Thursday, January 8, 2015

Misc. Salem #29: Southern Pacific Grade Crossing Signal

Lancaster Drive SE

IMG_3857 Abandoned Southern Pacific Geer Line Railroad Crossing Signal on Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
Abandoned Railroad Crossing Signal on September 17, 2006

On Lancaster Drive a railroad crossing signal stood where there was no trace of a railroad.

IMG_3858 Abandoned Southern Pacific Geer Line Railroad Crossing Signal on Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
Abandoned Railroad Crossing Signal on September 17, 2006

The Southern Pacific Railroad once had a branch line between Salem and Geer. This line crossed Lancaster Drive at this point.

IMG_3859 Abandoned Southern Pacific Geer Line Railroad Crossing Signal on Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
Abandoned Railroad Crossing Signal on September 17, 2006

The Willamette Valley Railroad leased the Geer Branch from 1993 until its final abandonment in 1995. During that time, sections of the line were abandoned and the tracks removed, starting at the junction in Salem and working east.

IMG_3860 View of the former Southern Pacific Geer Line Crossing of Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
View East from Abandoned Signal on September 17, 2006

Aerial photos suggest that the tracks were removed from this crossing by May, 1994, but the signals were left in place.

IMG_3861 View of the former Southern Pacific Geer Line Crossing of Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
View East from Abandoned Signal on September 17, 2006

The signal on the other side of the street was gone by the year 2000, but this one remained.

IMG_3862 View of the former Southern Pacific Geer Line Crossing of Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
View East from Abandoned Signal on September 17, 2006

Aside from this signal and a little bit of white paint from the stop lines on the pavement, there is little evidence a railroad was ever here.

IMG_3863 View of the former Southern Pacific Geer Line Crossing of Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
View East from Abandoned Signal on September 17, 2006

Looking to the east, the former railroad grade is now under the parking lot of a Budweiser distributor.

IMG_3864 View of the former Southern Pacific Geer Line Crossing of Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
View West from Abandoned Signal on September 17, 2006

To the west is the fenced-in parking lot of a used car dealership.

IMG_3865 Abandoned Southern Pacific Geer Line Railroad Crossing Signal on Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
Abandoned Railroad Crossing Signal on September 17, 2006

The signal was manufactured by the Griswold Signal Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

IMG_3856 Abandoned Southern Pacific Geer Line Railroad Crossing Signal on Lancaster Drive in Salem, Oregon on September 17, 2006
Abandoned Signals on September 17, 2006

Directly in front of the railroad crossing signal was another signal, with a single signal light and a lighted sign. I don’t know the purpose of this signal.

These signals stood until 2007.

Continue to 30: Coffee In Motion

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