[?]

In "SP Coast Line" by John Signor, on page 142 there is a photograph showing a wigwag at a crossing near the San Lucas
station c. 1940 with a disc, presumably a red one, attached to the banner arm at a height above the banner
mechanism box. Is this an added way to get a motorists attention? or what?

Thanks
ES

Here is another picture of one:
http://www.trainweb.org/dansrailpix/plate17.jpg
Look closely at the photo in the upper right. That is a wind stabilizer. These were used in windy regions.
I am looking for more pictures of these, as I have yet to see one in person. Detail shots would be great too!
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Another Wigwag discovered in Oregon!   1/30/00

Following a tip from Eric, I decided to go on a wild goose chase in search of the mythical lost wig-wag of the former Spokane, Portland and
Seattle Astoria branch. Only I ended up bagging the goose. I knew there was not a wig-wag on the line anywhere from Willbridge to Wauna, so I
started at Wauna and worked my way towards Astoria. I checked Bradwood, no dice. I figured the most likely spot would be near Brownsmead, but no
dice. Brownsmead does have a nice old Grange and Schoolhouse near the tracks however. Next was Knappa. The atlas showed only one crossing at
Knappa, so when I got there, I saw a wooden bridge going over the tracks. I was about to turn around when I noticed that there was a T in
the road on the other side of the bridge. So I drove over the bridge, and just down the tracks, there she stood at another crossing! And what
a nice location for one. Looks very much like a SP style lower quadrant wig-wag. While the base said "The Railroad Supply Co Chicago", the
wig-wag itself is from Magnetic Flagman Co of Los Angeles.  The wig-wag is located on Waterhouse Rd near the siding of Knappa, though no town
exists there. The road is very rural and out of the way, although it does see a little traffic. Unfortunately the same can not be said of the
Portland and Western railroad line, as there is no service past Wauna. P&W re-cleared the line to Astoria last year in the hopes of
re-establishing service to Astoria, but that has not happened so far. It looks like the wig-wag is in good shape and hooked up should a train
ever come by.

Also I saw a curiosity in Astoria: in many locations there were crossing warnings with bells but no lights. I saw in one location where
there had obviously been lights at one time but no longer. All the installations were too new to be former (remodeled) wig-wags. Anybody
know the story of these?

Camron

A new page has just been added with pictures of these...check it out here.
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More info on US&S Style DW...       1/22/00

Dan,

I know of another Union Switch & Signal Style DW Automatic Flagman wigwag in existence.
It is at the Back Forty Junction restaurant in Decatur, Indiana, about twenty miles southeast of Fort
Wayne. As the name would suggest, the restaurant is home to a host of railroadania, including signals,
switchstands and a caboose. My aunt first took me to this restaurant twenty years or so ago. On a trip
back through the area two years ago, I found the restaurant still doing brisk business, and the old wigwag
still out front. I suspect it was originally on the old Erie line that went through northern Indiana, as
I have seen photos of such wigwags on this line before.

Sorry, I don't have a photo of this signal — both my visits were at night and I was without a camera.

BTW, I know that Waukesha, WI used to have a number of old C&NW wigwags on the line from
there to Milwaukee. I last saw these in 1995, on a trip to view the old Wisconsin Central street-running line
through Oshkosh (recently retired, along with its old Griswold turning-stop-sign signals). There were also
some along a little used ex-C&NW line in Fond du Lac. They were all of the standard C&NW style
— mounted atop the crossbuck, with the banner swinging within the diamond-shaped supports atop the mast.
The ones in Wauhesha were tall, while the ones in "Fondy" were short. There was also a pair
still in operation south of Oshkosh on the WC's ex-C&NW main line, where it crossed U.S. 45. These may
have been retired, since I know the one a few miles south of there at Vandyne went bye-bye about a
year ago. I need to get back up into that neck of the woods sometime!

Robert Carter
Birmingham, AL
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End of the line for Lebanon OR Wigwag...    1/22/00

According to a post by Bill Shippen on trainorders, the last train on the Mill
City Branch will run on (tues) Jan 25, 2000. Not only will this be a rare opportunity to
see a caboose hop, but it should prove to be the last time to get the Berlin Road
wig-wag in action near Lebanon.

Camron Settlemier
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CORP Update...                                                                   1/17/00

Subject: Two more wigwags (will) bite the dust.

Two more wigwags will be removed by the end of this next summer on CORP.
Three Pines Rd in Hugo and Main St. in Yoncalla.

