Big Train Tours - Colorado Crossings: The Last Wig Wag

Time for a new "Big Train Tour!" Each tour will focus on a different piece of historic equipment in the Colorado Railroad Museum’s collection.
This month, we’ll be taking a look at a Wig-Wag signal that once warned motorists of passing trains at a lonely Santa Fe Railway-later BNSF-grade crossing in southeastern Colorado. Today, this last-of-its-kind example, well documented in its final years, is proudly displayed at the Museum with a unique history to share.
In 2021 the Museum is operating socially distanced train rides each Saturday! Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, KZbin, Instagram and Twitter.

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

Glad it made it somewhere safe.

[@zachfarr6457]

The history of the railroad crossings is interesting

[@DougCeleste]

GREAT video and thanks for sharing! I now live in Albuquerque and have traveled to Colorado many times over the decades but have yet to visit your wonderful museum. I will have to put it on my traveling "bucket list." 😎 Growing up in San Jose, we had lower quadrant wig wags that always fascinated me when they were swinging.

[@PlyingKibbles89]

Nice wigwag history video! I actually took the photo at 12:25 of the modern signals at the museum. Hopefully, I can see the wigwag at the museum in the near future for the first time since I last saw it at Delhi.

[@GhostbustersFrozenEmpire2024]

That’s your photo awesome my good friend

[@harrisonofcolorado8886]

I hope to go to the CRM soon and see the Wig Wag.

[@dominicliner1609]

I pass through that wig wag railway crossing signal on the Southwest Chief train back in 2009.

[@michaelgmoore5708]

My brother and me would ride our bicycles down 1st street in Santa Ana, California almost every day to the Santa Fe Railroad passenger station in 1962 to stand at the busy 1st St. RR crossing to watch the 2 lower hanging type Wig Wags swinging just before the huge PA 1 PA 2 Santa Fe Diesels would come roaring by blowing their loud Air chime horns. Really miss all that beautiful art work on the engines, passenger cars and of course the beautiful Wig Wag signals.

[@rgsrrofnc]

I hope you put it out in a newsletter or a later video showing where it is being displayed.

[@josephcarson8382]

so you're talking about the Delhi wig wag? i knew it was going to you

[@ethanarmitage5611]

Cool train video.

[@LongNeckedBird]

Also there are 4 abandoned wig wags in lindsay CA.

[@microbusss]

gimmies!!

[@LongNeckedBird]

@@microbusss i swear to god if you steal one of those wig wags

[@microbusss]

@@LongNeckedBird don't live there😜

[@Brianrockrailfan]

great video

[@RyansColoradoRailProductions]

The wigwag was actually removed on March 9th, not March 12th.

[@Sunset4Semaphores]

Correct, but... close enough? In the scope of history decades from now, the year will be the only thing remembered as important.

[@RyansColoradoRailProductions]

@@Sunset4Semaphores I’m the kind of person that remembers exact dates, I’m well aware that I’m most likely the only one that cares about the date.

[@donald3211]

If you would check California still has wigwags in some areas of the city and they are still being used to the

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

I always noticed that your first wig wag signal is still not swinging are there any plans to fix the swing mechanism on the banner?

[@MilePost106]

Ever get a chance to visit this museum? Do it!

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

7:41 This is from the flim "Safe Roads"

[@ronaldmackall1621]

I want to know what happened to the signage we saw at 2:23. It was installed at a dangerous RR crossing in Grenada, Mississippi in the 1930s.

[@dj_sworak]

make it work!

[@crrm]

It will be available for guests to operate at some point down the line.

[@molossis]

2:23 i found a video on that crossing and i cant find it, someone please tell me where to find it

[@microbusss]

some of these crossing signs & signals I'd like to find I hope you got the sign "Colorado's last wig wag"

[@PlyingKibbles89]

That ended up being removed around 2002, likely by a BNSF employee.

[@microbusss]

@@PlyingKibbles89 ok hope someone donates it to here someday

[@PlyingKibbles89]

@@microbusss It's very likely it doesn't even exist anymore.

[@Blocksguyoldchannel]

Yay epic

[@Thunderbolt_1000AT]

This wig wag was at Delhi

[@rortify]

thank you captain obvious

[@amandap569]

Unfortunately, the Delhi, CO wigwag has been replaced with different signals.

[@molossis]

isnt that wat this video was about??

[@sircampbell1249]

Music in back over voice makes this hard to hear..

[@LongNeckedBird]

what is that griswold signal: 11:19

[@thenorthernrailfan330]

1st gen griswold rotating banner

[@fabriciobengozi9650]

The Wishbone Gates Change Today The Wishbone For Eletricity Turn On And Turn Off The Activate And Turn The Signal And Turning The Warning Devices Off Unchange Today