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Michigan
Signal Tours
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A few notable signals spotted throughout
the state.
Photos were taken with a Canon S3 IS
All photos are taken at full resolution before cropping and downsizing
for viewing.
Pontiac, MI (2009):
Decos still in place, better weather this trip, time for some updated
photos.
Oakland County, MI (2008):
Here are various locations along the Woodward Corridor at the end of
Summer, going from 8-Mile to Pontiac including Royal Oak, Ferndale, and
Pontiac. There are still a small cluster of 50+ year old signals
to be found, but, like in the city, are disappearing fast. The
large contingent of Clawson Eagluxes had already been removed.
No Four-Ways left in the area? Banish the thought! Mere minutes from
several major interstates and thoroughfares, a collection of Crouse-Hinds
beacons still serve. Most of them are Type-D with the ID tag still
present, one may be a DT. Odd variety of maintenance, some with smiley's,
some with LEDS, and random choice as if there will be visors [although they may
have been purchased sans visor and never present]. Most of these signals
have probably outlived their intersections, but they all still soldier on, as
well as the small CH flasher cabinets (probably long since converted to solid
state operation) still maintained with a fresh coat of paint now and then.
Elsewhere down industrial row we find this 1960's-1970's style CH cabinet.
A few breadpans with a later day upgrade of Eagle Flatbacks of the
8"/12" era as a turn lane.
While Crouse-Hinds is still the topic, last year we reported on "the
last deco in Detroit." This year in Pontiac, a city of similar low
moral fiber, is the last deco CLUSTER in the area, backed up by a single 8"
Eagle Flatback. Apart from the one signal that has lost its latches, they
are reasonably well kept with many smiley lenses still installed.
Pontiac is also probably the only city in the area where the phenomenon
George Francis deemed Signal Scoliosis is so highly prevalent. Whether it
was damage from the numerous auto company trucks that used to pass through town,
or simple weather and poor maintenance, there are a number of signals performing
some not-so-kosher yoga.
Not all is rotten in the area though. Indeed in quite a downtrodden
area was this [What?!?] bright, beautiful Poly cluster intersection of 12"
heads with LED inserts. Probably killed the signal budget for the year,
but it was worth it.
As promised, there was a lot of Eagle hardware, the majority of it
rodded 8" flatbacks, with a few Eagluxes, tall and short, still around.
Here's one on a very busy road. Shot it from the car.
Some others
One of the last good Eaglux setups left, both are running off the newer cabinet
and intersection, and are a mix and match rebuild of parts, tall fins, short
fins, lettered bodies, plain bodies, etc. Surprising these weren't changed
out with everything else. Lack of spare new signals or budget?
Some oddities from around the Birmingham area, poles are set well back from the
street corners with incredibly long mast arms holding the peds up. Also,
several close-to-the-street intersections had the visors removed, for truck
clearance ala NYC, or petty vandalism?
One of the early officer controlled semaphore traffic signals was at Woodward
and Nine Mile roads. Built high in the air to avoid blocking much of the
road this signal was quite well known locally despite it's short life.
With the recent economic redevelopments along Woodward, in 2006 Ferndale created
and installed this quite well done replica placed in the center of today's
boulevard.
A few signal oddities spotted around town, not wrong per se, but not normal
for this region.
Very few 8" heads remain, and those that do are almost never replaced
with anything but a 12". Yet, here we have a poly upgrade on an old
hanger, that maintains 12" on the main street and 8" on the side
street.
12" Reds are gone ever more so than metal signals and 8"
heads. Yet, here we have an intersection with a main street 12" red
conversion, while the whole assemblies are attached to quick-disconnect boxes.
An 8" head with a 12" arrow? And a double green 8/12 combo
for through traffic to meet MUTCD requirements?
What to do when a four way intersection becomes three? Just turn the
now spare around (and another 12" green only signal.)
Sometimes, once quite often, illuminated case or box signs were used for all
left turn intersections. This trend has died down some, most case signs no
longer illuminate, and some intersections seem to be doing away with them
altogether. Quite odd then is this older 8-8-12 setup, odd enough for the
12" green arrow, but even more so by the use of metal signage.
Case signs are everywhere in the region, although the older ones are being
replaced with the dumbed down international variants. A wealth of old and
new ones hang about the Hazel Park Harness Raceway, including its own
intersection with a mix of old 8" Eagle flatbacks and new Alusigs,
accessory 8" arrows, and a fiber-optic light-up sign (message unknown).
Some other signs spotted, not at the track, the third being an eye-test
chart from the Cranbrook school:
In a downtrodden industrial-meets-residential area of Pontiac there is
little need for signals, but still plenty of sinage. Here we see a newer
yet still worn out street sign as a throwback to the cast and stamped metal
signs of yore. Although the rails have been ripped up years ago, this
"crossing" still contains both its track quantity sign (although the
RR crossing sign is gone) and the USDOT marker plate, both mounted to a very
stout I-beam instead of a traditional pole.
And nearby here's a time capsule of signage. From an original, beautifully
well preserved stamped sign, to a faded retro sign, to the modern flat metal
signs this pole sports it all.
Surprisingly tucked away in one of the wealthier neighborhoods was this truly
ancient Marbelite cabinet, although it appears not to be operational, just left
behind from a prior signal upgrade.
The Poly Demon has hit hard around towns throughout the county, even taking
most of the worded and incandescent pedestrian heads. Styles of new
installations varied greatly, the region used to be pretty steady with 8"
then 12" two section worded signals, later with the 12" given hand/man
signaling. Now, some of the 12" heads have the hand section replaced
with a bimodal hand/man, while the bottom section receives a countdown
timer. It's quite odd to see the walk man appear on the top of the signal.
Where worded signals still exist, they are being allowed to live out their
life. Here's a quite distinctive Eagle 12" pair, with that beautiful
font on the Don't Walk lens. Directly across the street is one of the few
diffused LED, or incandescent look, modules. Nothing like they appear in
the brochures, they are just a blurry led dot pattern (the sales brochures would
make you think they would appear like a 1970's gameshow score panel, ala The
Price Is Right contestant's row bid screens.)
Wayne County, MI (2008):
Here at a local signal shop we see part of Detroit's heritage preserved. This is a typical Tokheim of the era, albeit painted in Modern yellow instead of the factory Model-T black. A puzzlement though, is that base. It
certainly isn't any bottom or slipfitter Tokheim used. It appears to be a hanging light bottom (such as from early GE's) bolted to a plate, attached to a standard post slipfitter. The bottom does have the bumps typical of a Tokheim plate however...
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