This page is for me to give my opinion on crossing signals, and which ones are my favorites.
NOTE: Clicking on thumbnails won't bring up a larger picture.

Crossings such as this one in Pomona, CA are my all time favorites. The Watson Rd. crossing used to be just like this crossing here, with 3 signals always being on at once. Now, it's 2.

I don't like crossings that only have 2 signals activate for crossings that have four or more signals. Three would have to be the absolute minimum. I saw a picture at a Ohio crossing, that had all 4 light up, but the gate stayed up on the crossing that didn't have a train going through it. Any kinds of lights whether they're 8", 12"x20", or 12"x24" are all okay, although I prefer 8", and 12"x20" the most.

These 4 types of cantilevers are getting harder to find, especially the third one. Any of these are still a good sight to see.

8" signals are my favorite types of lights because they're getting harder to find, especially on the west coast. The shield guard on the second picture is even rarer to find. Also Griswold 8" lights are also my favorites too.

Also all rare signals are all favorites too.

12"x24" lights I really despise anymore. They look WAY too big, and I wish that they never existed. If 12" is needed, railroads should ALWAYS use 20" backgrounds, never 24". They just look ugly IMO.

Another complaint I have are lights being mounted on gates instead of the masts. Most times, they aren't level with the lights in front, and it's just something that should've never existed.

But the biggest quirk is lights missing on the mast signals, but yet, they have them both ways on the cantilever. I don't mind missing rear flashers on the cantilvers for some odd reason. Mast flashers should ALWAYS have front and rear facing flashers except for one way roads, median signals, or mast signals that protect the wrong side of the road (see below, divided highways don't count).

And if that isn't bad enough, there are the ones that don't have rear flashers on the mast without cantilvers. This is a main reason why I don't like the current type of scale signals today, because most out there just have front flashers. Only NJ International, Signalogic and Tomar make signals with lights in front and rears. Signalogic is the only one so far that makes rear flashers for cantilvers.

There are exceptions though. If the signals protect a one way street (divided highways such as the first picture above do NOT count), then I don't mind front flashers. Also, either front/back and front only flashers are okay for median signals. I like both types. Also in the third picture is a signal protecting the opposite lane of traffic. I don't mind those being front flashers either.

Pictures taken from the Public Utilities Commission Of Ohio Website.

Cantilever signals with lights on the cantilevers, but none on the mast flashers. I've seen a lot in Ohio that have either crossbucks, or no crossbucks on the mast but have no flashers. Come on people, put flashers on the masts!!!! Note that this does not apply to wigwag crossings.

Missing Crossbucks. I've seen some crossings that have missing crossbucks. Come on now people. Do I have to start making them so that I can put them up myself. I wanted the Rancho/Doogan signal to have one so bad when I was younger. Too bad it still hasn't happened in over 25 years!

Another problem out there are signals with gates in front of the cantilever with a crossbuck and a set of front facing flashers. Just like with rear lights on the gates, these don't match, and are completely unnecessary. All gates should NOT have ANY flashers on them PERIOD. Mount them on the cantilvers instead.

Mismatched background discs. These mistakes are just too unforgivable.

Turned crossing lights. What's the point of having crossing signals at these crossings if they're turned the wrong way???

Missing Visors. These things just look like shoddy work.

Missing/damaged backgrounds. Neglect. That's all I have to say about these. Little damage is not that bad, such as minor fading.

Mismatched lights. This crossing has one with 12"x24" lights, and the other with 8" lights. MAKE THEM THE SAME TYPE PEOPLE!!!

GRS 8" and 12"x20" plastic lights. Easily breakable, and just like 3M traffic lights, the lights disappear when you get too close.

While you can't see clearly, both crossbucks have different fonts. This also goes for all signs whether they're STOP ON RED SIGNAL signs, or track signs. MAKE THE FONTS ALL THE SAME!

What I don't like are crossings that only have one working signal. I know most wigwags have only one signal. I really hate that. All crossings whether they are wigwags, or modern signals, need at least 2 crossing signals.
One cantilever, and one mast flasher are okay, but one crossing signal and one wigwag are NOT.

This is completely wrong. Crossbucks and Stop signs violate each other. A crossbuck means, "Yield", so the stop signs like this actually override the Yield part of the crossbuck. REMOVE THE STOP SIGNS PEOPLE!!!

Unpictured are the bells. I also don't like the crossings that have the bells shut off after the gates finish lowering. I've been around crossings that 99% of the time would never shut off during the whole duration. I don't mind them going off when the gates go up though.

