Road signs from the late 30s to WW2 era?

[p51]

I'm in the process of building my dream model RR layout and I will eventually be looking to make a couple of road signs.
I want everything to be as historically correct as possible as the layout will take place in 1943, but I started wondering about road signs back then.
I'm assuming that road signs didn't have 'unpainted' backs like they do now? Were the backs painted in the same color as the front, if painted at all?
How common were glass reflectors within road signs? I know they were relatively common for RR crossing signs, but what about speed limits and such?
Also, can anyone show me a speed limit sign that mentions the WW2 mandated road speeds? I'd love to recreate one of those but can't find one online anywhere...

 

[LizzieMaine]

I have a book called "Municipal Index" for 1930 which, among other things, serves as a catalog/advertising medium for manufacturers of road signs, and most of the signs on the roads in the era you're talking about would have been consistent with the types shown in this manual.

The reflector-ball signs were very, very common. They were used for route markers, directional signs, stop signs, and informational signs on rural thru-travel roads practically everywhere. They were usually painted a flat black on the back side, and had a shallow metal cover bolted to the back to retain the reflector spheres in place and to facilitate replacement where necessary.

Signs were most often made of a heavy-gague embossed steel enameled yellow (hazard signs) or white (informational signs). They were, more often than not, tinged with rust as the paint wore away.

Speed limit signs during the war years were generally left as-was, since Federal law was known to everyone and superseded all posted limits. Some communities would drill holes in the signs and bolt a plate with "35" on it over any higher number, but this wasn't common or especially necessary. If there were any doubts, you needed only look to your windshield, where the back side of your mileage ration sticker was printed with a reminder to keep your speed below 35.

Stop signs in most states were yellow until 1954, and many old yellow signs remained in use in small towns well into the seventies. In the thirties and forties, these were often labeled with the specific type of stop requirement: THRU S T O P TRAFFIC or BOULEVARD S T O P

Yield signs didn't exist until the early fifties.

 

[p51]

Cool, I never knew stop signs were yellow back in the day, I need to try to find a photo of one.
Anything on non-reflector signs? I can't think of any way to accurately model a glass-reflector sign in O (generally, 1/48) scale.
I remember years ago seeing a photo somewhere of a sign that had the national WW2 speed limit but can't recall the exact wording. That said, I doubt a back woods road in rural NE Tennessee (where my model RR will take place) would have a fancy new sign like that anyway...
thanks for the info!
I looked online for the yellow stop signs and found a really good reference I'd never noticed before, I'll be using this when I'm ready to make signs for the layout: http://www.andrewturnbull.net/signs-r.html

 

[tonyb]

Not to drift too far afield here, but I've noted much greater uniformity in road signage these days than was the case when I was a youngster, when there was considerable variation from state to state. This has me thinking there has been a deliberate effort to this end. I suppose I could easily enough research this matter. Maybe I will.

 

[Stearmen]

Your wish is my command! Not sure which scale you are using, but, some Burma Shave signs would be a nice touch. Plus, you could change them out every now and then!

 

[Shangas]

Stop signs were yellow for much the same reason that American school-buses are yellow. It was believed to be the most easily-seen colour while out on the road. It was meant to improve safety. The letters STOP were painted on in BLACK for higher contrast and readability.

Here's a picture with old yellow stop signs:

 

[Stanley Doble]

Some signs like those identifying towns or roads were painted on plywood. They used high quality marine type plywood with the lettering hand painted by sign writers. The signs were mounted on 4X4 jack pine posts.

I know this because my brother was a sign painter for the Ontario Department of Highways.

For standardized signs like stop, yield, speed limit, RR crossing, I should think you can buy model signs. Things like "Toonerville 8 miles" or advertising signs you may have to make yourself.

Have you thought of downloading pictures of signs and billboards, printing them on your printer and gluing them to a cardboard or thin wood backing?

 

[p51]

Thanks for the info everyone! That victory speed sign is exactly what I was looking for!