As you may know, the Yoncalla wigwag has been scheduled to be removed
for quite some time.  The state orders were received a while back.  The
signal dept was waiting for MOW to place a barrier, due to the closing
of the crossing.  Qwest will enter into a private crossing agreement to
keep it open, but it will no longer be a public crossing.  MOW will
install private crossing signs within the next week or two and down will
come the wigwag.  CORP is hoping to have this accomplished by the end of
Jan when the new maintainer, Ken Jenks, takes over the Roseburg
district.

As for the Hugo wigwag, the crossing will be upgraded to gates, lites,
and bells during the summer.  This is necessary due to installing
electrocode and tying in the electrocode from Hugo to Grants Pass.
Also, all of the semaphores from Hugo to Grants Pass will be removed
this summer also.

Basically, if you want pictures of these two wigwags, you better get to
it before they are gone!

Rick Perry
(Xingman)

Rick Perry is a Signal Maintainer for the Central Oregon and Pacific in Oregon. He is also the
moderater for the CORP Onelist mailing list. If you would like to join the CORP email list, click here to sign up.
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Coast Line update...                                                            1/14/00

I've been wanting to e-mail you for a while about the wig wags left
on the coast line as I've occasionaly seen some posts by you reguarding
them.  I usually never would get to work up that way, but have a couple
of times recently and I've only counted a total of 4 wig wags between
Ventura and SLO.  I don't believe there's one at Goleta, can't say for
sure though.  There's definitely still the one at Seacliff, at the
Santa Claus crossing, one at Carpenteria and the one you've been missing is
way north up near Casmalia at some small, isolated 2 lane road crossing
in the hills RR east of Waldorf(this is east, or south of Guadalupe),
looks like a pretty scenic area.

Hope this helps, enjoyed yourwebsite.

Alan

I am desperately seeking a picture of that wigwag at Casmalia...if you have one, please send me a copy.
Pretty sure the Goleta wigwag is still in service. (?)
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Alameda Corridor Update...               1/7/00

Good morning Dan.

I took some photos of the two on the (former) SP La Habra Branch last weekend.  As soon as I get them back,
I'll have my son scan them and send them to you.

I checked the Larry Granfield Collection page as you suggested, and here's what I found.

Plate 1:  Compton/Alameda long gone (checked 1/00).  That location is totally unrecognizable from Larry's photo due to bridge
construction for the "Corridor".  The ATSF wig wag on Nevada St. on the Redlands Branch (just west of Redlands) was still there
as of June 1999.  That branch is still in service up to Redlands itself.

Plate 2:  Alameda/Randolph now gone (checked 1/00). The wigwag labeled "Off Randolph, City of Bell" is actually the
Gifford/Randolph wig wag I reported to you in my e-mail.  It is still very much in service  (checked 1/00).

Plate 3:  "City of Bell Albany St" is actually in the City of Huntington Park and it is also gone (checked 1/00).
I need to verify what has replaced it.

Plate 8:  Alameda St. south of Union Station (in downtown LA) now gone.  The track on
Alameda St. through downtown LA between 26th St. (near J Yard) and the "Corn Field or Bull Ring" Yard was taken out of service
some time ago.  This was long before the "Corridor" began to take shape. There's only a short stretch between 8th St. and Olympic
that may still see cars because of the LA Produce Mart there.  If so former SP reaches it via former UP, which of course is the same thing now.

Plate 7:  Mountain View on the ATSF Redlands Branch was still there as of June 1999.

No photos of the Wilmington/Randolph wig wag though.

I noticed quite a few wig wag photos in Lodi, CA.  I will be visiting up there for Winterail this March and can check them for you.
I suspect they are all gone and replaced with gates.

(Soapbox time)  The gates are bad enough but those electronic bells that UP is putting on them are totally obnoxious.  I know they are
installing gates to keep idiot drivers from getting killed, but they still don't help when someone is determined to kill themself.  Witness the unlicensed,
uninsured, unpermitted cab driver who got himself and everyone in his cab killed recently down in Compton by a Blue Line train. They have gates
up the wazoo at their crossings!

I hope this information is of help to you.

-Al Novak.

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More yet on Oklahoma/Nebraska...    1/3/00

Dan:

Nice page, thought I might share some information concerning some surviving wig-wag locations in the Oklahoma-Kansas area.

Two ATSF wig-wags survive on the Stillwater Central just northeast of here (Stillwater); there was a third until a year or so ago, but it was
removed in a road expansion project. Oklahoma purchased the line and leases it to SLWC, so the state of Oklahoma actually owns these.

There's also the one on the old ATSF Enid District at Enid, but I believe Jeff Ford tipped you off on that one already.

As far as preserved units, there's one at the Department of Transportation's offices in Antlers, OK. It came off the Frisco there
several years ago, and was put on display.  The Railroad Museum of Oklahoma at Enid also has a ATSF one, and there is another one of Frisco origin
on display in the city park in Fairland, OK.

