Clinton Subdivision - Roadway Grade Crossing Signal Protection

Discussion in 'Clinton Subdivision' started by dricketts, Mar 24, 2011.

  1. dricketts

    dricketts Member Frisco.org Supporter

    In my quest to build the Highline between Clinton and Walnut Grove I'm now starting to work on road crossings.

    I'm guessing most of the grade crossings used standard cross bucks. Were there any areas that used any kind of electric crossing signals with bells & lights during the 50's - 70's? I thought it might be a possibility in the larger towns like Clinton or Bolivar.

    Thanks...
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2023
  2. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

    TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020) Passed Away July 15, 2020 Frisco.org Supporter

    I'd say the grade crossings on the Highline would have been something like they were on the rest of the SLSF system at the time period. Having as much to do with the highway road traffic as the railroad. If there's was a big, busy highway, like Highway 13 around Bolivar or East Sunshine Road in Springfield, there would be electric signals or gates no matter how light the RR traiffic.

    Tom
     
  3. trainsignguy

    trainsignguy Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Nice explanation Tom.

    From my memory Clinton had crossing signals at most of the city street crossings and Hwy 13 & 7 crossings, but no gates. There were also signals at the Hwy 13 crossings near Deepwater and south of Osceola and Bolivar.

    Although I can't confirm, I am sure there were signals at US 54 in Weaubleau too. It was a busy enough highway to warrant signals.

    Neatest crossing signal I remember on the line was a wig wag signal on one of the streets near downtown Osceola that survived into the 1970's.

    Dale Rush
    Carthage, MO
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2023
  4. wmrx

    wmrx MP Trainmaster

    Keep in mind that it's a state or municipal entity that decides which crossings are equipped with active warning devices and not the railroad. When the state decides to upgrade a crossing it pays for the installation and the railroad is then committed to perpetual maintenance. This may not have always been the rule, but it has been in effect for quite awhile.

    With that in mind, we know that state maintained roads and highways would almost always have active devices due to the level of vehicular traffic. Well traveled city streets would be the same. Due to the low level of rail traffic along with lower speeds, flashers would be the main type of device. I doubt that any crossing on this line ever had gates.

    I have no first hand knowledge, but I would imagine that the bigger crossings, such as US 13 in Bolivar, had cantilever signals.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2023
  5. dricketts

    dricketts Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Thanks guys. Great info. I think I might start with Osceola tonight. I got a few nice wig wag crossings to choose from.

    Dale-Did any of those signals you remember have overhead cantilever signals with no gates?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 29, 2011
  6. trainsignguy

    trainsignguy Member Frisco.org Supporter

    This is exercising my brain way too hard!

    The in town crossings did not have overheard signals. Seems like the Highway 13 signals may have had the overhead signals, I just can't remember for sure. I did find a couple of photos taken at the Hwy 13 crossing just south of Bolivar and it did have the overhead cantilever signals with no gates.

    The photos were taken by Roger Taylor in 1994.

    Dale Rush
    Carthage, MO
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2023
  7. dricketts

    dricketts Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Good stuff Dale. I remember that crossing traveling to SMSU in the early 90's. I just now realized that was part of the Frisco Highline. I guess the BN used it a little in the 90's. Here's some work I got done tonight. This is Osceola with the stone depot to the right.

    trainz 2011-03-29 22-49-51-93.jpg
     
  8. trainsignguy

    trainsignguy Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Roger Taylor came back through in 1995 and shot photos after the rails were taken up. So the rails were in until 1994 but I am unsure when service to Bolivar actually ended.

    Neat progress shot of Osceola. Virtual railroading looks to be a bit like model railroading, except in model railroading my layout room is always too small to accomplish all my givens and druthers. Looks like fun. I still think I would miss physically building models if I switched entirely to vscale.

    Have you been to the missouridepots.com website? Great resource for photos of all Missouri depots. A Missouri guy might just end up spending hours on that site. Wanna guess how I came to that conclusion???

    Dale Rush
    Carthage, MO
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 30, 2011
  9. dricketts

    dricketts Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I have been to that website. There's a lot of good stuff there.

    The Osceola depot was somewhat unique being made of stone. As the route progresses I'll add a lot of details and hopefully it will be more recognizable.

    There's always a place for real modeling. I miss it. I just don't have the time, money, or space.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2023
  10. RogerRT

    RogerRT Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I'm in agreement with Dale & Kevin.

    If it was a state highway it probably had a standard flashing signal, I never saw any with gates. As I remember the only cantilever crossings were located on HWY 13 at Clinton (both north & south crossings), east of Deepwater and Vista and south of Bolivar.

    The only towns that I recall with flashing signals were Clinton (3rd St. crossing), Osceola (2nd St/Old HWY 13) & Vista (HWY T), the rest had standard crossbuck type signals except for HWY W in Osceola which had the wigwag. I think the HWY 18 crossing in Clinton also had flashing lights but I can't be sure.

    I wish I had written all this stuff down. I never made south of Vista to Bolivar while the line was in service so I don't know about those.

    According to my notes the last train ran on 10/22/93 with GP38-2 BN 2156 running lite out of Springfield to pickup one car in Bolivar. For some reason I don't have the official abandonment date.

    Regarding the photos it always puzzled me why the BN didn't turn the HWY 13 crossing signals at south Bolivar sideways before tearing up the tracks in late 1994. When I took those photos it had been almost 6 months since they shut the line down, so I figured I better get a shot before they took them down.

    Roger R. Taylor
    Raytown, MO.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2023
  11. dricketts

    dricketts Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Thanks Roger for the detailed info. I can definitely put that to good use.

    I remember when it was all 2 lanes between Clinton and Springfield but when did Hwy 13 start bypassing the towns that created all the Business 13 routes from the old route?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2023
  12. mikecheck79

    mikecheck79 Mike Landis

    Sorry for the late info. I haven't logged on for a while.

    I just wanted to make some additions to the Highline crossing info already provided.

    MO Highway 215 east of Eudora had standard crossing flashers.

    Route Z in Willard had a set of overhead cantilever crossing flashers.

    Kearney St. in Springfield has standard crossing flashers. This crossing has an interesting history. The crossing was upgraded with a nice set of cantilever signals in 1994 (no gates). That was after the last train to Bolivar.

    The track to Willard was left in place up through the early 2000s, but I don't think they ever did run a train to Willard. So, it's likely these new signals never once saw a train! They were taken down when BNSF ripped out the rest of the track. I always wondered why BNSF and the state bothered with the upgrades realizing the not-so-rosy prospects for line's future.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2023
  13. mikecheck79

    mikecheck79 Mike Landis

    An addition to my previous post...

    In Willard, Main St. (Highway O) was also protected by a set of standard crossing flashers. Sorry, it's been more than 15 years since the track was taken out. It took me a while to jog my memory.

    So, in Willard, both Hwy O and Z were protected by signals.
     

Share This Page