Dec 11 , 2023

The Wig Wag Signal

The Wig Wag Signal

A wig wag was an early railroad signal. Its main advantage over flag semaphore was that it used only one flag instead of two. This meant less labor for a signalman and less stress on the flag. However, even with this mechanical advantage, a person needed great strength to use a large flag on a tall pole. Often, wind or rain would make the operation more difficult. Also, using the flag required a knowledge of a complex series of positions and movements.

A person who knew how to operate a wig wag could convey an order to the engineer by raising or lowering the flag at specific times. The flag could also be moved to a new position with a crank or lever to indicate an emergency stop. Signalmen who had this knowledge were known as flagmen, and they were often highly respected.

Compared with flag semaphore, which requires a very complex sequence of movements to convey a message, the wig wag was much easier for a signalman to operate. Nonetheless, the system of indicating a train's direction by waving a flag or lantern was not perfect. Many mistakes were made by signalmen. For example, a signalman may have forgotten to lower the flag at the right time or might have accidentally waved the flag incorrectly.

The wig wag was a popular form of signal in the US until 1949 when the federal government required crossings to be replaced by Rudd-type signals. However, a few were kept in service until something else made it necessary to replace them. This might have been a road widening project, the installation of gates, or a train accident that necessitated better protection for drivers.

Wig wags were built in various styles. Some were round with counterbalancing "sails" for windy locations, while others had a turret-style mount that could be adjusted to properly aim the banner over the roadway. There were also models that had a chase light above the banner that simulated its movement.

There are a few wig wags in the West that have survived. Several in Western Oregon have been preserved at museums. One is located in Carlton and the other is at the Round Prairie Historical Park near Brooks.

Until recently, the BNSF railway (which owns the old Santa Fe railroad) planned to remove the last wig wag in the region. However, the removal was delayed after a local committee and the Richmond Convention and Visitors Bureau held a "Save the Wig Wags" campaign. As of April 2020, this effort appears to have been successful. The remaining wig wags in the West are along the Willamette Shore Trolley in Portland and on round-pricer Rd in Roseburg.