I’m Thinking About buying this this new product. The description says it’s a “Type G” Signal. But Before I buy it, I was wondering what it’s used for and things like that. Any Ideas?
Some more information would be helpful. Manufacturer? Scale?
But a Type G signal has three lamps in a triangluar pattern on a round target… Here are some of my scratchbuilt ones:
Reading was a big user of G Head signals.
Nick
WOW those look really nice.
dekruif
My unsolicited pet suggestion- topic headings that tell you what the topic is. You got a quick answer to your question. But a lot of times, the person(s) with the answer won’t even click on a topic head that says “looking for information” or “need help”, etc. However, a signal fan would more likely click on a topic “What is a type G signal?”
I’ve got one of these old and slow dial-up connections so I don’t like waiting a minute for something to open and finding it is not of interest.
Your pet peeve may be people who make unsolicited suggestions… hope I didn’t step on any toes…
These are called color-light signals - I am going to presume that a Type G color-light signal is configured in a triangular pattern. Another color-light signal is configured as a “traffic light” type signal. These signals do not always have to display all three colors on the head; some heads might only require two aspects while others only one.
Brian Solomon explains in his book “Railroad Signaling” that this type of signal is part of the general trend in railroading away from moving parts to an all electrical operation for signals. On the new layout I am designing operations will center around a yard where the leading coal branch joins the trunk line; the signals in one direction from this yard will be these triangular color-light signals while searchlights will be retained in the other direction. I have scratchbuilt all of the searchlights on my current (inoperative) layout and will scratchbuild these color-light signals on my new layout.
nbroader, I want to thank you for including photos with your post - impressive photography. I am sure that the hobby press contains information on these signals but I wonder if, since you scratchbuilt yours, you could inform the readership here what diameter you used for the roundel; I would appreciate it.
The “traffic light” signals rtopteet1 referres to are called Type D or D Head signals.
Nick
rtopeet or Nick,
When (approximately) did the major railroads switch from semaphores to these type signals? Just wondering…
Brian
Solomon gives a date of 1904 as the date of introduction of color light signals (“traffic light” or Type D configuration) on an American railroad - this first installation was in something called the East Boston Tunnel. A year later they were operational on the Long Island Railroad and on the approaches to Grand Central Terminal - initial installation was almost exclusively in environments where the track was electrified.
Union Switch and Signal introduced the triangular configuration (Type G) in 1924 with General Railway Signal introducing their version the following year. Because they have no moving parts these signals (both Type D and Type G) will become the installation of choice for any new signals.
These type signals are, in reality, replacing the semaphores - the semaphore, however, if on its last legs, is not quite dead as I discovered last summer. My wife and I were headed for the national convention in Cincinnati going via Denver and Omaha to visit relations and while passing through a town called Watrous in New Mexico I saw a semaphore standing there silhouetted against the cobalt blue of the high plains sky. Naturally I had to pull off for some pictures. While I was there a guy in a pickup with California plates pulled off also and came down to trackside and also shot some pictures. “I didn’t know any of these things still existed” he said. Neither did I although I remebered afterwards that I had encountered one on MRL between Missoula and Sandpoint while headed for Seattle the summer before.
Interestingly enough, though, the Long Island Rail Road (I grew up on LI) uses almost exclusively single-color Pennsy-type position light signals where the signal aspect is indicated by the relative orientation of a row of three yellow lights (horizontal for stop, diagonal for approach, and vertical for clear, mimicking a semaphore). The LIRR was owned by the PRR for over 60 years.
Dave Vollmer;
I quote from Solomon page 59 talking about the Pennsylvania Railroad’s adoption of position-light signals:
I’m glad you ask this question because I knew there was something (apparently) wrong with Solomon’s statement about color-light signals and the Long Island Rail Road but I couldn’t figure out just what it was.
rtpoteet,
I use International Hobby Corp singal heads:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/348-4423 - G Head
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/348-4422 - 3 Lamp D Head
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/348-4421 - 2 Lamp D Head
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/348-4425 - PRR Position Light
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/348-4426 - B&O Color Position Light
The heads accept 2mm LEDs without modification. Because of their birghtness, I use Minitronic 1.5mm LEDs, http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/475-1200018. I secured the LEDs to the heads with 5 minute epoxy, which creates a nice lamp and lens effect.
Nick