Who makes (that is, manufacturers rather than retailers of others' products) wooden HO crossbucks - either assembled or in kits - with signage appropriate for a U.S. railroad in the transition era, c. 1947-55? I'm finding litttle in an Internet search. Better still, I'd like to make them myself using scale lumber and decals. I believe I once read an article in MRM or a Kalmbach book on how to make them, but cannot find it now. Any ideas?
They varied a bit. Remember signage in that era could date back to World War I. They were more likely to be home made by local crews or suppliers than supplied by one central source back then. They also varied more from road to road. Some had square ends, some were pointed. Some crossed at the modern 90° angle, most were closer to 60°, occasionally one got repaired at a crazy angle. Some roads painted black and white or red and white stripes on the post. Don't use cardstock that's too thick. Those slats weren't 2x6s. Flat toothpicks are pretty good so far as thickness goes for HO. One slat went on one side of the post back then, and the other on the other. Each said "RAIL ROAD" on one side and "CROSSING" on the other. Each was nailed to the post so the post was between the L and the second R. The post didn't cross "CROSSING" at all. Of course, there were the early diamonds with the full RAIL ROAD CROSSING LOOK OUT FOR LOCOMOTIVE (or THE CARS) on them. If you use one, weather it well, as by the forties it was old. Don't use too many. We're used to seeing one on each side of the crossing, on either side of the street. Back in the day, except where busy streets or highways crossed busy main lines, there was usually one sign. As you approached the tracks in your car, the crossbucks were either on your right, across the tracks, or before the tracks but on your left, across the street. This is a detail most modelers get wrong, but this pattern was the one thing about them that was uniform nationwide. If there was one sign, it was either on your side of the tracks, or on your side of the street.
Railroad history - endlessly interesting. Many thanks. If that box image in the lower left of your reply is a sample photo, it's quite blurred. Could you please re-send it?
No, it's my signature. It's called a slow shutter panning shot. The cross bucks are a bit streaked even on the negative. They aren't vintage.
