Railway Crossing Signs

[two tone]

 Hi Folks over the pond can some one tell me when they where first used, Having just returned from your neck of the woods I would like a date as differant people over there gave an assortment of dates

[ttrigg]

 Hi Folks over the pond can some one tell me when they where first used, Having just returned from your neck of the woods I would like a date as differant people over there gave an assortment of dates

Are you asking about the 'Crossbuck" 

or the "crossing sign"?

I was able to locate a patent for the crossing sign dated 1923. Was not able to locate much info as to date of the crossbuck. I could be very wrong on this guess but I'm sure that the crossbuck predates to yellow crossing sign by many years. I was able to locate a Louisiana state regulation that required the crossbuck to be at a height of nine feet so as to be easily seen when driving horse drawn wagons and buggies. That regulation was dated 1887. I hope this helps answer your question.

[tangerine-jack]

Crossing signs have been used since the beginning, as as was everything else at the time, it was done according to the local railroads needs. 

The earliest mention of standardization I can find was an article from the New York times dated July 27, 1919 that set the signs as "a circular metal disk, 34 inches in diameter with a white field and a black border line 1" wide and with black perpendicular and horizontal cross lines 2 1/2 inches wide with a black letter "B" 5 inches high in each of the upper corners.  It is to be installed on each side of the crossing at a distance of not less than 300 feet."