things. Would cost about $250 just for the parts to complete it. And that is at market prices for used stuff in good shape. The reason this type of signal is falling out of favor is that when someone takes a rifle and throws a bullet into the mechanism it takes more than a thousand dollars to buy a new one. When someone shoots out the traffic light type it only wastes a bulb, a lense and a reflector and that costs only a fraction of what a mechanism does. That said these are really interesting to see how they operate.
Another reason that searchlight signals are becoming rarer is the inherent maintenance required by their design. Being that they incorporate a moving mechanism which includes not only the colored apertures to display the signal aspects, but also an internal relay capable of communicating the position of the signal, they require regular inspections and preventitive maintenance. This latter feature has actually helped to keep quite a few remaining searchlights in service as they are not "plug and play" compatable with individual colorlight signals and require quite a bit of reconfiguration when replaced. There have also been some well known instances, including the famous Lehighton "ghost" signal and at the ex- RDG / LV diamond at Bethlehem, where searchlight signals were left in place (AND illuminated) for rails and interlockings that no longer existed. The Lehighton signal was finally removed in March 2009, the Beth signal still stands albeit dark at this time.