In Kansas, there is a working one just north of Cherryvale on the SK&O's Chanute Line; it's a ATSF "upper quadrant" style. The wig-wag
mentioned by Evan in Independence, KS was there last I knew. Also, there are two or three (can't remember the exact number right now) MP units in Winfield KS on
a short segment of track.

Finally, there was still one wig-wag of Frisco origin in Joplin, MO that was still functioning recently on the BNSF; I haven't been by it in a few months, so....

FYI, I also added your site to the list on links on my web site -thanks for the information on restorations; I think that will come in handy sooner or later!

Until later,

    John Kirk Jr.
    Stillwater, OK
    ok.railfan.net
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From Iowa...                                            12/29/99

Hi Dan,

What a neat site!! Until the late 70's, many crossings along the Chicago and
Northwestern mainline tracks in central Iowa (now UP) were protected by basket-style
wig-wags. To my knowlege, all of these were replaced by flashers and gates during the early 80's
-- including those in Low Moor, a small eastern Iowa town near my parent's home. I was born in 1965 and became fascinated
by the Low Moor double wig-wags at a very early age (mom says age 3!).

You might be interested to know that there is a wig-wag (like the type used
along the C &NW line) currently on display outside the model railroad building on
the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. In the near future, another wig-wag of
the same style will be put on display outside the railroad museum in the Morrison,
Illinois (also along UP (formerly C & NW) trackage).

Steve Shaff
Sterling IL

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More in Kansas...                                     12/28/99
Hello,
Excellent site!  I'm from Southern California, but going to school in
Kansas.  I have found several active wigwags that you don't have photos
of and they are not the ones discussed in the letter archives on your
site.  They are on a BNSF branch line in Lawrence, KS.  They are about
six feet tall, of the 'upper quadrant' type.  I stopped to get a look
at them, but did not write down their info or photograph them.  I will if
you want to add them to your site... Just let me know.
-Jon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking Back...                                            12/28/99

Hi Dan,

Your new page looks quite interesting. When I was younger back in the 50's
and 60's, Santa Fe used Peach Basket wigwags on three crossings in San
Diego. UP in Colrado and Utah had Peach Baskets Of the Model 11 in numerous
spots even in the 1970's. I remember back then, in the 70's. I was so
surprised in how many I saw. In Kansas on the UP, they had a different
smaller looking baskets, and they were numerous also. I always remember
Santa Fe had more of the longer flat ironed cantilever type wigwags with
metal box at the base and without than anything else. Model 10 was very
popular in San Diego, which replaced the longer flat ironed cantilevered
wigwags. Model 10 was always double wigwags in S.D.
     Also SP and Pacific Electric used many upper quaderant style wigwags.
The Coast Route had several uppers near Ventura until the early 90's. Santa
Fe by far used them the most in NM. COLO, and Kansas. I remember in 1971,
driving from Lamar, Colo to Hutchinson, Kansas on US50 and about 80% of the
crossings were upper quad. wigwags. They were so plentiful then. Don't
remember seeing that many on the Santa Fe in So. Cal. Can only remember San
Diego having two crossings of upper quads, one of those crossings was closed
in the late 50's.. the other was changed out in the mid 70's.

Thanks,
Larry Granfield
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Wigwags in Canada?...                                         12/25/99

Hello There:

Are you aware that there a number of active wig wags on old Conrail Canada division that are still in use.

Not sure of how many.

FYI

T. Organ

If you have any more info on this lead...please email me.
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Santa Fe wigwags in Kansas and Oklahoma...        12/22/99

I know of five wig wags not listed on your site. The first is in Independence, Kansas downtown on the Santa Fe. It is odd in that the
target has been painted totally black. It is still in operation (or at least was in 1996 when I was there last. Sorry I don't have an address on that
one.) The next is located just North of Cherryvale, Kansas. There is one in Superior, Nebraska on the former Burlington route.

There are two left on the Santa Fe's former Stillwater district in Oklahoma. The first is on Glencoe road just southwest of Glencoe. The
next is just southwest of Yost lake 1/4 mile south of Yost road.

All of the above are still in operation.

Thanks,
Evan Stair
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wigwags in Wisconsin...                   12/19/99

Dan,
Your list sure does show wig wags out west. Here on the Soo Line, well CP, well former Milwaukee Road there is one crossing still actively
protected by a wig wag. It's at Kansasville, WI on state Hwy. 75. I don't know the make of it however. I'll have to check on this. As far as
I know this is the last one we got system wide. There is two more abandoned ones down the same line which is also rail banked. I have
photos of them but don't know their make. This is at Lyons , WI.

