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- DT& I Railroad Crossing at Eureka Road, Wayne County, Michigan, 1924-1925 - One way to make a railroad crossing safer was to eliminate it altogether. Overpasses separated trains from automobiles, but they were expensive to build and required extensive regrading of either the railroad or the roadway -- and sometimes both. As a result, overpasses tended to be built only at the busiest crossings.
- 1924-1925
- Collections - Artifact
DT& I Railroad Crossing at Eureka Road, Wayne County, Michigan, 1924-1925
One way to make a railroad crossing safer was to eliminate it altogether. Overpasses separated trains from automobiles, but they were expensive to build and required extensive regrading of either the railroad or the roadway -- and sometimes both. As a result, overpasses tended to be built only at the busiest crossings.
- 1926 Dodge Brothers Advertisement, "Dodge Brothers Special Coach" - Dodge Brothers introduced its all-steel auto bodies -- the industry's first -- for 1923. This 1926 advertisement promotes the company's two-door Special Coach. Dodge Brothers' upmarket Special line included nickeled bumpers and radiators, steel disc wheels, and a motometer radiator cap, among other features. The Special Coach started at $1,135.
- November 01, 1925
- Collections - Artifact
1926 Dodge Brothers Advertisement, "Dodge Brothers Special Coach"
Dodge Brothers introduced its all-steel auto bodies -- the industry's first -- for 1923. This 1926 advertisement promotes the company's two-door Special Coach. Dodge Brothers' upmarket Special line included nickeled bumpers and radiators, steel disc wheels, and a motometer radiator cap, among other features. The Special Coach started at $1,135.
- Railroad Crossing, Wyandotte, Michigan, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, October 1925 - Apart from eliminating it altogether, the safest way to protect a railroad crossing is with movable gates. The earliest gates, introduced around 1870, were hand-operated by an employee stationed at the crossing. Automated gates first appeared in the 1930s. Four-quadrant gates completely block off the road, while more common two-quadrant gates block each lane only in the direction of travel.
- October 01, 1925
- Collections - Artifact
Railroad Crossing, Wyandotte, Michigan, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, October 1925
Apart from eliminating it altogether, the safest way to protect a railroad crossing is with movable gates. The earliest gates, introduced around 1870, were hand-operated by an employee stationed at the crossing. Automated gates first appeared in the 1930s. Four-quadrant gates completely block off the road, while more common two-quadrant gates block each lane only in the direction of travel.
- Railroad Crossing, Wyandotte, Michigan, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, October 1925 - Multiple-track railroad crossings, where a roadway crosses more than one railroad track, are particularly dangerous. A train on or near the crossing on one track can block motorists' view of another train approaching the crossing on a different track. Crossings like this were some of the first to be protected with automated warning devices and gates.
- October 01, 1925
- Collections - Artifact
Railroad Crossing, Wyandotte, Michigan, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, October 1925
Multiple-track railroad crossings, where a roadway crosses more than one railroad track, are particularly dangerous. A train on or near the crossing on one track can block motorists' view of another train approaching the crossing on a different track. Crossings like this were some of the first to be protected with automated warning devices and gates.
- Lincoln Seven-Passenger Sedan Crossing Railroad Tracks, December 1934 - Lincoln, like all upmarket automakers, suffered during the Great Depression. The company went from an annual production of 7,641 for 1929 to just 2,411 for 1934 -- and it would fall farther. A four-door, seven-passenger V-12 sedan like this one started at $3,500. Many customers couldn't even afford $585 for a new four-door Ford, much less a pricey Lincoln.
- December 15, 1934
- Collections - Artifact
Lincoln Seven-Passenger Sedan Crossing Railroad Tracks, December 1934
Lincoln, like all upmarket automakers, suffered during the Great Depression. The company went from an annual production of 7,641 for 1929 to just 2,411 for 1934 -- and it would fall farther. A four-door, seven-passenger V-12 sedan like this one started at $3,500. Many customers couldn't even afford $585 for a new four-door Ford, much less a pricey Lincoln.
- Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad Crossing, Lima, Ohio, 1923 - This rural railroad crossing near Lima, Ohio, illustrates an early danger to motorists and railroaders. Vegetation along the track obscured drivers' vision, and fast-moving trains could not stop quickly. Drivers were advised to "stop, look and listen," as written on the crossing sign's post, before they proceeded over railroad tracks. Improved warning devices and safety awareness campaigns made crossings safer.
- 1923
- Collections - Artifact
Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad Crossing, Lima, Ohio, 1923
This rural railroad crossing near Lima, Ohio, illustrates an early danger to motorists and railroaders. Vegetation along the track obscured drivers' vision, and fast-moving trains could not stop quickly. Drivers were advised to "stop, look and listen," as written on the crossing sign's post, before they proceeded over railroad tracks. Improved warning devices and safety awareness campaigns made crossings safer.
- Railroad Crossing Flash Signal, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, March 1925 - In the United States, locomotive engineers must sound a specific sequence of horn or whistle blasts when approaching most road crossings: two long blasts, one short, and one more long. Railroads frequently placed a whistle post, like this one, along the track about one-quarter mile before a crossing to notify the engineer when to use the horn.
- March 20, 1925
- Collections - Artifact
Railroad Crossing Flash Signal, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, March 1925
In the United States, locomotive engineers must sound a specific sequence of horn or whistle blasts when approaching most road crossings: two long blasts, one short, and one more long. Railroads frequently placed a whistle post, like this one, along the track about one-quarter mile before a crossing to notify the engineer when to use the horn.
- Railroad Crossing, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, December 1925 - Busy railroad crossings were protected by a signal person or, later, automated warning devices. Quieter crossings -- those on little-used branch lines or spurs, or over lightly traveled rural roads -- might only be marked with a sign. Designs varied by railroad company, but most used an X-shaped sign with a message like "Stop, Look and Listen" or "Look Out for the Cars."
- December 01, 1925
- Collections - Artifact
Railroad Crossing, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, December 1925
Busy railroad crossings were protected by a signal person or, later, automated warning devices. Quieter crossings -- those on little-used branch lines or spurs, or over lightly traveled rural roads -- might only be marked with a sign. Designs varied by railroad company, but most used an X-shaped sign with a message like "Stop, Look and Listen" or "Look Out for the Cars."
- Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad Crossing, Wauseon, Ohio, June 1926 - On the railroad, "grade crossing" refers not only to a railroad-roadway crossing, but also to the intersection of two different railroad lines. Both crossing types are seen in this photo. The road crossing is protected by signs with flashing warning lights. The crossing of the two railroads, farther in the distance, is protected by semaphore signals mounted atop tall poles.
- June 04, 1926
- Collections - Artifact
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad Crossing, Wauseon, Ohio, June 1926
On the railroad, "grade crossing" refers not only to a railroad-roadway crossing, but also to the intersection of two different railroad lines. Both crossing types are seen in this photo. The road crossing is protected by signs with flashing warning lights. The crossing of the two railroads, farther in the distance, is protected by semaphore signals mounted atop tall poles.
- Railroad Crossing Signal, September 1924 - The first automated, flashing red light railroad crossing signal appeared around 1913. The flashing lights mimicked the motion of a lantern being swung back and forth -- long a signal for "stop" on American railroads. The X-shaped crossbuck sign, in wide use by 1900, was inspired by the skull and crossbones -- a universal symbol for danger.
- September 06, 1924
- Collections - Artifact
Railroad Crossing Signal, September 1924
The first automated, flashing red light railroad crossing signal appeared around 1913. The flashing lights mimicked the motion of a lantern being swung back and forth -- long a signal for "stop" on American railroads. The X-shaped crossbuck sign, in wide use by 1900, was inspired by the skull and crossbones -- a universal symbol for danger.