Museum wigwags/west chicago firehouse

Museum wigwags/west chicago firehouse West Chicago Firehouse

Here's an interesting warning device for emergency vehicles. It's a WRRS
Harpes wigwag, used to stop traffic as emergency vehicle enter the street.
Dave Hudson stumbled across this on a recent railfanning trip through West Chicago.
He explains more here...

"It caught my eye when I made a wrong turn in West Chicago, IL. I was trying to catch a GP38 still wearing C&NW colors and made a wrong turn. I saw the signal in the distance and made a note to come back later.

When I did come back I realized that the flagman isn't protecting a railroad crossing. It would appear that it warns traffic about emergency vehicles leaving the fire station. I was a bit behind schedule, so I wasn't able to quiz the firehouse staff about it. There is a plaque on the mast that indicates it was donated by a private individual in 1975.

I've included several pictures of the unit and my usual Garmin map of the location.

Oh, the fire station's address in West Chicago is 200 Fremont St."

All photos by Dave Hudson (9/00)

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