Wig Wags

[NW Modeling List]

Not color, but here’s wonderful detail view of a very newly installed wig-wag in Circleville. The photo was taken in 1938-ish; the wig-wags were installed on this particular street in the past year.

Again, it’s not color, but it’s easy to see the value of arm, compared to things that are black (lettering on the cross buck).

This particular wig-wag was two axis; one arm to protect the crossing street, and one to warn the parallel street. This setup was common at almost all crossings in the city.

Lastly, the newspapers of the early thirties used what I assume was N&W language and referred to them as “flash light” signals. By the time a second batch was put in (such as this one), the newspapers called them wig wags.

https://www.loc.gov/item/2017732446/

Matt Goodman
Columbus, Ohio, US

On Jul 21, 2020, at 9:18 AM, NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

Hi David

There are two drawings in the archive:

https://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=129224

https://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=129223

It does not really specify what the arm was painted, but to my observation, it was red. The box and bell behind were silver.

Best

Ken Miller


> On Jul 20, 2020, at 5:42 PM, NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> I found a black and white photo of a wig-wag in the middle of a road on blue ridge.  That was a good find.  I noticed a color photo of one where the arm was all red.
> 
> I searched the site, could not find a front shot of the wig wag.
> 
> What color is the arm?  I have the typical white target or I can paint? I am modeling in the 20s-50s depending on the equipment that I put out.  Call it a freelance Buchanan branch.
> 
> (Need a reason to blow the whistle :) )
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> David Baker
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