Wigwags in Michigan

Any historical questions can be posted here. Answers would certainly help as well :)
GP30M4216
Saver of all History
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Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:35 pm
Location: Feel the Zeel, MI
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Re: Wigwags in Michigan

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

GRHC wrote:
Fri Oct 28, 2022 10:21 pm
From the what it’s worth department I do believe the interurban railway GR H & C utilized wigwag signals in the city of Zeeland. I have a picture (dated 1918) which shows the signal.
One of the most frustrating things for an historian is knowing you read something somewhere but not being able to trace back to the source….the info I seek is out there, somewhere!! I was thinking it might have been in the Van Raken book, but I just scoured that and didn’t come up with it. In fact, it’s a little surprising it doesn’t discuss the getting the tracks out of downtown Zeeland more…

SOMEWHERE I read that when the Interurban tracks were moved off Main Avenue and into private right of way through Zeeland one half block north of Main the town required the interurban company to furnish wig wag signals (they may have called them something else but it was clear this is what they were referring to) at each crossing because the cars didn’t have the same visibility rolling along through backyards as they did on the street. In exchange, the interurban could run a little bit faster with this extra piece of safety. Except, apparently, when someone was boarding or alighting from one of the crossings! Can you imagine seeing an interurban car roll through zeeland passing a half dozen or more wig wags?!

Thanks for sharing this great West Michigan interurban action photo. It’s one of my favorites!

GP30M4216
Saver of all History
Posts: 4801
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:35 pm
Location: Feel the Zeel, MI
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Re: Wigwags in Michigan

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

I recently came across this photo of a nicely restored looking wig wag in the Richmond Historical Village not far from the Mt Clemens Subdivision. Anyone know where this one originated from? Somewhere along the GTW I would guess?
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