Willis Lamm's Traffic Signal Collection   History of Traffic Signal Design Part Five

The End of an Era

Even with a push towards standardization there were some interesting ideas that were marketed to various municipalities.

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This signal manufactured by Attica Traffic Signal Company in 1925 offered what was perhaps the first "countdown" signal. The smaller lights would go out one by one to inform drivers and pedestrians as to how much time was left in the signal's cycle.

Although automatic traffic signals were replacing traffic police and police were more involved in ensuring compliance with traffic control devices and protecting pedestrians rather than actually direct traffic, some engineers still wanted divers to hear a familiar whistle when signals changed.

Although pedestal designs were losing popularity, some municipalities still preferred the "traditional" traffic signal mounted on a pedestal in the centers or "throats" of intersections. A few manufacturers were committed to those designs and served that market.

Nonetheless some manufacturers still offered some "over the top" designs with respect to traffic signals and their controls.

Victory Methods tried an approach using neon tubes in a smaller unit with no moving parts.

Tokheim stuck to a more traditional format providing traditional two and three-color signals in a variety of common mounting configurations.

Continue to Evolution of Modern Signals