Imogene (a real town in southwest Iowa) annexed additional land for new businesses. As the result, town fathers had to scrape up money for a new main street three way traffic light and RR lights for the busy P&WV (nee Norfolk&Western) trains that pass through daily. That new light has been the talk of the town for weeks, and can't wait to see it operate (remember small town).
Here we see a view down main street showing the new traffic signal and flashers, just in time to capture the oncoming Y6b. The old brill car might be trundling over main street, or maybe waiting for passengers (this is a small town after all) to take them to the county fair or next town over. Oops, looks like a jaywalker got run over by that white Chevy down the street.
Next, we are standing on the new road from "New Town" as locals call it. The trolley is still waiting, and the train is about to pass through. On the right, the traffic light contractor has the cabinet door open making last minute adjustment to traffic timing, though as there is little traffic, whats a minute more or less. Someone forgot about those new poles, swerving at last minute, but unfortunately knocking down Imogene's oldest tree dedicated to 1854 founder Furmont "Flounder" Imogene. That Ernies Towing, Plowing & Lawn Care from the service station just up the street on left (above picture), pulling the wreck out of the ditch.
Heres another view of that wreck, which besides the Chevy running over someone, made headlines in the Imogene Flounder bi-weekly paper.
Details, details. The traffic light is Berkshire that I bought from a fellow OGR member. I glued black light shields around the face to enhance the LED colors. The poles are oak wood dowels, chosen for their grainy appearance. At my wife's suggestion, poles were darkened by soaking in hot very dark coffee for half hour (good use for 2004 out of date instant coffee!), they are actually lighter than the photos show here and enhanced the grain look. The traffic light hair thin wires are glued to the pole's back side out of normal sight lines. Control box was fabricated out of styrene around a foam block (my first scratchbuild!). The contractor was a posable figure picked up at a show. The flashers are MTH modified with guts removed and wired to a homebuilt flash controller I constructed, never used, but hung onto for that "someday". All the landscaping is done by wife and really looks great (but then I am biased). Buildings are Menards and Woodland Scenics.
So there you have it, warts and all. Enjoy!
