Near Union in McHenry County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Early Railroad Signals
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 6, 2010
1. Early Railroad Signals Marker
In the earliest days of railroading, train movements were controlled by flagmen, station agents, or other workers alongside the tracks, using flag or lantern signals to stop or start trains as needed.
The first practical mechanical wayside signals, developed in the mid-1800's, used large colored balls manually moved up or down a tall pole with a rope. A ball at the top of the pole meant "clear to proceed" (even today, railroaders refer to a signal to proceed as a "highball," one of many railroad terms that entered general use).
Manually operated semaphore signals soon followed, using the position of a brightly-painted wooden blade to convey "stop," "slow," or "proceed" orders. Though an improvement, all manual signals remained prone to human error. The development of the electric track circuit in the early 1870's allowed signals to be controlled automatically, greatly reducing the chance for mistaken signals and the possibility of collisions.
Erected by Illinois Railway Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications
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Location. 42° 13.7′ N, 88° 31.63′ W. Marker is near Union, Illinois, in McHenry County. Marker is on the north wall of Barn 4, on the grounds of the Illinois Railway Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7000 Olson Road, Union IL 60180, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Chicago Railways Company Date Stone (a few steps from this marker); Railroad Rails (a few steps from this marker); Railroad Standard Time (within shouting distance of this marker); Chicago and North Western 9933 (within shouting distance of this marker); Couplers (within shouting distance of this marker); Railroad Brakes / Westinghouse Automatic Air Brakes (within shouting distance of this marker); Simplex Type Automatic Coupler (within shouting distance of this marker); Soo/Milwaukee Road X-5001 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Union.
Also see . . .
1. Railroad Signals of the U.S. (Submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. A Primer on Railroad Signals. (Submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Railroad Signals. (Submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 6, 2010
2. Early Railroad Signals Marker
Marker at far right top, just below the yellow and black semaphore signal arm.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 26, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,195 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
