Rollsign roll-through: NYC Subway IRT 1980s/90s Side Route Rollsign (R21-R36)

[@smallflame85]

I start at 0:12. Sorry for the long intro! It's normally a buffer I trim off...

[@imdanumber1]

A couple things: the reason for the 1 and 3 patches being covered was for the Lenox Avenue rehabilitation project. From 5 a.m. to 12 noon, the 2 would operate via Lexington Avenue in the northbound direction and from noon to midnight in the southbound direction, this way peak direction service would be provided to Midtown Manhattan via Seventh Avenue. The 3 was rerouted to 137th/Broadway, with limited service operating to/from 148th Street, leaving 148 during the am rush and going towards 148 in the pm rush. Due to the 2 and 5 interlining a lot at Flatbush Avenue, the 2 to the Bronx 5 to Brooklyn reading was used during the pm rush while the 2 to Brooklyn 5 to the Bronx reading was used during the am rush. But not all signs received the modifications, and some signs did have the modified readings but got removed after the project was over or when the signs were sold off to the public by asset recovery. The 4 Diamond reading was for the rush hour extension to Utica Avenue and Flatbush Avenue, as trains normally terminated at Atlantic Avenue off-peak. After all trains started running deeper into Brooklyn off-peak, the 4 diamond was repurposed for trains that skipped 138th Street during peak times so 5 trains would not be held up due to the horrible curve between 138th Street and Mott Avenue. Hope this helps!

[@smallflame85]

Thanks for the details! I'll brush up on the service history better for my other signs!

[@imdanumber1]

@@smallflame85 no problem! I’m always glad to share whatever information I have. At the very least you learned something that you didn’t before.

[@kevinwong6588]

Lenox Project was summer 1998. Only mainline Redbirds got the special Lenox signs and not on the R33/R36 WF on the 7. I can confirm myself that even R36ML 9542 has the Lenox signs, despite ironically on the 6 at the time and not in the 2/5 fleet pool.

[@philipreiter1808]

If I remember correctly, the conductor didn't have to roll a sign that way. They had a crank that used to fit in a hole in that knob So they could turn signs pretty quickly.

[@smallflame85]

The hand cranks were the norm on roll signs until the 1970s when they started using the allen-style hex keys. Some of the redbirds had their signs refitted, but I recall the hand crank sign boxes through the late 90's.

[@Bluesky65]

Very nice find! I have an R17 side route side with the original 1-3 readings as well as the 6 Displaying Pelham Bay Local reading. And for your gears use tri-flow. Works just as good if not better then WD-40

[@imdanumber1]

Another thing regarding your sign gears: I recommend using Tri-Flow to lubricate the gears. I use that for my sign boxes which makes them easier to turn. Especially when you have the sign sitting in storage for so long, that lubricant works wonders. It’s the same lubricant bikers use for their bike gears.

[@northcoast261]

I’m always worried that the gear teeth are grinding whenever I turn my rollsigns. Does the lubricant help ease that issue?

[@imdanumber1]

@@northcoast261 sure does!

[@BenTheMiner]

Yep, rollsign from the 1980s. Remember that the 9 existed in the 1990s. This is not the rollsign edition with 9.

[@JackWill389]

Rare orange 2 train! 1:49

[@jorgefigueroa4437]

Very rare to see a dual Route sign from the Bronx 2 To Brooklyn Westbound and 5 to Bronx Eastbound

[@jorgefigueroa4437]

Express 5 to Nereid Ave

[@jorgefigueroa4437]

Express 4, what happened with this Diamond Express 4?

[@imdanumber1]

That got dropped after the 4 was sent deeper into Brooklyn off-peak. Normally, trains terminated at Atlantic Avenue.

[@QuarioQuario54321]

Did any redbirds have a 9 on them?

[@smallflame85]

Signs were printed for the redbirds with a 9 on them later in their lives. I have a video of one of those signs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5XMdoGco82XeKcsi=hn-RHW8nuXf0BZ3B Sorry for the late reply!

[@jorgefigueroa4437]

Hybrid Local Westbound 7 and Express Eastbound 7

[@geovanyrojas4153]

How did u get that?

[@smallflame85]

eBay, a long time ago. Believe it or not I got the full sign/box combo from a guy who found it at an antique shop in Maryland.