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by **khardy** on Sun Sep 29, 2013 10:24 am

Hi Folks,

Mentioned earlier we had picked up a cool old Railroad sign with marble reflectors while we were in NC. This sign is 22-1/2 inches tall by 25-1/2 inches wide and 1-1/4 inches deep. Has a back panel that is typical of marble reflector signs.

While enroute home, we stopped at a three day flea market in Nashville, TN and picked up a cast iron RR switch box with bracket. This was made by the Union Switch & Signal Co. Swissville, PA. with #22920A.

This switch box basically measures 17 inch high, 11-1/2 inch wide and 9-1/2 deep. Estimate it weighs 50 to 60 pounds.

Post bracket.

We stopped in a little Arkansas town within five miles of where Glenn Campbell grew up and bought this RR cross buck. The panels are 48 by 9 inches.

The guy we bought this from has lived on the property since he was a kid in 1964 and recently found the cross buck while clearing some of his land buried under leaves and dirt. The lettering is raised/embossed and the reflectors are plastic.

One other item we acquired over the internet is another RR "Stop on Red Signal" sign which was waiting on us when we walked through the door. This sign is similar to the first photo but the paint is porcelain and the lettering is not raised. The reflectors are plastic. The dimensions are the same.

Question on these RR accessories.....
Can anyone (Phil ?) give us an approximate date these signs were manufactured and used with the different types of reflectors (glass vs. plastic) and approximate age of the switch box?

Cheers!

by **khardy** on Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:09 am

Hi Folks,

Started taking apart the cross bucks yesterday evening. Had laid the sign on its face to disassemble and this is what the inside of the front panels look like.

Found parts of acorns and lots of good Arkansas dirt.

View of the inside back panel.

This is one of the reflectors with the markings of Grote No. 3A The hole diameter is 11/16ths of an inch.

Does anyone know where I can find about a dozen of these type of reflectors?

Still trying to find information on the time period when these RR signs were used.

Cheers!

by **coyttl** on Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:20 am

khardy wrote:Does anyone know where I can find about a dozen of these type of reflectors?
Still trying to find information on the time period when these RR signs were used.
Cheers!

To answer your first question -
Ebay or other signs. They are not made any more. There are two kinds - glass ones, and plastic ones. There are two or three different sizes, as well. And colors, but that's not relevant to you here.

As for the age - there's no real easy way to tell. Reflectorized signs were made up til the early 80's, which used plastic reflectors like the one you just showed. On top of that, each manufacturer stopped making the glass (to plastic) reflectors at different periods, as well as when they stopped making reflectorized signs altogether.

All I can add is that black crossbucks are more rare - but not older. They were an option from a couple railroad sign manufacturers. Unlike today, railroad signs weren't made by sign companies, but by railroad signal companies. The 'Stop On Rd Signal' signs aren't rare, but always catch a pretty penny. They're even still in use (non-refoectorized, of course) in some states, like MD. Before you paint over anything, look for a manufacturer name or part number. (like 'GRS' or 'USS' or '4756-1'.

I know I'm not Phil, but I hope these answers help.

by **khardy** on Wed Oct 09, 2013 5:59 pm

Hiya Folks,

Plugging away on the cross bucks today along with a couple of other items.

Thanks coyttl for the info you have. Will look for any kind of markings.

Here is one panel less reflectors.

Have been removing some of the reflectors from the panels and most are not going to be salvageable.

Not halfway through removing these but able to save a few so far which can be used in a future project.

Since I am destroying a good many of the reflectors, decided we would replace them all with marble reflectors. The cross bucks are for our amusement and will be mounted in our yard. Getting and buying original cats eye reflectors is expensive and a hassle to find, decided to make our own.

Took a 16mm / 5/8 inch marble and inserted into a piece of brass tubing that I swaged on one end.

Have ordered about 300 5/8 inch clear round marbles for this little challenge. The marble, aluminum foil and brass case will be inserted into the hole on the panel and crimped on the inside so as to stay in place. Will fill the back side of the casing either with an epoxy putty or lead solder. Will experiment with both. in any event, this will be easier than trying to find originals and should be pretty cool when complete.

Cheers!

by **khardy** on Thu Oct 10, 2013 9:44 am

Hi Folks,

Finished with disassembly of the old cross bucks this morning.

Have a few pieces that will have to be straightened.
This is the "Crossing" panel.

One of the back panels.

Other back panel.

Once straightened and realigned for proper fit, will start the restoration process.

Cheers!

by **BigTbird1974** on Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:37 pm

Hi Keith!

I'm afraid I have no answers to your questions (in fact, I have another question of my own!) but BESIDES ALL THAT...

Just gotta say how much I'm continually amazed at your creativity and craftsmanship when restoring all the wonderful "treasures" you and Sondra dig up!! :clapping:

Those homemade cats-eye reflectors, for instance -- WOW, what an AWESOME solution to an otherwise huge problem!! :2Cool:

I can't wait to see the finished product with those installed instead of the original plastic reflectors -- the old crossbucks are no doubt gonna look more fabulous than EVER!! :thumbsup:

My additional question is regarding the switch box. Do you (or anybody else) know what sort of switch/relay/connections/whatever originally went in a box like that? :scratch:

I sorta think I've seen similar boxes installed near RR signal poles, but I've never really known what on earth would actually be in there, usually just guessing they're used for wire splices or something mundane...?? :scratch:

by **coyttl** on Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:45 pm

BigTbird1974 wrote:My additional question is regarding the switch box. Do you (or anybody else) know what sort of switch/relay/connections/whatever originally went in a box like that? I sorta think I've seen similar boxes installed near RR signal poles, but I've never really known what on earth would actually be in there, usually just guessing they're used for wire splices or something mundane...??

Boxes mounted vertically like that usually held a relay. In a case like that box, was probably a repeater relay for code-line signal or some such. (i.e. Code line could only be run so far before signal degrades. So, put in another relay, tie it to a stronger power source, and the code will then get 'repeated' down the line to the next place. Used in locations where signals were too distant apart - normally, there would be a repeater relay in each signal cabinet. These aren't really used anymore.. The ones that you may see horizontally, near the ground, are simply splice boxes. All it has in it is a terminal strip, and wires. :)

by **khardy** on Thu Oct 10, 2013 1:55 pm

Hi coyttl,

Those on the post RR boxes, would they contain something like this wig wag switch?

Cheers!

by **coyttl** on Thu Oct 10, 2013 1:59 pm

khardy wrote:[color=#800000][b]Hi coyttl,

Those on the post RR boxes, would they contain something like this wig wag switch?

It wouldn't have contained that exact relay, but all old relays looked like that, with the glass bottom and terminals, yes. :)

by **coyttl** on Thu Oct 10, 2013 2:04 pm

You would have likely seen one of these in there:

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