Traffic Lights

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AndrewFields
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Traffic Lights

Post by AndrewFields » Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:55 pm

In my travels about the United States, I've noticed the incredible variety with which traffic signals are colored and installed.

For example, in Oregon the signals are all-black or a very dark color called Hunter Green. The only exception is school crossing signals keep the black body but receive yellow back plates. That's a contrast right there. Also at dangerous intersections they will put a small strip of yellow reflective tape around the edge of the back plate but leave the rest of it black.

Here in Kansas, the face and visors of the signal are black but the body (facing away from traffic) is yellow. Why? If they wanted to make it more conspicuous, paint the whole signal (face and visors included) in yellow as they do in Pennsylvania.

How are they done in your area?
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owensri
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by owensri » Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:35 pm

All the traffic signals in my area, and most of Southeast Michigan are all yellow. The new ones they are putting up are all Ball LEDs too. When I was in Georgia with Elton, they had black ones, with dotted LEDs that are failing fast. If they want to go LED, go ball LED!
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by Smjh1979 » Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:47 pm

Here's a picture of one in Prescott Valley.

Image

All backgrounds and everything are all black. The Tucson area uses yellow, but everywhere else is black.

Seems the more I look, lots more companies are going the route of making ball LEDs anymore.

I found another company that makes them Yesterday.

That now makes GE/Harmon, Dialight, and now LeoTek (a subsidary of Lite-On) make ball LEDs.
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illinoistrains
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by illinoistrains » Sat Apr 18, 2009 10:35 pm

most of the ones in Phoenix are dark green, and in peoria they are silver.
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Josh
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by Josh » Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:01 pm

Great topic, Andrew! I'm crazy about traffic lights in addition to railroad crossing signals. I think it's just one small step from one to the other. :Blush:

Texas has an incredible variety of traffic signals :LOL: . You can literally find just about anything here. Most municipalities have their own set of signal standards, in addition to TxDOT standards. Even the TxDOT standards vary regionally.

Here in north Texas, the majority of installations are on straight monotube arms with horizontally mounted signal heads. The signal heads are usually mounted horizontally (From what I've been told horizontally-mounted signals fare better in severe thunderstorm winds), and there are usually at least 2-3 (sometimes as many as 5) signal heads on the arm. The signals themselves are orange with black backplates and tunnel visors. Most installations also now have Pelco cameras for visual detection instead of loop detectors. Here's an example of a typical TxDOT installation (Hardin Rd. at SH 121 in McKinney): http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 08624,,0,5

Like I said, though, there are a LOT of variations. Some other common north Texas signal variations include:

- Vertically mounted signal heads. Some cities such as Addison, Coppell, Farmers Branch, Grapevine, Fort Worth, and others use vertically-mounted signal heads almost exclusively. Some others (including Dallas, Carrollton, Garland, Richardson, and Plano) used to use vertical mounting extensively but have switched over to horizontal for new installations.
Here's an example of some vertically mounted signals, which also happen to be painted black (Belt Line Rd. at Business Ave. in Addison): http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 21664,,0,5

- Different-colored signal heads (black, brown, and hunter green)

- Curved monotube arms (same as the ones commonly found in CA and AZ) Here's an example of some curved arms (Inwood Rd. at Interstate 635/LBJ freewayin Dallas): http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 94628,,0,5

- Extra-thick heavy-duty monotube arms. Here is a cool intersection (FM 2499/Long Prairie Rd. at FM 3040/Flower Mound Rd. in Flower Mound)... 3 of the 4 poles have the heavy-duty arms (painted green) and a ton of signal heads: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 57877,,0,5

- Spanwire installations. Here's one at Preston Rd. (Tx289) at Warren Pkwy in Frisco: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 32523,,0,5

- Opticom emergency vehicle detectors. Also auxillary red-light violation cameras. Here's some red-light violation cameras mounted in advance of the intersection of Frankford Rd. and Preston Rd. (Tx 289) in Dallas: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 0000000001

- Lighted street signs. Here's some lighted street signs at the intersection of Preston Rd. (TX 289) and Park Blvd. in Plano: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 9999999999
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cabman701
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by cabman701 » Sun Apr 19, 2009 12:01 am

Around here, they have started to convert most of our intersections over from the detectors being in the road to camera-type detectors mounted on the traffic signals themselves. Here is an example of an intersection that was updated recently:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 1898734124

Kind of surprised that they opted to just upgrade the signals intead of replace them. One drawback to these camera-type detectors is if it is raining hard or foggy, the lights seem to malfunction as I guess the detectors can't see the traffic. This means you end up sitting at a red light for several minutes because the signals cycle as if traffic was extremely heavy.

I have noticed on new installations that they are almost always ball LED's. I agree these seem to work so much better than the 1st generation LED's. As I mentioned in a previous post I have noticed that some of the LED's that have only been in service for several years have started to fail. So much for those lasting forever!

