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by **EdT.** on Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:30 pm

There seems to be such a great deal of overlap between different NY and NJ signal companies during the twenties, thirties and forties, that it's difficult to get the big picture by looking at them individually. SO, I thought this thread might help by capturing any stream of consciousness style discussions as well as being a sort of catchall. I'm trying to include the highlights of what I know (which is, regrettably, not a lot) about the players involved. Please do feel free to chip in with any details I'm surely missing.

Any 'fact' that I have some sort of actual documentation for, I'll note with a '(D)'

Okay, first, the players:
- ~~Crouse Hinds (Syracuse, NY)~~ - has nothing to do with NYC
- General Electric (Schenectady, NY) - supplied NYC with signals from the early to mid twenties (D)
- AGA (Elizabeth, NJ) - Eventually sold their signal division to SSC who in turn, later sold out to Marbelite (D)
- Marbelite (Tribeca, NYC) - Sold a Ruleta knockoff in 1939 (D)
- Horni (Tribeca, NYC) - Sold many different styles of signals throughout the years, including a Ruleta knockoff in 1939 (D), went out of biz in 1945 (D)
- Ruleta (NYC??) - Manufactured traffic signals for NYC as early as 1924 (kinda D)
- ~~Tokeim (Indiana) - Sold their signal division to Automatic Signals Corp (of New York) in 1938 (D)~~ - has nothing to do with NYC

I'll post some speculative theories from an ongoing email thread between 3LiteGuy and myself shortly.

by **SirMarbelot** on Sat Jan 26, 2008 4:27 pm

Doyou know when AGA went over to SSC? I think I recently saw an SSC signal ad dated 1932. Marbelite took over SSC signals in '45.

by **EdT.** on Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:29 pm

I would love to see that ad as I was wondering if there was anything palpable on that transition aside from the physical remaining examples of SSC (or AGA if you prefer) signals with Marbelite tags on them.

by **steven1981** on Mon Aug 20, 2012 7:14 pm

An old thread here, but it is a rather interesting one that I just came across.

In regards to Crouse-Hinds, from what I have noticed, there are some signals that actually exist in New York City.
Back in June, I visited Manhattan to take numerous pictures of signals from there (for one of my websites).
I did visit lower Manhattan, and, to my surprise, I actually came across about four traffic signal beacons
that were located at the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel entrace/exit. I would guess that they date back to the tunnel's completion in 1950. Each one was repainted several times in the past, and each one was retro-fitted with an L.E.D. module insert as well. It was a rather interesting discovery (at least to me).

Below, is a video I recorded of one in operation. It's located on an exit ramp from the tunnel.

I also have two pictures of some of these beacons.

That one is rather blurry, but you could see it.

Kind of irrelevant to this thread, but what is also interesting to point out is that, In regards to signal controllers, Jeff Saltzman took a picture of a Crouse-Hinds E/M signal controller that had once existed in Queens (?) I believe. A rather odd find, but interesting.

http://streetlights.tripod.com/signals/phchtlb.htm

by **SirMarbelot** on Mon Aug 20, 2012 7:58 pm

Good catch, Steven, I had forgotten about the old CH signals in NYC...they're almost all used as beacons or for lane control.

I am still interested in this area of discussion. I'm wondering where Interflash fits in, since at least one "Ruleta" style signal is known with parts stamped INTERFLASH CORP.

Also, would anyone care to theorize on who made my Ruleta style fixed face signal? It has no manufacturer names at all. The lenses are Kopp No. 27 and the wiring is plastic insulated.

by **3liteguy** on Mon Aug 20, 2012 8:31 pm

There were two section Crouse deco's used on the East River Drive on the approach to the Tri-boro Bridge until about a year ago when they rebuilt the bridge approach. I don't think they had been used in a very long time. There are also a couple of beacons up on the approach from Manhattan. I'm not sure if they were replaced too.

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