There are other active ones in Fondulac, WI on Wisconsin Central. They were a couple of years ago but I heard they were comming out maybe.
I recall another at Monroe, WI on the old now abandoned Illinois Central line. It was an out of service crossing and it may be gone now.

Will talk to you later,

Keith Huebner
Signal Maintainer Brookfield, WI, CP/Soo Line
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wigwag in Iowa...                               12/19/99

Hi Dan,

Was just curious if you want a picture of what I believe is the only remaining wig wag signal in Iowa? It is guarding a lightly used dirt
road and I don't believe it is in any danger of being replaced anytime soon. I have a picture of it with an IC train passing by it if you
would like me to scan it. I believe there are a couple more of these signals on the IC's Iowa Div. over on the Illinois side that I havn't
photographed yet but hope to soon.

Scott Thein
Waterloo,Iowa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wigwags spotted in Washington State...   12/9/99

Dan,

I drive past an operating wigwag almost every day.  The location is in Hoquiam, Washington on former NP tracks, currently operated by the
Puget Sound and Pacific RR.

I can also confirm the existence of the one in Pullman on the Blue Mountain RR (ex-UP) line through downtown.  It was there in August of
'98, and I have a friend in the area who would've told me if it had come down since then.

Finally, there was one on the Washington Central at Kiona, WA. Unfortunately, that was ten years ago, and BNSF has since re-acquired
the former NP trackage, so its current existence is doubtful.

Good luck in your pursuits.  I will try to remember to bring my photos to work and have them scanned in as jpeg files for transmission to you.

Thomas Hillebrant
Shortlines Editor - Flimsies Northwest!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More from Texas...                               11/22/99

Greetings,
I noticed the Burton wig-wag and had to tell you a little more
about it. A friend of mine, Brad Nelson of Elgin, Tx.,rewired both of the
Wig-Wags at Burton and Temple (at the Santa Fe Museum).  He is a railfan and works
for the Electric Dept of the City of Austin.  He built new power supplies
for both. His latest project is an SP Dwarf signal. I think I can get pictures
from Brehnam, Temple, and even a picture of a now removed wig-wag fron
Elgin, Tx too.  Ill let you know.
Joe
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Texas...                                         11/22/99

Dan -

Here's one for you... on the South Orient Railroad near Coleman in central Texas.
The signal boxes have no information on them at all...I would estimate it to be about mp 5.5 on the
South Orient (5.5 miles west of San Angelo Jct, connection with the BNSF Lampasas Sub) and the location is the
Highway 1026 crossing of the South Orient, between State Highway 206 and US Highway 67.

There are 2 wig-wags, one on each side of the highway, and they appear to be in good shape.  Trains are running by
here about 4 times a week. Last I hear, SO was running Mon, Tue, Thu, and Fri.

I can send you a slide of this within the next 2 weeks or so...may be a bit longer before I can have one
scanned to email to you.

Enjoy your site!

Wes Carr
Ft Worth TX
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More info from Oregon...                                                 10/28/99

Hello -
I looked at your wigwag signal site,
http://www.trainweb.org/dansrailpix/WIG_WAG_PAGE1c.htm

I'd like to add that there are 3 operating wigwag signals on the Willamette Shore Trolley line (old Southern Pacific
tracks).  The trolley travels along a now isolated track which skirts the west bank of the Willamette River from
Tigard northward to just south of downtown Portland, Oregon. The route itself includes a tunnel, two trestles, and runs
through some apartment complexes and down the middle of a street.

Two of the wigwag faceplates have been re-painted yellow with the black words "Trolley Xing", but the third still looks to be
entirely original (weathered white with the black cross). All this as of a year ago (the last time I took the ride).

I don't own a digital camera, so perhaps you can find another interested party to take pictures.

There's also a (presumably operating) wigwag on the POTB line in Oregon viewable from Hwy 47 NW of Cornelius.  I'd be happy
to give more specific directions if you're interested.

One more thought: there are some older RR-Xings and a semaphore on display at the Railway museum in Sacramento, CA.

Thank you for your site.
--
Russell Krishnan Myjak

The Sacramento wigwag can be seen in the Museum section on this site.
We are trying to get photos of those wigwags mentioned above. If you have any, please send them in.
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Alameda Corridor and Bakersfield...                                                                            10/12/99

Visited Southern California this weekend.  The wigwag at Alameda and 55th in L.A. is still intact, as are the three
wigwags I mentioned in Lindsay (Valencia, E. Honolulu, E. Hermosa).  The mast from a wigwag signal still stands
along the abandoned right-of-way in Porterville at Mill St.

