this BLEW my mind. JAW on the ground for this. WHERE and HOW the HELL did you FIND some of these!?!?! I can say I only recognized about like, 1/3rd of the pictures. Now I want to get back into wig wags again, now knowing i truly haven't seen all the wig wag pics and videos out there. Think imma sub for this man
you can commonly find most of these pictures online by searching up, for example with the norfolk & western wigwags, "norfolk & western photo archive". they are usually stored on railfanning forums or university archives. i always go back to the magnetic signal 1924 catalogue, which around 70 railroads that used their wigwags. another source that's great for these pictures is google news archive. you can often search up "automatic flagman" and find a ton of results that are incredible and really gets the hype flowing. other times, you can sometimes find a few pictures on a railroad historic society, for instance, i found a picture of a WRRS AutoFlag on google by the nkp historic society by searching up "nickelplate wigwag"
Epic video! I’d seen almost NONE of these photos! Great video and if you’d ever consider making a part two I’d love to see it! Also as a suggestion maybe you could make a video on very early railway crossings (The ones with flashing lights)
i am currently working on a little documentary/explanatory video for my second channel, so do expect to see more lesser-seen wigwag photos! as for older crossings, i can't guarantee that i'll cover them. (probably not in all honesty)
I'm guessing the first wig-wag must be the early gear-driven models, judging by the smaller and rather unusual housing compared to those of Magnetic Signal Co. and WRRS.
your guess would be correct, the first ever wig wag model going to- not the pacific electric, but the bryant-zinc company, who made wigwags as early as 1908. though, albert hunt is credited for the creation of the MAGNETIC flagman.
This collection is a Godsend! Thank you for your labors. I wonder how old the pic at 1'50'' is. I grew up 150 yards or so SW (offstage right) of there, from 1959 to 1970. The automatic flagman, the telegraph poles, the rails (alas, one set was torn up in the mid-to-late 1960s), and the distant bridge- where Pond street crossed over- were the only structures then). Right next to the flagman (in my day) was a smallish steel enclosure painted silver (I believe it may have contained lead acid batteries). The flagman often would get stuck 'on' for as long as it took someone from B&M to arrive by truck (hours later) to fix it. There was a clanging bell and that oddly hypnotic, "chunk/whump" sound as the Wig Wag swung in and out of its sleeve. I recently read how the four red lights (edge on in this pic) were designed to resemble the arc of a swinging lantern. A B&M employee lived offstage left, the near side of Heath street (the street in the pic, which had been paved by the time I was two or three). He never had indoor plumbing, but bought a new Pontiac about every two years. He once gave me one of those blue/white striped caps, which I treasured until it disintegrated. Sorry for the prolixity, this brings back a ton of fond memories that will keep me awake til sunrise.
Actually it's Kenton, Ohio at :25.
this BLEW my mind. JAW on the ground for this. WHERE and HOW the HELL did you FIND some of these!?!?! I can say I only recognized about like, 1/3rd of the pictures. Now I want to get back into wig wags again, now knowing i truly haven't seen all the wig wag pics and videos out there. Think imma sub for this man
you can commonly find most of these pictures online by searching up, for example with the norfolk & western wigwags, "norfolk & western photo archive". they are usually stored on railfanning forums or university archives. i always go back to the magnetic signal 1924 catalogue, which around 70 railroads that used their wigwags. another source that's great for these pictures is google news archive. you can often search up "automatic flagman" and find a ton of results that are incredible and really gets the hype flowing. other times, you can sometimes find a few pictures on a railroad historic society, for instance, i found a picture of a WRRS AutoFlag on google by the nkp historic society by searching up "nickelplate wigwag"
based af i hope more wig wag pics surface and more videos even potentially
i have more photos. do you think i should post another wigwag photos compilation?
@@Nthuziast PLEASE yes it’s the reason I subbed lmao
@@Nthuziast 1:25 have you created this yet?
Epic video! I’d seen almost NONE of these photos! Great video and if you’d ever consider making a part two I’d love to see it! Also as a suggestion maybe you could make a video on very early railway crossings (The ones with flashing lights)
i am currently working on a little documentary/explanatory video for my second channel, so do expect to see more lesser-seen wigwag photos! as for older crossings, i can't guarantee that i'll cover them. (probably not in all honesty)
@ That’s fine I was just wondering. I didn’t know you had a second channel actually!! Very cool I’ll definitely check it out when it’s posted
@@vwbubs1170 well i actually just came up with the idea of using it as a secondary channel a few days ago so yeah it'll be a little bit until then
@ Okay sounds good!
I'm guessing the first wig-wag must be the early gear-driven models, judging by the smaller and rather unusual housing compared to those of Magnetic Signal Co. and WRRS.
your guess would be correct, the first ever wig wag model going to- not the pacific electric, but the bryant-zinc company, who made wigwags as early as 1908. though, albert hunt is credited for the creation of the MAGNETIC flagman.
@@NthuziastWhat about the hall wig wags? They had a red disc that swung in and out of view. There is a picture of one in 1905.
This collection is a Godsend! Thank you for your labors.
I wonder how old the pic at 1'50'' is. I grew up 150 yards or so SW (offstage right) of there, from 1959 to 1970. The automatic flagman, the telegraph poles, the rails (alas, one set was torn up in the mid-to-late 1960s), and the distant bridge- where Pond street crossed over- were the only structures then). Right next to the flagman (in my day) was a smallish steel enclosure painted silver (I believe it may have contained lead acid batteries).
The flagman often would get stuck 'on' for as long as it took someone from B&M to arrive by truck (hours later) to fix it. There was a clanging bell and that oddly hypnotic, "chunk/whump" sound as the Wig Wag swung in and out of its sleeve. I recently read how the four red lights (edge on in this pic) were designed to resemble the arc of a swinging lantern.
A B&M employee lived offstage left, the near side of Heath street (the street in the pic, which had been paved by the time I was two or three). He never had indoor plumbing, but bought a new Pontiac about every two years. He once gave me one of those blue/white striped caps, which I treasured until it disintegrated. Sorry for the prolixity, this brings back a ton of fond memories that will keep me awake til sunrise.
yo, your info is amazing and very much appreciated. fyi, i'm working on another one of these wig wag compilations
Thanks for creating the google map for wig wags I freaking like you I have my own map but you have a better one Im subscribing 😅
Sad :(