But my biggest gripe out there are railroad companies that scrap old crossing signals/signs. I think by law, railroad workers cannot resell old signs or signals, the question I have is WHY??? Anyone with a legimate answer to this is invited to email me, and if a debate results from this, I'll be happy to be part of this. Come on people think, millions of dollars can be saved by re-using crossing equipment, instead of scrapping them or boil them. I've said this since Day 1, and I've heard a few answers by people, but not legimiate ones. Attention FRA: Change your LAW and REUSE CROSSING SIGNALS!!!!!!!!!!

To Union Pacific: Donate more of your old signals that you don't use to railroad museums! I've heard that UP scraps entirely good signals and will not give any museums any of their good stuff. If I could do things differently...

With all the things I don't like about today's railroad crossings, you're probably asking "What does he like about crossing signals?"

There are some new products out there that I like, but some people don't, or I don't care whether these exist or not.

1) ELECTRONIC BELLS: Most people hate these bells saying that the sound quality is too poor. While I didn't like them at first either, they've grown on me, especially the General Signals electronic bells. While almost everyone I've talked to hates WCH electronic bells, I like them. Call me crazy... "YOU'RE CRAZY!"

2) DIFFERENT BELL TYPES: While I do complain about different light types, I don't mind about bells. Whether a mixture of mechanical or electronic, or 2 (or more) mechanical or 2 (or more) electronic bells exists, It kind of creates a kind of "song" at the crossing. Take for example General Signals types 1 and 2. While they are electronic, it's something you don't hear everyday, and kind of carries a "tune" of some sorts.

3) L.E.D. LIGHTS: I haven't heard many complaints about these lights, but I do wish that these would replace ALL incandescent lights, even the gate lights. Sometimes the incandescent lights are just not bright enough, and they need a brightness boost. L.E.Ds are the only solution to the problems in most cases. Take a look at the Fanning crossing in Flagstaff for a comparison.

4) EVA CROSSBUCK: While I don't like their "Knight Rider strobe light", I do like their crossbucks. I've only seen one picture of them lit up with 12"x24" lights. I'd like to see more of those pop up around the U.S.

5) STOP ON RED SIGNAL SIGNS: While only Michigan requires ALL crossings to have these signs, they aren't that much of a inconvience or a problem in my opinion.

6) THE PERFECT CROSSING SIGNAL: All lights are 12", there are lights on the mast flasher, no the gate and all lights flash properly. The bells are different, but look at #2 above for the explaination above.

1) WRONG PLACEMENT SIGNALS: I would've mentioned this on the complaints section, but all situations that have the signals on the wrong sides on the road, or on the median are for good reasons, so I don't have a problem with those.

2) TWO OR FOUR GATES?: With two or more crossings where they're very close together, where 4 or more signals protect both crossings, some crossings have gates on all 4 signals, while some only have 2. All that matters to me is that 3 or more signals flash at once. Gates don't matter much to me.

3) GATES OR NO GATES?: The main problem nowadays is what to do at malfunctioning crossing signals. At crossings with no gates, the signals act as STOP signs. If there's no trains coming by, then you are legally allowed to continue crossing the tracks. However if there are gates. You must wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait until either the signals time out, or until a railroad worker goes out and either fixes the signals, or raises the gates for you to cross, which could take more than 30 minutes. For example: The Parks Crossing near Flagstaff, AZ. No one was around to raise the gates during the malfunction. I really wanted to, but I likely would've gotten arrested for doing so.

The crossing gate law REALLY needs to be thought of more by the FRA. This makes times like this that I wish I had the power to raise malfunctioning gates to ANYONE, without law enforcment getting in my way. Oh well. I can dream...

4) NO BELLS: There are some crossings I have on here that don't have any bells. I've never personally been to any crossings like that. To me, for right now, bell-less signals are almost like crossbucks in my opinion. I'll have to go and find one to fully report on these.

5) TRACKS SIGNS: California doesn't like using the white track signs for some reason. They use the yellow ones that go underneath the warning signs. Almost all other crossings have them. There are some that don't (US 24 in Gilman, IL), and while those bother me a little bit, it doesn't bother me that much.

6) WIGWAGS: While I do like wigwags, they aren't my favorite signal. The Dominguez 1 crossing pretty much told me that when twice, at least one signal would not work. They are just undependable. Any color target is fine with me. My favorite type of wigwag is the cantilever type. I don't like the upright or the peach basket wigwags that much. I also don't like them facing the wrong side of the road, or across the tracks. I like them where crossing signals should be.

7) GRISWOLD STOP SIGN SIGNALS: These pretty much go in the 8" signal classification. These are good signals.

8) CROSSING LIGHT MANUFACTURERS: While I do mind that all lights should either be 8", or 12"x20" or (shutters) 12"x24", the manufacturers don't matter. Out of 4 lights, one can be from General Signals, one from WCH, one from MI, and one from US&S. Just as long as they're all the same size.