Located on East 3rd Street between Division Avenue and School Avenue, this Wig-wag signal is an old Frisco signal, now maintained by the M&NA Railroad. Pictures taken 3/25/10.
This signal is located behind the Empire District Electric Company warehouse and maintenance barn. It is on the old Frisco line that ran from Oronogo to Joplin. About one mile northeast of this crossing the line currently ends at the Tamko roofing plant located on High Street. This is a Union Switch and Signal manufactured wig-wag and is rather rare. This is not the same plant located north of Northpark Mall. The line that serves that plant is the former Mop Carthage to Joplin branch. The Heartlands has one just like it at our museum in Carona. Ours came off the Frisco at Baxter Springs, Kansas and protected a former Route 66 crossing. It was originally owned by Jeff Cooney. Jeff restored it to operation and we purchased it from Jeff when he moved from Joplin to Texas. Keith Robinson has provided pictures of this wig-wag below. John Chambers Heartlands President
On our Annual Walk in the Weeds, a group of KC model railroaders visited the Wig Wag in Joplin, and were thrilled to get to see it in operation. This is one of the very few operating wig-wag signals remaining in the United States. It is the very last operating US&S DW style wig-wag in the United States. Be patient downloading, it is a large file, but it is worth the wait.
This morning I was driving around Joplin and found that the Wig Wag signal has recently been removed. Don't know if it was the city or the MNA that chose to remove it, but it's very disappointing either way. This is in the historic part of the city, so it would have made sense to keep it.
Very disappointing to hear of its disappearance. At the recent Gordon Garret Estate auction, just the upper flag part, no gear box, etc., bought a hefty price. I was at the auction but observing the second ring and not present when the wigwag arm was auctioned.