Also, for whatever reason they have started to put yellow reflective tape around the signal heads I guess to make them stand out more. Here is an example of that:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 4936708861
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AndrewFields
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by AndrewFields » Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:24 am

Josh wrote:Great topic, Andrew! I'm crazy about traffic lights in addition to railroad crossing signals. I think it's just one small step from one to the other. :Blush:
Then you'll probably hate me when I show you this...my pride and joy is my 3M HVS M-131. This took me a year and a half to find and actually has a bit of a neat story to go along with it. In late 2001 or early 2002, Oregon halted a long-standing tradition of using 3M signals as left turn signals at all intersections. This was likely due to their incompatibility with LEDs, their excessive weight, and relative complexity. They began dropping like flies all over the area, being replaced with standard left arrow signals or protective/permissive signals.

Concerned they might become obscure, I began searching the internet. eBay, other signal enthusiasts, even a shop in Missouri failed to net me what I so desperately sought. So I shot an e-mail to Washington County who in turn referred me to the Oregon Department of Transportation who finally sent me to the City of Portland's Transportation Bureau. There I was put into contact with the head of their signal operations, Keith. I told him what I was looking for and that its condition did not matter. He said he would keep his eyes peeled for one for me and quoted me $20.

Cut to June of 2003, a year and a half or so later, I had not heard back from Keith and figured like most government offices, he had blown me off. Before I called off the search entirely, I sent Keith a final e-mail asking if he'd found anything yet. Amazingly, I received a reply saying he had one put aside for me but had just gotten his hands on it. The new price was $25 but I didn't care. I wrote out a check and drove down to their offices in North Portland. I met Keith in his office and he took me out to the cage in the shops where the signal was placed face-down on its visors along with some other scattered signal parts. I had been expecting a weathered, beaten, abused signal in need of a few parts. Imagine my shock when I saw a brand-new 3M HVS M-131 sitting there, having never seen service. She needed absolutely no cosmetic work.

The first day I had her home, I discovered only one bulb worked and I accidentally shattered one of the removable frosted diffusers. 3M has been completely unhelpful when it comes to parts, not even bothering to answer my e-mails so I've resorted to salvaging bulbs and a replacement diffuser from 3M signals as they are retired from service.

My timing could not have been better; only two years after acquiring this signal, 3M announced its discontinuation. Now, parts for them are no longer available and I believe I have a future collectible in my possession; perhaps even along the lines of a Crouse-Hinds 4-way? :WOOT: :Wink:

So here is my baby...in perfectly shiny, brand-new Hunter Green. :Drool: The only thing I've done to her is put her up on the pole and add a sequencer so she cycles on her own. For the moment, I keep her in the storage room, only bringing her out for special occasions as my mom won't let me keep her in the house. As soon as I get my own place I might put her in a game room of sorts.

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AndrewFields
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by AndrewFields » Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:54 am

As for Oregon's different variations of installations, here are a few:

Typical downtown Portland installation - 8" heads, red & green LEDs, arched monotube. (Broadway & Madison)

A school crossing with yellow backplates.

A City of Portland installation, out of the downtown area - These are the Hunter Green signals I referred to. (Scholls Ferry & Humphrey)

Washington County Installation - on wires. This is a rare one as it still has its 3M left turn signals. (Barnes & Monterey)

Another (newer) Wa.Co. Installation - For some reason, almost all signals on the ends of poles in Oregon are "dropped" lower than the pole and the other signals, even if it isn't a left turn signal. It's so bizarre I've never understood it. (Cornell & Cedar Hills)

And finally... an older installation with a flashing yellow arrow permissive left turn signal fitted in lieu of a protected left. (Hall & Nimbus)
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mlgillson
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by mlgillson » Sun Apr 19, 2009 3:00 am

In Cedar Rapids specifically, standards have changed over the years and those differences still exist. Most intersections still have magnetic loops in the roadway, a few have the camera type detection systems. Some intersections, mainly in the downtown area, still run only on timers.

Some of the older installations look like this or this.

A couple other installations are this and this.

Every once in a while, you'll see a mixed bag, like this or this

Most newer installations look something like this.

Most of the signals are black, though there are are a few with yellow backs, such as these.

Couple other things. Most traffic signals that I've ever seen on a single pole, seven. Dual left turn lane, three thru lanes, dual right turn lane, a signal for each lane.

Iowa DOT installations are fairly uniform, though there are some exceptions.

And finally, there's this signal:
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Re: Traffic Lights

Post by weatherdan882002 » Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:07 pm

I like dotted LEDs better than ball LEDs, despite the "failure rating". We actually don't have too many ball LED lights over here, as the far majority were retrofitted w/ LEDs, but even all the new ones installed are being installed w/ the dotted LEDs (although they look like the Harmon fading ones, which I personally think is just regular dotted LEDs w/ a textured lens). The only places I've seen ball LEDs is in a city north of me and at one intersection in Clifton Park.

BTW, you know they DO make LED lights for that 3M model shown?
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