By the way, any idea when the wigwags along the BNSF main in Bakersfield were taken out?  There used to be
two of them between Kern Jct. and the yard, but when I drove by today, the crossings had been closed and the
wigwags were gone.

Even Werkema

Don't know when the Bakersfield wigwags were removed...Does anybody know?.......Dan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More from Texas/Oklahoma...                                       10/10/99
Hey I enjoyed your site!

I'm involved with the Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock. We're gearing for a major restoration project on the entire railroad
area of our museum.  That includes the Wig Wag. A local Santa Fe signal maintainer has volunteered to restore the unit
to operate on a timer in conjuction with steam train sounds which currently emmenate from our Santa Fe depot.

On another note, I'm a BNSF conductor and I've been all over the system this past year.  In Enid, Oklahoma, the Railroad Museum of Oklahoma has
a working Wig Wag!  To top that, on the former Santa Fe line through Enid, there is a working Wig Wag at a crossing which no longer exists!  The
crossing was in the middle of a refinery complex which was razed at some point in the past few years, and the Wig Wag, track circuit, and all
are still intact and functioning.  It is impossible to access by road,  you have to hike down the ROW from the nearest crossing.  I saw it first on
a return trip from Tulsa, OK - at night!  I looked ahead from the train and I saw the strangest thing... it looked like a Wig Wag... it moved like
a Wig Wag... Oklahoma is supposed to have a few left... By golly it was a Wig Wag!!!

-Jeff Ford, Pres.
 Texas Panhandle Railroad Historical Society, Amarillo, TX
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Maybe 3 left in Alameda Corridor...                                10/10/99
Hello!

I came upon your site today and I was vastly impressed!  I was especially pleased to see that you have devoted a section of your page
to WigWag signals.  Since I was born in 1979, I did not have the opportunity to witness these signals operate on a mainline stretch of
track...or so I thought =)   Your site pointed out several places I could go and see one, and I appreciate it.

A few weeks ago (September 17, to be precise) I was heading south on Alameda Avenue  in L.A. (in the soon-to-be-redone Alameda Corridor just
north of where the current construction is taking place) when I came upon three wigwags that were still guarding the crossings.  As I
watched, UP 580 headed for me and tripped the signals.  The streetlights, as you mentioned, were the primary stoppers of traffic,
but the wigwag was operational, and moved back and forth slowly. Unfortunately, I did not have the presence of mind to write down where
along Alameda Avenue that was, but I just wanted to assure you that at least 3 WigWags are still functional along that Corridor.  Keep up the
good work!

Yours,
Danny Wilson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Diego...                                                      10/7/99

Hi Dan,

Have tried to compile a bunch of pictures of wigwags I've taken over the years. There are two active wigwags in the Imperial Valley on the old
SP now (UP),YUK. One is one Cole Rd. in Calexico, the other is located in Calipatria, Calif. downtown, that's north of Brawley, Ca. I have
pictures of both I will send you if you want them. Also do you want pictures of past wigwags that are gone? Also have picture of wigwag in Compton, Ca. on
Compton Blvd, taken in Sept.1998, also more wig wags off of the Alameda corridor that you don't have posted. Also have early 30's pictures of
wigwags in Reno and in the San Jouquin Valley.

I also have lots of 8mm movies of wigwags in the 60's 70's, and 80's. Started taking videos of them in 1989 on. Also there is one active
wigwag in Vista, Ca., only one left in San Diego County. Have a picture of that I can send. Please let me know if you want these pictures before I put my
friend to work scanning these pictures.

Regards, Larry Granfield

We are all looking forward to seeing these picture!...May even add videos to this site pretty soon...Dan
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seacliff Update...                                                10/7/99

As of 10/06/99, it is still in operation.  I pass by seacliff four to six days a week as it is part of my commute.  I'll keep you posted if I see
anything different.

On my website under the UP picture page, there is a shot of the torch train passing by the signal in '96.  The focus point is on the wigwag.

Joe Gartman
Ventura, CA
http:\\members.aol.com\Traingod\spsite.html

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More from the Northwest...                                                                                 10/5/99

First very unpleasant news:

According to Jody Moore's web site (http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Shop/1627/trackside4.html)
the two wig wags at Banks, Oregon will soon be just another memory. (Both of these are classic SP style wig-wags)

Now for happier news:
Pullman, Washington still has an active wig-wag! The wig wag is located on the ex-UP line in downtown Pullman, Washington near the old Depot and right next to
the truss bridge. Sources in the area claim the wig-wag is activated on Tuesdays and Thursdays (around 1:00pm ish).