Our New Semaphore at Laughlin Junction!

[@Arkay315]

I think it's impressive you've got the old signals working.

[@Rebel9668]

Semaphore signals were always quite common to me, so much so that I didn't even know that they were a rarity just about everywhere else. I grew up along the old Monon line in Southern Indiana and except for a searchlight signal on the outskirts of Pekin, IN the rest of the line as far as I know still had all of its original semaphore signals circa 1910 that the Monon installed. CSX was still using all of them between Mitchell and New Albany, IN clear up until 2010.

[@PRR5406]

Semaphore are pure class. They simply evoke the essence of classic railroading. Well done, Rick!

[@mrblond750]

I just stumbled across your channel. I grew up in Youngstown. Small world.

[@timeflysintheshop]

Sweet! 👍😁👍

[@happyhome41]

Nice !

[@nssteampunk4865]

Nice job!

[@daleroth236]

I would like to see how the mechanism works that operates the semaphore. These were quite popular on the Erie-Lackawanna and were replaced by searchlight signals.

[@NSSignalGuy]

Quite rare to see the title new semaphore signal installed

[@northernohiorailfanningpro8899]

Very nice! In the description it mentions the various railroads that this signal was built off parts from. Mind if I ask which aspect of the signal is from the FP&E?

[@glennfoster2423]

Is the semaphore a US&S machine, and what style? As I recall, this particular one has all the mechanism in the case and the signal spectacles and blade are connected to the gear in the case in some manner. The style B used by SP (and UP) were lower quadrant driven by either a chain or hydraulic mechanism with a rod connected to the arm(s). The Santa Fe style S semaphore had the relays mounted in the base and the motor mounted on the signal pole behind the blade and spectacle assembly.

[@williamh.jarvis6795]

The Boston and Maine Railroad's former "Cheshire Branch (in SW NH)" also used the US&S Style B lower quadrant semaphores (between 1911-1958), however, they were placed offset of each other (supposedly for extra protection) by at least 1/2 mile apart, as opposed to those placed side by side, for both directions, at the start of each block. All of them on this track utilized two heads, for both HOME and DISTANT aspects. Fascinating facts about the B&M signals used there were that any preceding signal to an upcoming depot the DISTANT heads were connected to their TRAIN ORDER BOARDS so to provide an APPROACH aspect should the Station Agent need to provide the oncoming train's crews with any train orders.

[@williamh.jarvis6795]

Yes! Those lower quadrant semaphore type signals were chain operated, by an electric motor, so to "pick up" the signal head (as they were counterbalanced, so to "fall back" to a STOP/DANGER indication in the case of power or mechanism failure). They also utilized air cylinder "buffers" so as to not allow the signal head to fall hard when it returns to a STOP/DANGER position.

[@bcbloc02]

Were the semaphores prone to icing in position in bad weather?

[@YoungstownSteelHeritage]

I would assume they would be. I also am prone to icing in position in bad weather!

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Out of curiosity, what size rail do you generally have for your tracks? Oh yes, nice semaphore signal too!

[@Stoker58]

It a mix of heavier rail 100lb all the way up to 132lb

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@Stoker58 Wow! Some pretty heavy rail.

[@Stoker58]

@@WAL_DC-6B yeah! A lot easier to come by these days than the lighter stuff especially when you get in trackwork like switches. Plus we also host what is probably the heaviest 2ft locomotive around haha