Road striping

[Steven Otte]

In my searching, I also found an unsupported anecdote that striping along the road shoulder wasn't adopted until the mid-60s.

[Steven Otte]

One more thing... A reprint of the 1930 Manual on Street Traffic Signals, Signs, and Markings, which governed such items nationwide until the first MUTCD was issued in 1935, is available on Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/Manual-street-traffic-signals-markings/dp/B002WN2Z9M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320265877&sr=1-1

A history of the MUTCD gives dates of major revisions, such as the standardization of the three-color traffic signal (1935); reflectorized beads on pavement markings (1942); rounded-letter alphabet for all road signs (1948); stop signs changed from yellow to red (1954); yellow striping between oncoming traffic (1971); and revised markings for highway-rail grade crossings (1978). See more here:

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno-history.htm

[GP-9_Man11786]

richhotrain

I need to be educated here. 

Did the colors of the stripes change (from yellow to white or white to yellow) over time from era to era?

Why and when were some roads marked with single and double striping  versus single dashed striping? 

How should shoulder striping differ from center of the road striping in terms of color and solid versus dash?

Thanks.

Rich

I was just watching the movie "Vanishing Point," which came out in 1970. The dashed lines on the road were white but the solid yellow.

[rclanger]

richotrain:

According to wikipedia white to yellow lines state wide in 1971. I don't expect it was done over night.

[richhotrain]

Thanks for all of that additional info guys on the changing colors and patterns of road striping from era to era.  I recalled when first reading this thread that changes did occur.  I just couldn't remember when and how the road striping protocols changed.

Rich

[Steven Otte]

Road striping of various colors, including white, yellow, and black, was used prior to 1971. What the 1971 MUTCD did was to mandate yellow for between opposing lanes and white for all other lines. So if you had a pre-1971 layout and used yellow lines, you still wouldn't be wrong. It just wasn't standardized before then.

[richhotrain]

Steven Otte

Road striping of various colors, including white, yellow, and black, was used prior to 1971. What the 1971 MUTCD did was to mandate yellow for between opposing lanes and white for all other lines. So if you had a pre-1971 layout and used yellow lines, you still wouldn't be wrong. It just wasn't standardized before then.

Black???

LOL  I wonder how that worked?

Rich

[Steven Otte]

Not very well. (rimshot)

But seriously, folks... I'd guess they used black for concrete roads, or re-striping blacktop that had faded.

In Florida I've seen concrete roads with alternating white and black stripes, because the white is hard to see against the concrete, but when it rains and the concrete darkens, the black is hard to see. Edit: Found an example photo. This faded blacktop road is in Virginia.

Makes me think we model railroaders make all our roads too dark. I've also seen white stripes with black contrast borders, probably for the same reason. Here's a photo from a vendor who sells them in tape form.

[wp8thsub]

richhotrain

Black???

LOL  I wonder how that worked?

In my area, black is commonly used as a background/surround for lane markings on concrete roads.  Styles have varied over time.  From the 70s, I remember narrow solid black lines used between lanes, with dashed white lines of the same width added on top of them.  A typical use today has a black rectangle surrounding the white dashes on all sides.  The black is big safety enhancement when driving at night in the rain, as white often "disappears" into the concrete color.

[Motley]

I think I got the color right?

I just finished painting and weathering the road. Now I just need to do the striping!

[Steven Otte]

That color and the weathering look really good. With a road that rough I'd definitely go for the faded, worn look paint stripes would give, rather than pinstripe tape. Also consider adding patches and potholes to the road... just paint in some darker blotches or wiggly lines for tar patches, and for potholes, paint in some of the deeper divots with darker paint speckled with white to represent loose gravel.

When I did the roads for the Bay Junction project, I simulated past utility work by painting a broad stripe of concrete across the blacktop road, and bordered it with black to represent tar sealant. Then I continued the powdered pastel weathering across the patch. Let's see if I can add a photo directly...

[Steven Otte]

It doesn't seem to like uploading a photo directly. Oh well. You can see most of the photo I was trying to post in the photo at the top of page 40 of the May 2011 MR.

[Motley]

Thanks Steve for the great suggestions.

Here in Colorado we have rough roads due to the snow and ice.

I'll post some more photos once I get the potholes and patches done.

[ChadLRyan]

Motley,

Looks pretty nice, it also looks like I paid you a visit, or perhaps Jeremy or Hammond did!!!

Nice work!   (roads are/can be a pain!)

[ChadLRyan]

Actually, all kidding around aside, I know what it takes to put in a highway like that into a layout &; (as I said) Motley, that is an excellent effort & result, great modeling..

SteveO, thanks for contributing so much on this, it is not only wonderful to hear from staff, but also get great suggestons too! Thanks Steve!

My early scale pic shows the cars in an illegal fasion, the red car is breaking the law, by passing over the lines.  My section is painted that way because it will be under a RR bridge & it will also have a 'Scenic Siding', so I painted it that way to discurage any (speedy) passing were there may be slowing, turning, & yielding traffic. It will all make sense as I make more progress on the project.

Again, Great work Motley, & thanks Steve!   

[Motley]

Thanks Chad, I appreciate the great comments.

I just added some potholes, cracks, and patching.

[ChadLRyan]

Sweet man!!! Thanks for 'enertaining' my silliness too.. You're layout just keeps getting cooler every day! Something to shoot for!  

[richhotrain]

Steven Otte

That color and the weathering look really good. With a road that rough I'd definitely go for the faded, worn look paint stripes would give, rather than pinstripe tape.

Of course, he could still use the pinstripe tape on the rationale that the highway department just restriped the payment after patching the cracks and potholes.

Rich

[richhotrain]

ChadLRyan

SteveO, thanks for contributing so much on this, it is not only wonderful to hear from staff, but also get great suggestons too! Thanks Steve!

Again, Great work Motley, & thanks Steve!   

I'll second that on Motley's work - - - first class.

As for Steven Otte, while I agree that it is wonderful to hear from the staff and also to get great suggestions, I get nervous every time I see that he has replied to a post. 

Rich

[Steven Otte]

richhotrain

 

As for Steven Otte, while I agree that it is wonderful to hear from the staff and also to get great suggestions, I get nervous every time I see that he has replied to a post. 

[richhotrain]

Steven Otte

richhotrain:

 

As for Steven Otte, while I agree that it is wonderful to hear from the staff and also to get great suggestions, I get nervous every time I see that he has replied to a post. 

 

My palms were sweaty as I opened that reply. 

Rich

[ChadLRyan]

Rich,

Whoa, that's too funny...

Were you driving the illegal 'red' car, or pushing the norm with the 'blue' car ?

(My name is Neo, & I want the 'red' one)  hah hah.... 

[jmk3438]

i use the edges of index cards and paint in between the cards to obtain strips on roads...It comes out very realastic and it has that faded look to it.   i go about 1/16 of inch.  I tried color pencils and that did not work...

[Southwest Chief]

Old post, but I thought this would be helpful.

Some pages back there was the discussion of using 3M pinstripe tape for road stripes.

I used this material and it works great.  Easy to apply, and sticks very well.

Here is what it looks like.