Traffic Lights

[gafftapegreenia]

YES! The yellow flame of a keroscene lantern produces a green light when shown through the blue-green glass. This color is known as signal-green.

As for the lens, there is a specific style of lens that has been recommened by the Institute for Traffic Engineers (ITE - yes there is a group for everything). KOPP calls these "convex, long-range, wide-angle, prismatic traffic roundels".

http://www.koppglass.com/transportationAndSignalLighting.php

Here's the gateway to all things traffic light on the web:

http://signalfan.freeservers.com/

 

[Chaos is Born]

YES! The yellow flame of a keroscene lantern produces a green light when shown through the blue-green glass. This color is known as signal-green.
As for the lens, there is a specific style of lens that has been recommened by the Institute for Traffic Engineers (ITE - yes there is a group for everything). KOPP calls these "convex, long-range, wide-angle, prismatic traffic roundels".
http://www.koppglass.com/transportationAndSignalLighting.php
Here's the gateway to all things traffic light on the web:
http://signalfan.freeservers.com/

And i actually had just gotten the answer of "signal-green" from my dad... He's an avid train enthusiest so it was just a matter of time before he got back to me...

 

[gafftapegreenia]

And i actually had just gotten the answer of "signal-green" from my dad... He's an avid train enthusiest so it was just a matter of time before he got back to me...

I'll believe you. You get the points, but just like Whose Line is it Anyway, they're made up and don't matter.

 

[Logos]

I like traffic lights ... but only when they're green.

 

[CLEFFEL]

Great thread!

Down here some traffic lights have a sort of honeycomb on them so you can only see them when viewed straight on. So the turn lane light can turn green while the others remain red and only the turn lane people can see it.

Maybe Modern Marvels will do a History of the Traffic Light special.

-Chris

 

[Chaos is Born]

I'll believe you. You get the points, but just like Whose Line is it Anyway, they're made up and don't matter.

I was hoping i could buy a cookie with the points! or maybe a custom avatar that looks like a cookie!

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Custom avatars? Sorry, not my call.

Also, check this out, its a "programmable" traffic light. These can be focused on specific lanes of traffic so that drivers do not confuse their light with other lanes. These feature a PAR 36 lamp, as well as a specially designed Fresnel lens. Even more theatrical.

http://signalfan.freeservers.com/traffic signals/3m.htm

 

[Les]

I have a traffic light up in my attic right now. It's unfortunately all-plastic with plastic 8" lenses. The reflectors are indeed parabolic and look like alzak aluminum. I heard that the blue green also works as a color correction in more polluted air. (makes it look more green somehow). Not sure if that's true though. I think that with some refinements they would make great strip lights! I'll bet there are a lot of cities practically giving them away.

 

[avkid]

http://signalfan.freeservers.com/traffic signals/3m.htm

Thanks for that link, I just spent half an hour poring over that site.

Our 1940's Crouse-Hinds control box is still ticking away outside the theatre.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

Custom avatars? Sorry, not my call.
Also, check this out, its a "programmable" traffic light. These can be focused on specific lanes of traffic so that drivers do not confuse their light with other lanes. These feature a PAR 36 lamp, as well as a specially designed Fresnel lens. Even more theatrical.
http://signalfan.freeservers.com/traffic signals/3m.htm

agh! I hate those! so hard to see! As much as the focusable lights seem like a good idea if it gets knocked it becomes useless and I like to look at the cross traffic lights to see when the signal is gonna change.

I love this thread though!

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Ok, heres a new question. What kind of lamps are used in incandescent traffic lights?

 

[jonhirsh]

I would say quartz halogen lamp

 

[Van]

Ok, heres a new question. What kind of lamps are used in incandescent traffic lights?

That's easy.

Incandescent Traffic signal lamps.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Actually, Van, your right. While specs vary, the big manufacturers actually make a traffic signal specific incandescent lamp made for long life and vibration resistance.

 

[Logos]

I like Traffic lights , I like traffic lights, I like traffic lights .... but not when they are red.

 

[Charc]

I like Traffic lights , I like traffic lights, I like traffic lights .... but not when they are red.

As a new driver (had my license for a couple weeks) I seem to have a hard time with yellow lights. When to go for it, and when to hit the brake. I seem to be doing the wrong thing more often then not.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

In my driver's ed they said that when it was yellow you were always supposed to slow down.

 

[jonhirsh]

Wait you were supposed to pay attention in drivers ed... no wonder

JH

 

[gafftaper]

Generally the yellow light rule is slow down and stop. However, if your momentum is enough that you would have to slam on the breaks or if stopping would have you wind up in the middle of the intersection then you should continue through the yellow light. If you accelerate to make it through the yellow light in time, you can be ticketed (at least in this state). Learning to judge your momentum as you approach the light is the key.

When I was in tour bus driver training classes (my grad school summer job), In order to safely stop our 12+ ton vehicle (without throwing our passengers on the floor) they taught us to focus on the crosswalk signals and not wait to be surprised by the yellow light. I've found that it's a trick that really helps my driving in the family car too. If you are approaching a light and you see the crosswalk signal flashing don't walk (or that it has just gone to solid don't walk) you have a much better idea of when the yellow light is coming. That little extra warning time will help you better judge your speed, distance to the intersection and what you should do.

 

[propmonkey]

i usually watch for the cross walk lights.

i remember reading somewhere that they(who knows who "they" are) found that increasing the duration of the yellow light is key in lowering the number of intersection accidents.

when did they begin using yellow lights? i remember seeing traffic lights with just red and green.