Class I Signal Project
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2025 6:27 pm
I am doing a railroad crossing project on the history of every Class I railroad crossing setup (excluding crossbuck crossings / "passive" crossings. Current I only know CN Rail and CP Rail.
CN History
US&S Wig Wags (Probably oldest CN setup, CP used these too)
Western Railroad Supply equipment (Around 1950s) A lot of crossings at the time used WRRS Model 10 gate mechanisms or mechanical bells or lights
Transport Products (Around 1950s) Mainly TPC gates and lights)
Griswold Signal Co (1950s) mainly Griswold lights or mechanical bell. Never seen using a EM gate.
RACO (Early 60s) CN has used RACO gate mechanisms sometime. They also used RACO 8" lights and mechanical bells
Safetran (1970s-2010s) CN has used all generations of Safetran gate mechanisms. Along with that Safetran 8" lights, Safetran mechanical bell. Newer Safetran equipment includes Safetran Type 1 electronic bell, Safetran Type 3 (Probably CN's most used bell) and S-60 gate mechs. Many of the older Safetran equipment made it on to GO Transit as well.
Siemens (Present) Mainly now Siemens.
CP Rail
Again they used US&S wig wags.
Griswold (likely 50s) As seen with Griswold EM's.
General Railway Signal/Western Railroad Supply (50s or possibly 60s) CP was caught using GRS gate mechanisms and 8" lights.
Western Cullen Hayes Inc (1970s - possibly 2023) Used a lot of WCH equipment
Safetran (1970s - ????) They were seen using Safetran EM gates along with other Safetran equipment
Siemens (Present) Mainly Siemens gates. Canada is primiarly Siemens :/
CN History
US&S Wig Wags (Probably oldest CN setup, CP used these too)
Western Railroad Supply equipment (Around 1950s) A lot of crossings at the time used WRRS Model 10 gate mechanisms or mechanical bells or lights
Transport Products (Around 1950s) Mainly TPC gates and lights)
Griswold Signal Co (1950s) mainly Griswold lights or mechanical bell. Never seen using a EM gate.
RACO (Early 60s) CN has used RACO gate mechanisms sometime. They also used RACO 8" lights and mechanical bells
Safetran (1970s-2010s) CN has used all generations of Safetran gate mechanisms. Along with that Safetran 8" lights, Safetran mechanical bell. Newer Safetran equipment includes Safetran Type 1 electronic bell, Safetran Type 3 (Probably CN's most used bell) and S-60 gate mechs. Many of the older Safetran equipment made it on to GO Transit as well.
Siemens (Present) Mainly now Siemens.
CP Rail
Again they used US&S wig wags.
Griswold (likely 50s) As seen with Griswold EM's.
General Railway Signal/Western Railroad Supply (50s or possibly 60s) CP was caught using GRS gate mechanisms and 8" lights.
Western Cullen Hayes Inc (1970s - possibly 2023) Used a lot of WCH equipment
Safetran (1970s - ????) They were seen using Safetran EM gates along with other Safetran equipment
Siemens (Present) Mainly Siemens gates. Canada is primiarly Siemens :/