THE WHISTLE POST A real one!

[Eastern Roads]

Well now, here we are, coming to a great and wonderful site, and I could be wrong, but I just haven't seen anything remotely resembling a Whistle Post. What gives??

So, for those of you who have never seen one, and have no idea of what one is, I submit the following example:



But Mike! What's that MX thingy on there?? Well, since this is such a great site, it deserves more than just one toot! So the sign tells the Engineer we have a "Multiple Crossing" coming up! (BLOW that horn, baby!!)

As a historical note, these are a holdover from the steam era, and are still very much in use down here. This sign has seen some abuse, but it is still doing it's job.

Seen any Whistle Posts out there??

[Eastern Roads]

This weekend I went and took a bunch of Cub Scouts to the Sterling Mine Museum in Ogdensburg, NJ. It's an old NJ Zinc mine, and we got to tour the mine, and see a bunch of equipment, and some railroadania there. They even had Lionel Covered Hoppers there labeled for NJ Zinc (it really existed) and had a limited run of 300 made. They were selling for $55 bucks a pop.

Anyway, they had some other RR signs, so I thought I'd add some of the Whistle Posts they had on display:

First is pretty standard, except for the roman numeral sign underneath (multiple roads to toot for??):



The next one I would suspect is a PRR or subsidiary road Whistle Post, note the Keystone Emblem:



And last, but not least, an honest to goodness REAL WHISTLE POST!!



Pretty interesting, all the different ways to tell the guy running the loco how to do his job!!

[ak-milw]

Mike,
The last post, was it wooden or concrete?

[Eastern Roads]

I'm pretty sure it was Concrete, Andy.

[TallDude]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the one we have at my old local club in MD is steel.

[ak-milw]

I have seen them made out of 4 by 4's with the W branded right into the wood, also the cast concrete ones. Can't say I ever seen a steel one.

[domiluk]

This may sound stupid but are signs like those still used today you know to tell the engineer to toot his horn

[Eastern Roads]

"As a historical note, these are a holdover from the steam era, and are still very much in use"

I'm pretty sure the "W" sign signifies Engineers to sound their horn everywhere in the country, seeing RR's are regulated by the FRA. The first sign is on a Conrail Shared Assets line that is still very active.

Go down to the tracks, and look for one of these about along the tracks 100 yards before a grade crossing. I think you'll see one in some configuration.

[domiluk]

OK thanks I'll do that .I know that some of the towns down here are trying to get grade crossing so the engineer don't have to blow there horn I hope this never go's through I love to hear the whistle when they come through town.

[Snoq. Pass RR]

I do not have a photo of it, but the whistle signs on the railroad I work for (Snoqualmie Valley RR) are on a metal pole with a white square sign with a black "W" on them. They have to be the simplest ones ever