RailRoadFan.com

Can you find out where a signal came from by the drawing no. or the serial no. ? and where would i look

erie2882 wrote:Can you find out where a signal came from by the drawing no. or the serial no. ? and where would i look

Most 'serial' numbers on signals are only casting numbers for the part. Your best bet is if it still has the original signal tags inside of it, and a general idea of what interlocking it was located at. If you have those two things, you can attempt to track down the signal plans for that interlocking, and match the tags to the drawing and then know what signal it was. My PRR Domino signal from CUS still had the signal tags in it, and through another collector (who had access to the AMTRAK signal drawings) I was able to pin point which signal was mine within the plant at CUS.

Practice Safe CSX

speaking of signals all the signals that are coming down and being replaced by vadar hoods where are they going? You would think some industrious scrap dealer would be flooding the market by now.

Sounds like direct to scrap, second-hand users (shortlines generally) or supply inventory for the RR. I've been told in GR they were stripping the useable and valuable guts and junking the housing. They saved the GRS dwarf light from Godfrey because it is one of only a few examples anywhere...which they needed in case one of their other ones gets taken out or whatever.

Out west, they seem more aggressive with replacement, and don't care as much about where they end up. A guy in Cameron, IL has two of the CBQ intermediates in his front yard, with the CBQ mainline right across the street. I've heard plenty a story of "once they drop, we don't care" storied from BNSF in particular...

well i do know that it came from gcs , just tried to copy pic but wont go through so maybe later . SO what does the drawing no. mean is it that grs had to give a drawing to the nyc ? or a wiring diagram ?? would be nice to find out what track in yard it came from there was only so many for the third rail in the yard . it is a dwarf 2a with small green lens the signal is like a gold color ,i am how ever looking for the top light for the dwarf b.o signal , and a HO brass key import of the boston and albany no.606 before it came the nyc because i have the real headlight and thought it would be nice to have both.

My dwarf came from an IHB interlocking, their largest in 2010. I acquired it last year and cosmetically restored it and made it operational. Only operational signal on my street.

MQT1223 wrote:My dwarf came from an IHB interlocking, their largest in 2010. I acquired it last year and cosmetically restored it and made it operational. Only operational signal on my street.

You have a long way to go before you catch up with this guy's collection.

J T wrote:

MQT1223 wrote:My dwarf came from an IHB interlocking, their largest in 2010. I acquired it last year and cosmetically restored it and made it operational. Only operational signal on my street.

You have a long way to go before you catch up with this guy's collection.

Believe me my guy I buy stuff from has way more in his house and his two sheds and workshop and front yard then I will ever have.

Wow quite the uhhhh.. Lawn you found JT I wonder if his wife enjoys the light show... (Assuming she stuck around to see it )

YpsiAmtrakBoy wrote:Wow quite the uhhhh.. Lawn you found JT I wonder if his wife enjoys the light show... (Assuming she stuck around to see it )

I always thought it would be cool to somehow get a signal and wire it up to an ATCS feed, so that based on the route and occupancy, it'd show a proper indication. That would be cool!

I guess there is a guy in Howell who has a semaphore? that works near the tracks, and he often "lines" it for the CSX guys.

erie2882 wrote:SO what does the drawing no. mean is it that grs had to give a drawing to the nyc ?

Drawing number means the schematic that was drawn up during the design of that part. They would cast it onto the part so if they needed a replacement, (I assume) the maintainers in the field could order it, or pull one from their stock of parts. Nothing had 'serial' numbers on the signals itself in so far as the railroad was concerned. Again, having signal tags and knowing which interlocking the signal came from is your best bet to know where it came from.

Practice Safe CSX

CSX_CO wrote:

erie2882 wrote:SO what does the drawing no. mean is it that grs had to give a drawing to the nyc ?

Drawing number means the schematic that was drawn up during the design of that part. They would cast it onto the part so if they needed a replacement, (I assume) the maintainers in the field could order it, or pull one from their stock of parts. Nothing had 'serial' numbers on the signals itself in so far as the railroad was concerned. Again, having signal tags and knowing which interlocking the signal came from is your best bet to know where it came from.

Practice Safe CSX

I will add to this and I will use my Teardrop Bell as my example here. I printed off a PDF of a US&S Manual and Parts Catalog from US&S/Wabco's Successor company that is still in business today. In fact they have whole database of things you can view. What I have found is that the number in that catalog corresponds with the number on that part, and when you ordered a part from the manufacturer you would use that part number. Like CSX_CO said, none of these numbers are serial numbers. Not to jump too off task, but one of the few railroad related signaling items I have seen that get serial numbers from the factory are V&N Lanterns made by the V&N Lantern company. Every single one had a brass tag soldered to them on the frame with a serial number on it. I had one at one point, and the lowest value I have seen so far was under 300. If #1 still survives that would be absolutely incredible. Mine was numbered #551 and I've seen them numbered higher then 2500. They are rare lamps.



This footage is from nearly 3 years ago when I had it. There were steel and galvanized versions, the galvanized version being revolutionary at the time because galvanized metal couldn't rust. I had a galvanized version. They were also unusual for having a red shade that could be engaged to turn a clear lantern red whenever necessary. Usually this was reserved for naval lanterns, because the V&N lanterns were marketed towards rail and naval purchasers. My guess is the obvious size, weight and unusualness of the lantern made it unpopular with consumers.

no i dont have to catch up, haha, I just have to put pictures up on the computer one of these days. just bought a pennsy I1s 2- 10 -0 no.6336 plate getting it friday. i can't wait !!! found out that it ran in the central region but any ways whats money !. about the signals i love them and can't get enough of them . but on the semaphore 2a its brass plate reads 30880 ? and serial c915? that sound right ? talked to a guy last week and gave me a number to call at the station to talk to the history of old signal , that they would have the picture i want of it .

erie2882 wrote:no i dont have to catch up, haha,

You don't have to catch up to what?

well to having all the signals and things for the guy in calf . i meant i have just as much i just have to put pictures on the computer some day thats all

erie2882 wrote:well to having all the signals and things for the guy in calf . i meant i have just as much i just have to put pictures on the computer some day thats all

He was talkimg about me...

MQT1223 wrote: He was talking about me...

This.