Railroad Forums 

  • SEPTA Destination Signs

  • Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.
Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.

Moderator: AlexC

 #1131124  by scotty269
 
The company isn't some mom-and-pop shop on South Street. This is a legit multimillion dollar company. They won't just go ahead and make a few knock-off signs for you and your buddies...
 #1131131  by elze68
 
scotty269 wrote:The company isn't some mom-and-pop shop on South Street. This is a legit multimillion dollar company. They won't just go ahead and make a few knock-off signs for you and your buddies...
With all due respect, the reason I joined in here was to share my experience that Pannier seemed happy to do just that. If I am to believe what I was told by Pannier, SEPTA told them not to make reproductions, otherwise this company would be happy to serve an individual's interests. Regardless, my main interest is learning the history of how these signs changed over the years.
 #1131177  by Malvern Metroliner
 
scotty269 wrote:The company isn't some mom-and-pop shop on South Street. This is a legit multimillion dollar company. They won't just go ahead and make a few knock-off signs for you and your buddies...
I agree to the extant that they would have to be mass produced in bulk- I couldn't just order an R5 Parkesburg sign and be done with it.

I have said this before and will say it again, I don't really want to see a whole bunch of knock off signs anyway. I do think its great that we figured out the manufacturer- it contributes more to the information behind these signs.
 #1131331  by AlexC
 
So.....

Who has a list of every legit sign ever made?
 #1131344  by scotty269
 
elze68 wrote:
scotty269 wrote:The company isn't some mom-and-pop shop on South Street. This is a legit multimillion dollar company. They won't just go ahead and make a few knock-off signs for you and your buddies...
With all due respect, the reason I joined in here was to share my experience that Pannier seemed happy to do just that. If I am to believe what I was told by Pannier, SEPTA told them not to make reproductions, otherwise this company would be happy to serve an individual's interests. Regardless, my main interest is learning the history of how these signs changed over the years.
No offense intended - just a little skeptical that they'd do it. Try contacting SEPTA via their web form for customer service and indicate what you want. You might get a better answer!
 #1131364  by elze68
 
scotty269 wrote: No offense intended - just a little skeptical that they'd do it. Try contacting SEPTA via their web form for customer service and indicate what you want. You might get a better answer!
Got it - sometimes I don't get the tone inflected over the web. If anything, I should probably be grateful this company was kind enough to entertain my questions. If my past experience with SEPTA has any bearing, they will either not respond, or send a general response that doesn't apply exactly to what I ask. I'll give it a shot anyway!
AlexC wrote:So.....

Who has a list of every legit sign ever made?
Alex, I have an Excel file that I would be happy to share for anyone to look at/expand upon/correct errors on. If anyone is interested, beware: I am less than talented in Excel so the file may look atrocious.
 #1132060  by Malvern Metroliner
 
AlexC wrote:So.....

Who has a list of every legit sign ever made?
I have made a tentative list. These are from signs I have actively seen, or have seen for sale. It doesn't show the pairings of the sides, but it shows all the different signs. A variation key at the bottom right is a rough translaton of the most noticeable differences between prints.

Once again, this is just off my knowledge, so I welcome any suggestions/corrections. Reply or PM me if you see something (or don't).

Image

Here is a link to a larger high resolution image.
 #1132078  by elze68
 
Malvern Metroliner wrote:
I have made a tentative list.
I am impressed! That is quite the illustration. The only additions (possible ones) I can think of are the SPECIAL sign in all caps and the R3 West Chester where the name is all on one line - but these are really just variations of what you have. Bravo on the detail and extent of completion.
 #1132085  by nomis
 
Speaking of Using different materials, here is a sign variation for the front end of car that is roughly 1mm thick. If i take it to work, or bring my micrometer home, then i will get an exact.

These were ordered once in the late 80's or early 90s and easily rejected due to being a secondary stock and not very durable. It seems to be an ink coating on approx 1mm laminate / plastic / abs ...

More pictures to follow.
 #1132097  by nomis
 
R_ Style Sign Parings: (from my collection, in no particular order)
Jenkintown - R1 Airport
Suburban Station - R5 Downingtown
R6 Norristown - R6 Ivy Ridge
R6 Norristown - R6 Cynwnd
R2 Baldwin - R3 West Trenton
R8 Fox Chase - R8 Chestnut Hill West
Not In Service - Special
Charter - Instruction Train
Wayne Junction - Market East Station
30th Street Station - North Broad Street
Center City Philadelphia - R1 Airport
R2 Marcus Hook - R2 Warminster
R2 Wilmington - R2 Newark
R3 West Trenton - R3 Elwyn
R3 Secane - R3 Media
Market Eas Station - Suburban Station
Glenside - R5 Bryn Mawr
R5 Malvern - R5 Thorndale
R5 Lansdale - R5 Paoli
R5 Thorndale - R5 Doylestown
R7 Trenton - R7 Chestnut Hill East
R1 West Trenton - R1 Airport
R1 Neshaminy Falls - 30th Street Station
R3 Media - R3 West Trenton
R5 Ambler - R5 Parkesburg

Mini: Limited - Local
Mini: Express - No Riders

Off Duty (both sides) [may be from the grey or black generation]
 #1132100  by nomis
 
elze68: yes, like that. i have pictures of the set from the person who gave me the one pictured. Instead of a mini Limited Express No Riders Local signs, there was one extra tall sign which had all 4 designations on it. In the front / rear cab you would place the Destination sign in front of the Train Type sign, and only one Type would show above the destination. There were two Types listed per side.
 #1132121  by elze68
 
I believe those flexi signs were also the only ones to actually pair Bryn Mawr up with another R5 destination rather than Suburban or Glenside. In this case it was Doylestown. Thanks for sharing the info about the double tall sign, nomis.
 #1132145  by degrees83
 
theres also a glenside sign in smaller letters with bryn mawr r5 on the other side. thats a pannier sign saying pannier on it. and was an r2 crum lynne sign and r3 west chester in one line, and a very very hard to find center city fphiladelphia all in one line
does anypne have a pic of the fern rock sign? and whats on the back of it
 #1132180  by Malvern Metroliner
 
degrees83 wrote:theres also a glenside sign in smaller letters with bryn mawr r5 on the other side. thats a pannier sign saying pannier on it. and was an r2 crum lynne sign and r3 west chester in one line, and a very very hard to find center city fphiladelphia all in one line
does anypne have a pic of the fern rock sign? and whats on the back of it
I have never seen the Fern Rock sign before, but I have heard from numerous people that it exists. Any pictures would be appreciated. I believe it was one of the sets created around Railworks.

Also those flexible signs are neat. By the time period nomis mentioned, I would bet they were the first try at flexible signs after the solid fiberglass original sets. I would assume the perfection of those led to the signs used today.