Traffic Signals

How traffic lights work, featuring the last of the mechanical controllers

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• traffic
• lights
• acme
• school
• david
• stringer

[10156gamer]

what kind are your signals

[acmeschool]

@10156gamer ,

The video was done around 1990, with borrowed equipment. I think it was all GE.

[vigilante11485]

What? Here in Pennsylvania I see burned out traffic lights all the time: D

[acmeschool]

That comment was made in 1990! Now, twenty years later, we see burned out signals in Toronto as well, along with more potholes...

[SignalKid]

Awesome video...mechanicals are neat but my knowledge is in the computerized systems.

But...

I want to see the blooper reel to this video! I'm sure there's quite a bit of "electrical pokes" pulling the cycle unit and cam drum out of the cabinet while it's live.

-Nick

[acmeschool]

Hi Nick,

I didn't get any shocks or burns or cuts for the entire 26 Acme half hours! I see that I was running this thing on 120 volts (it has the correct bulbs), but it would have been totally isolated power via an isolation transformer.

I made a lot of use of the RV 12 bulb that looks like a regular one, so that I could run open-wiring circuits at safe voltages.

I ripped a lot of clothing, however....

[janderson714]

00:27 . . . that's what she said.

[FenuGeek]

Knowledge is power, kids!

[r0npaul4prez]

Traffic lights = government tyranny. Only the market should decide who stays and goes at an intersection. Anything else = slavery. RON PAUL 2012!!

[Steven197981]

@Computist40 Normally, an electro-mechanical controller does not have battery backup. A computerized controller does, however, have battery backup.

[gongringer]

Winnipeg, Manitoba still has Eagle Signal electro-mechanical relays for intersections in residential areas. You can view a YouTube video of this by entering:

Winnipeg Traffic Signals in the Search window. Vancouver, B.C. had this type of control until 1985. I once saw a police constable walk up to an old control box of non-functioning signals, give it a kick with his boot and immediately everything started working again!

[Breeze646]

I just came back from Montreal, and they still have these mechanical control boxes in Downtown. Almost every intersection I saw (or heard I guess) (except for one) had a mechanical box.

[AmyRoseCute]

Wow, that is so weird; the traffic lights in America have yellow casing.

[Cardgames4children]

is that Shooter Mcgavin?

[nokiaovi1]

Where is the macbook pro?

[zangazoo2007]

I've been a traffic signal collector since 1999 (I own one 8-8-8 signal and 3 12-12-12" signals from the 60s). My controllers are the older NEMA TS1 series, but nothing in my book beats that "curr-chunk" sound the electro-mechanical make, or even when the relays clicked that 60 bpm for late night flash mode. There was even a time when there was no all red clearance interval (meaning all lights are red for a predetermined time before someone gets a green light). VERY COOL VIDEO!!!

[Computist40]

one question, what happens if the power goes out? does it use it's battery then?