If I wanted signals, I'd start with Oregon Rail Supply. Nice castings and the kits are under $10, not counting the detection etc. to make them come alive.

http://www.internettrains.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_C...

I'm not clear whether you're trying to duplicate a specific prototype.

Nope, not trying to duplicate a specific prototype, I just liked the looks of the V&O signals. My Midland Atlantic is purely a freelanced road set in Western Pennsylvania and New York.

I do have a couple of PRR signal head from Oregon Rail Supply and they are nice units. However wiring the 7 lights (14 wires!) x 20 or so signals is a bit daunting.

However, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if signaling would be appropriate. The MARR is primarily a coal hauler, with a precious little bridge traffic. What little passenger traffic it might have had is long gone by my 1976 time frame. So I'm begriming to think that maybe either Timetable/Train order or perhaps Track Warrant is the way to go. That way I could put an out of service train order signal at a station or two just to add visual interest.

George

1976 would be a tad early for track warrants or Form D (mostly an early-mid 1980's thing). 

In 1976 it would be timetable and train order, but probably very little operated by schedule, especially if you are mostly coal and no passenger.  Virtually 100% of the trains would be train order extras.  About the only timetable trains would be the local or maybe one high priority manifest train.  For example the Reading stopped using timetable schedules for freights back in the 1920's or 1930's.

So that train order signal would be far from abandoned.  It would be live and functioning, with a train order operator attached.

From looking at V&O photographs over the years, Allen McClelland was using General Railway Signal Co. (GRS) Type-G Target Color Light signals on his layout. If you really want to duplicate this specific signal type, the relatively new Atlas signal system utilize the GRS type-G heads.

http://www.atlasrr.com/trackmisc/hosignals.htm

I see what you mean about being cost prohibitive if you're signaling a large layout, just one simple passing siding alone would require 6 signals.

I am uncertain as to how Mr McClelland modeled his signals, as he obviously scratchbuilt or kit-bashed these. The heads are very similar, but his had a large shroud circling the top of the head versus each individual light as on the Atlas signal. I've gone through the pertinent chapters of the old V&O story (RMC) but he doesn't seem to mention anything about his signals aside from the overall CTC system.

Actually, the V&O's signals look like the ones that were available ready to install from NJ or something like that back in the 70s, as I bought one back then.  They had a white post instead of black or silver and came with three grain of wheat bulbs.  I don't know if they are still available now, but there are several sources of pretty much identical signals today.

Dave, interesting info about TT&TO vs TW, I will definitely look into it more closely. I'm beginning to wonder if a CTC system (left over from days when traffic was heavier and faster) might not be more "prototypical"?

As for the info about the V&O signals, I've been through my copy of The V&O Story from cover to cover too, and couldn't find any mention of the signals.

I guess if I had my druthers, I would be able to find an inexpensive (perhaps non-operational) model of the GRS model G signal that I could add colored grain of wheat bulbs too.

We will just have to see where this all takes me.

Thanks

George

Leftover signals aren't too likely on an operational railroad.  If the signal system was changed from one to another, the MOW crews would be out bagging the defunct signals the minute they were out of service and would make haste to remove the signal heads at the very least within a few days, to avoid any possibility of confusion between the old and new system.  I have seen train order signal and CTC signal posts standing for some time, but the signal heads themselves would disappear as soon as possible.

I remember copying an order on the CN Kapuskasing sub that read something like:

TRAIN ORDER SIGNAL SMOOTH ROCK FALLS OUT OF SERVICE

PROCEED BY DAY INDICATION

I happened to drive by the station at Smooth Rock a while later and the TO signal was still there - covered by a garbage bag.

David

I happened to drive by the station at Smooth Rock a while later and the TO signal was still there - covered by a garbage bag.

I'm sure it was on someone's to-do list someplace...

I've seen quite a few signals along lines where the CTC is no longer in service which still have the heads, but they're turned 90 degrees from the track instead of bagged.  Just another detail option.