And Then There Was One: Southern Searchlights at CP Delaplain

[Gage O'Dell]

As you all know, the veteran Southern Searchlight signals that stood for nearly 50-60 years have fallen on the CNO&TP over the last few years to the new Safetran signals. Well, they haven't all fallen just yet. There stands one CP signal bridge here in the state of Kentucky. (There also appears to be a searchlight mast at Hixson near Chattanooga too). At CP Delaplain, which is the Toyota Yard, about 4 or 5 miles north of Georgetown, stands the last remaining searchlight bridge on the entire CNO&TP.

Because of Norfolk Southern extending the double track at Rogers Gap and moving the crossovers at Delaplain to relieve congestion around the Toyota Yard. The searchlights have stood the test of time, and also the signal reaper thus far. By potentially late summer or the fall, they will fall as did their counterparts. But for now, at least for a brief moment, Southern still rules on the CNO&TP.

On Sunday, I took my first trip to Delaplain and shot the signals for the first time. I almost forgot what it was like to shoot searchlights that weren't surrounded by the "darth vader" signals. So without further ado, below are a few pictures from Delaplain. If you would like to see the entire set, please head over the my Flickr page and check them out! And this will not be the last time I see these wonderful signals. My flickr  >> https://www.flickr.com/photos/46459752@N08/

Untouched Southern Searchlight signals at CP Delaplain.. Such a wonderful and forgotten sight


NS 117 flies under the rarely photographed signals at Delaplain


NS 143 and Southern Searchlights


NS 264 sprints under the signals

[leroy]

GAGE... Thanks for postin this note about the signals... As you (...and others have said...), they will be gone before long and it's great that these images are taken to remind us of them... I figured they had all been cut down by now...

leroy

[Bill Richardson]

   Why are those type signal lights called "search lights"?  They don't send beams of light up into the sky, or anywhere else.  They are just signal lights, light traffic lights on a street.  It makes no sense to call them "search lights".

[Bill Richardson]

   My previous comments weren't directed at Gage O'Dell in particular.  For over a year I have been seeing the term "search lights" used on this forum in reference to railroad traffic lights.  Here is an example of a "search light":



This is just one example, that I found on Wikimedia Commons.  There are others.  All my life, this is what has been meant by "search lights".

[leroy]

Bill... Searchlight signals have been around a long time...

Check this out....

http://www.trainweb.org/signals/usssls1.htm

http://www.railroadsignals.us/signals/searchlights/

I think they started as a trade name... As i remember, they were first built by U.S. Switch and Signal....

leroy

[Bill Richardson]

Thanks for the info Leroy.   I guess they were called "searchlights" because of the concentrated beam of light.

[leroy]

Wouldn't be a bit surprised... They came right after the unlighted semaphores...

leroy


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[GP30Rider]

Bill is right.  There are no searchlight signals.  Never have been and never will be.  Nothing to see here so just keep moving.

[Gage O'Dell]

Bill is right.  There are no searchlight signals.  Never have been and never will be.  Nothing to see here so just keep moving.

Well.. At least not anymore