Hi,
I am modeling the Erie Lackawanna right after the merger and I am working on the lines for the higways. I have searched the past forums and found a reference to a single white line down the middle of the highway. Would the whitelines on the shoulders als be present? I would imagine for rural roads that the shoulders would not have lines where as the town/city area would have had them.
I tried to google for some information, but it seemed to find only current highway markings.
Any advice would be very helpful
Thanks,
Kevin Coyle
I model Texas, and for a period reference, I go to Texas Highways magazine, a vanity publication of the state highway department. My public library has issues going back to the 1950s. Don't know if they have anything like that for your area.
Try researching regional travel and industrial promotion magazines from your time period.
I don't think you will find much very period-and-region specific information of this kind on google.
You might try "American Memory" in Library of Congress, www.loc.gov. I do not believe google will find anything from the hundred million or more online research items at loc, you have to go to loc and search.
You might also try Rensallear Polytechnic Institute model railroad information site, great reference source for this sort of information, but I think you have to join and/or pay.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Kevin:
You might be interested in this site:
http://companypubs.elhts.org/magindex.cgi?ERLA
If I am not mistaken, the dashed lines down the middle of the road were white until the late 60's to early 70's. I feel sure I remember the period when that was changing. It could well have been regional, thought I'm thinking it was US highways that standardized it.
Wikipedia claims the date of the change was 1963. It may be that at the first painting after that they went to yellow, which would make my late 60's memories make sense. Pics from old magazines would be a great resource.
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
Here we go, more than you wanted to know:
http://tcd.tamu.edu/Documents/evolution.stand-alone.pdf
This one puts the date as 1971, which matches what I remember better than the other, though it looks like some places used yellow well before that.
I started driving in 1970. At that time, the lines were still white. In California anyway, the broken white line meant (and still means) you may pass. A solid line means no passing. At that time, I also learned to look at the fog line (side of the road) when high-beam headlights from opposing traffic otherwise obscured you vision.
Another thought: The highway signs have changes since then also. Around here, speed limit signs are black letters on a white background. In 1960, they were white letters on a black background. I'm sure there are other such opportunities to create an anachronism.
Good luck.
I also recall (mid to late 60's I'd guess) a few, in very rural areas, yellow stop signs.
Thank you very much for al the great information.
Kevin
Along with the "white line" issue... does anyone know when the hexagon shaped STOP signs changed from yellow to red ??? I think it was about 1958, but I'm not sure.
Bob/Iron Goat
Here's a link to the same subject
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1211934/ShowPost.aspx
TerryinTexas
See my Web Site Here
http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/
IronGoat wrote: Along with the "white line" issue... does anyone know when the hexagon shaped STOP signs changed from yellow to red ??? I think it was about 1958, but I'm not sure. Bob/Iron Goat
I expect the official date was before 1960, but I know I remember seeing yellow ones in the late 60s, not yet replaced.
Vail and Southwestern RR wrote: IronGoat wrote: Along with the "white line" issue... does anyone know when the hexagon shaped STOP signs changed from yellow to red ??? I think it was about 1958, but I'm not sure. Bob/Iron GoatI expect the official date was before 1960, but I know I remember seeing yellow ones in the late 60s, not yet replaced.In viewing a GN video, I saw a yellow STOP sign at the crossing (along with the crossbucks), so I think I am safe prototypically. Thanks... Bob/Iron Goat
In viewing a GN video, I saw a yellow STOP sign at the crossing (along with the crossbucks), so I think I am safe prototypically. Thanks...
The 1954 15-page supplement to the 1948 MUTCD included 47 revisions and a brief description of each. The most significant change is that the color for the STOP sign was white letters on red background, which resulted primarily from the development of new fade-resistant finishes. The 1954 manual also represents the shift from using mainly regulatory and warning signs on interstate highways to including guide signs. This manual also adopted the use of white letters on green background for Interstate highways.
A completely rewritten MUTCD premiered in 1971. Some of the most significant changes included adding definition of "should," "shall," and "may" requirements. Orange was designated for construction signing, yellow markings separated opposing traffic, and there was a wider use of symbol signs. School signs were also adopted.