This old upper quadrant semaphore was located in Monson, Massachusetts about a mile from the Palmer diamond. It served as a fixed distant to the absolute signal protecting the crossing and was always in the diagonal position indicating ‘approach’.
I made this image on July 20, 1986 of a northward Central Vermont freight (probably job 562).
Purists may note that Canadian National referred to its cabooses as ‘Vans’. More relevant was that by this date, cabooses were becoming unusual in New England. Conrail began caboose-less operation on through freights a few years earlier.
Even rarer in New England were semaphores. Yet this one survived until very recently, when Central Vermont successor New England Central finally replaced it with a color-light. See earlier post: Monson Semaphore Challenge.
A minor point regarding this composition; I’d released the shutter a moment too soon, and so the left-hand back of the caboose visually intersects with the semaphore ladder. This annoys me. Sometimes I like a bit of visual tension in an image, but in this case it doesn’t work.
Not that I can go back and try it again, as much as I’d like to!
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Yes, there was a semaphore near the old wire mill, on the curve on the Three Rivers side of the bridge over Route 20. I have a photo of that one somewhere, but it was much harder to get to and not as photogenic. Also I believe it was removed many years ago when the yard limits were extended. Today there is a fixed distant color light on the tangent immediately south of Three Rivers.
Brian Solomon
Much enjoyed. As a CV fan, my CV knowledge is scant south of Palmer and I had no idea there was (formerly) a semaphore there. I’ve driven into Palmer from Amherst many, many times via Liberty Street and Three Rivers in the late 90s and am curious if the signal north of the Palmer diamond is/was also a semaphore? Never ran across it.