Semaphore Signal Train Pictures
While I was in high school, I used to visit the Lancaster, CA depot every Saturday. At the time, this SP depot had a semaphore train order
signal similar to the one above at Langtry, TX. The operator let me lower the signal when there were no train orders for the next train and then raise the signal back to stop position after the train passed. This was my first experience with a semaphore signal. See Centerville web page for more information about SP style
train order signals.
Later when I was in the Navy, I traveled across the country and discovered many more semaphore signals along the Southern Pacific and several other railroads. This collection in this gallery is just a small portion of many of the signals I photographed during the 70s and early 80s. Some of these were train order signals, but many were automatic block signals. See Semaphores for a whole website dedicated to these signals.
Gallery