Today's excursion trains, especially if pulled by a steamer, attract lots of railfans with cameras at just about every grade crossing they pass. That wouldn't have been the case back in that time frame because a train going through a grade crossing would have been an everyday occurence and there would be no reason to expect there would be a crowd, with or without cameras.
No, it's a HO scale model. If it has a prototype the caption doesn't mention it.
THe photos prove my point
There's also ones with multiple balls/lanterns for more complicated crossings. The ball signal in Bellows Falls, VT had five. That one was thankfully rescued, restored, and currently resides at the Ligonier Valley Railroad Museum in western PA.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I was about to ask how these work, but Ed's last photo makes it clear that whichever track has the "high ball" gets to proceed. Or...?
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
Here's a ball signal (hard to see, it is lowered) on the Maine Central where it crosses the Sandy River & Rangely Lakes in /farmington, Maine.
Maine Central crosses Sandy River, Farmington by Edmund, on Flickr
and at Whitefield, New Hampshire, WITH the obligatory fans in attendance:
Highball by Edmund, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
In that time frame I was a teenager or younger, with a cheap film camera that got like 12 shots to a roll, had to be developed and printed to see what you got. Remember those years?
Now, I can travel with my digital camera and bring home 150 perfect digital pictures of Kuiai from a helicopter.
Photography has gotten a lot simpler.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Col BobI am reading my just purchased copy of MR Guide to Junctions and picture 1-14 is wrong. It shows a ball signal in use on the B&M in the late Fifties/Early Sixties. The problem? There's no people in the scene except for the signalman at the door of his shanty to check the passing train (that part is quite correct). But there should be a crowd of railfans taking pictures of the signal!
Is that the one at Whitefield, NH, Bob?
I love ball signals. I have a soft spot for wig-wags, too.
The same here in the U.K.. Only a 'handful' were seen taking railroad photographs in the 1950s/60s. Those that did take pictures have left a 'Holy Grail' of memorabilia.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Railfaning wasnt as big a thing in the 50's and 60's.
I am reading my just purchased copy of MR Guide to Junctions and picture 1-14 is wrong. It shows a ball signal in use on the B&M in the late Fifties/Early Sixties. The problem? There's no people in the scene except for the signalman at the door of his shanty to check the passing train (that part is quite correct). But there should be a crowd of railfans taking pictures of the signal!