Tips on Buying and Selling Traffic Signals and Determining Fair Values By Willis Lamm Part Three (This feature is a continuation from Part Two Some other tips in determining the ages of vintage traffic signals A few other characteristics can help in determining the approximate age of traffic signals. Art deco signals. Sellers sometimes claim that their single face signals are "art deco" to inflate their value. Actual art deco signals will have art deco "fins" on the tops and bottoms of the signal bodies. Longer fins are generally more desirable than short fins. A couple of examples are shown below.

Econolite "Groove Backs" Econolite took over the GE traffic signal line in the United States in 1957. The first Econolites used GE castings with a slight modification where Econolite's oval logo replaced GE's round logo on the backs of the signal sections. The early model Econolites had "long grooves," or grooves on the back that extended to the ends of each section. In the 1960s Econolite shortened the grooves so that they stopped short of the ends of each section, increasing strength and water resistance where the sections fit together.

8-in. "long groove" sections under a 12-in. "bullseye."

Later model "short groove."

One-piece cast door and visor assemblies The visors on most signals are screwed on to the door faces or lens collars to allow changes in visor styles or to replace damaged visors. Removable visors were used on some of the earliest signals. However some manufacturers such as Crouse-Hinds and Eagle produced signals in the early "full door"era (circa 1940s) where cutaway or "ball cap" visors were actually part of the door casting. These visors were far more stout and dent resistant, but they eliminated the option of changing visor styes without changing the doors themselves. Eagle produced a few solid door and visor assemblies in the early 1940s and they are rare. Crouse-Hinds produced solid door and visor assemblies through 1958 that are generally more desirable than removable visor signals.

Crouse-Hinds Type D with one-piece door - visor.

Screw on visors, tunnel visors in this case.

Lenses As they are breakable, some old glass lenses are very rare. It is useful to determine which lenses were original to a signal under consideration, and check the auction sites to establish some value for those lenses. Naturally, a signal that has all original lenses has more value than one in which lenses would have to be located and purchased, especially when the lenses are of a more rare design. Here are some early lenses.

Early MacBeth-Evans Lenses. Holophane "spiderweb" lettered lenses. Holophane ribbed lens (Essco style.) Holophane "spiderweb" lens (GE style.)

Painted letters - MacBeth-Evans Lenses. Corning "C-H" lettered lenses. Adler "bar" lenses. Corning T1 "smiley" lens (C-H style.)

A more thorough description of lenses can be found in the Traffic Signal Lenses Section.

Down lights Many early signals were either manually controlled or could either be run on "automatic" (on fixed time cycles) or manually controlled by a police officer. Many of these signals had down lights in order to illuminate the police officer who was directing traffic in the middle of the intersection during hours of darkness. Down lights were also used to illuminate pedestals when signals were mounted in the centers of intersection or to illuminate signs. Down lights are pretty rare and signals having down lights are desirable.

Late 1920s Harrington-Seaberg with down light.

C-H Type D with down light.

Coming next: Pedestrian (crosswalk) signals.

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