Train Order Signal Semaphore Blades

[mopac]

The picture posted below is two semaphore signal blades that came from the Train Order Signal at Flippin, Arkansas. When I was working in Cotter, Arkansas around 1970 the B & B gang was dismantling the train order signal and putting it in a gondola car with other scrap material. The foreman of the gang offered me the entire train order signal, including the operating levers from inside the depot. I just had to arrange to remove it from the property. I look back now and wish I some how could have figured out a way to move that signal into storage somewhere but I was a young kid living a home and really had no where to put it and no way to get it anywhere without incurring a significant amount of cost. So I opted to take just the semaphore blades. Still a nice collector’s item. In the picture just to the right of the blades is a whistle post. These were cast iron just like the station sign. These were removed and replaced with the aluminum signs with reflective material on them. I believe this one came off the Springfield Sub Div which ran from Crane, Missouri to Springfield, Missouri when that line was being abandoned. I have also included a picture of the Flippin, Arkansas depot which was taken in 1959. It shows these two semaphore signal blades on the train order signal. Also the Northbound passenger train, No. 232 is stopped at the station. It is only a few months away before that passenger train was discontinued on March 21, 1960.

[bargetanika]

I had the same thing happen, the chance to get an entire train order signal, but I also was too young and had not enough resources to get it. It was 150 miles from my house so nothing happened, it all went in the junk pile (crying.). Pat Flory

[madonnasuffolk30]

Steve,
Can you post measurements of the train order blade to include thickness of the blade? What is it made out of? There is a nearly complete train order signal minus the blades that I would like to help restore.

Thanks,
Nate

[mopac]

Nate:
These are at my dads house. The next time I am there I will measure them for you and post them.

[mopac]

Attached are the measurements for the Train Order Semaphore Blades that Nate requested. Hope this helps you out. If you have any questions, I will try and answer them.

[madonnasuffolk30]

Thank you for posting the measurement file. I just want to confirm the white stripe is 3/4″ wide? It looks wider and I wanted to check.

What is are the blades made out of and the thickness? Thanks again!

Nate

[mopac]

The White stripe is 3/4″ wide. As far as the thickness the best measurement I could get was approximately 1/16″ thick. The semaphores are all porcelain coated on the outside. I am not sure what kind of metal was used but it is a very strong and sturdy metal. Hope this helps. Any other questions let me know.

[benjamintickell53]

I have a set of train order blades from Conway, AR, obtained under similar circumstances. The signal maintainer was dismantling the signal in 1973 after the Conway train order office had moved from the depot downtown to a prefab building on the south edge of town. An official with the maintainer had already retrieved the lamp, and they were getting ready to drop the two blade assemblies onto the brick platform. I asked for and was given the blades, but they could not find a rope to lower the blades down, so they were dropped – breaking the lenses and cracking some of the porcelain on the blade itself. The maintainer later brought two new blades that had been in storage in Morrilton so I did get replacement blades, but had to purchase new lenses. The entire blade was coated porcelain finish… red with white stripe on the front, and all white on the back.

Steve, on the question of the width of the white stripe, I don’t have my blades in front of me, but believe the dimension to be more like 3 or 4 inches wide, not 3/4 inch, if I am reading your post correctly.

There was another, earlier style of blade which was somewhat ribbed at the mounting base, but still porcelain baked on metal – Conway had one of each.

Bill Pollard

[mopac]

I measured the white stripe again and it is 3 and 1/4 inches wide. Sorry about that.

[Author]

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