Have you thought of downloading pictures of signs and billboards, printing them on your printer and gluing them to a cardboard or thin wood backing?

That's exactly what I plan on doing.

 

[LizzieMaine]

While there were efforts at making signage uniform in every state, it didn't become Federal law until the mid-sixties, when adherance to official DOT sign standards became a condition of receiving Federal highway funding.

Prior to this, while there were recommended standards, every state was free to set their own. California, for example, had red stop signs as far back as the twenties, and speed-limit and other such informational signs appeared around the country in a wide range of layouts and styles. The only Federally standardized signs every state was required to display during this period were U. S. Highway shields.

 

[O'Sully]

First MUTCD was published in 1935.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Indeed. It was created by a coalition of state highway safety commissions, and used as a general guideline. But it wasn't enforced under Federal law until 1966, with a final compliance requirement of 1968.

 

[tonyb]

I recall seeing yellow stop signs with what appeared to be glass marbles surrounding the letters. They were meant to be reflective, I suppose?

And large yellow triangular no-passing zone signs in Iowa.

To this day, Oregon's speed limit signs differ slightly from those in the surrounding states.

While the variation in signage from state to state had a certain appeal (novelty, a greater sense of being in a "different" place) I'm a fan of uniformity. It just makes sense these days, when people in their millions routinely fly around the country and grab rental cars at the airport. A common language, you know, makes navigating one's way a bit easier.

 

[O'Sully]

Indeed. It was created by a coalition of state highway safety commissions, and used as a general guideline. But it wasn't enforced under Federal law until 1966, with a final compliance requirement of 1968.

Thanks, I couldn't remember when it became mandatory.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The interstate highway system was the big catalyst for sign uniformity, and the standard adopted was that used on those roads. Despite the 1968 deadline, a lot of rural areas had out of compliance signage for years after -- the cost of replacing the signs fell on local administration, and budgets just couldn't keep up. It was the late '70s before most thru roads had compliant signs, and small-town streets often took even longer. The street I grew up on had out-of-compliance embossed-steel signage right up to the late 1990s.

The reflector spheres -- which were originally clear glass marbles and later became faceted plastic reflector buttons -- became popular in the twenties and are still being used where reflectorized film coatings don't stand up well in the weather. A lot of interstate directional signs up here use reflector buttons.

 

[p51]

Yeah, I was so badly hoping to find a Tennessee state speed limit sign, but after several messages to historical societies and even the highway patrol association in TN, I've long since given up as nobody ever labeled their photos, "speed limit sign," making such a search a literal needle in a haystack...
For me, it's all about details. For example, what few civilian cars I have for the layout already have 1942 TN license plates with the 43 metal tag applied, even with the correct county code for where it takes place.
I'm trying to find a good representation of the front page of the local newspaper for the month I'm modeling as well.

 

[tonyb]

Sounds like a fun way to pass the time. Certainly more productive than Facebook.

 

[p51]

Sounds like a fun way to pass the time. Certainly more productive than Facebook.

Yeah, I have zero need for social media. I object to the concept in general and seriously don't understand it.
If anyone is interested, I have a little info on my layout's concept and progress here.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Saw these on sale in O scale at the Walthers web site. Made in brass, so hopefully not too toy train-y for serious modelling purposes.

 

[p51]

Hmmm.. Found them here: http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/nji/nji3250.htm
Pretty pricey for something I could easily make on my own...

 

[Stearmen]

Yeah, I was so badly hoping to find a Tennessee state speed limit sign, but after several messages to historical societies and even the highway patrol association in TN, I've long since given up as nobody ever labeled their photos, "speed limit sign," making such a search a literal needle in a haystack...
For me, it's all about details. For example, what few civilian cars I have for the layout already have 1942 TN license plates with the 43 metal tag applied, even with the correct county code for where it takes place.
I'm trying to find a good representation of the front page of the local newspaper for the month I'm modeling as well.

The news paper should be easy! While most libraries have put their newspapers on microfilm, they usually saved the WWII local papers. Some are now on their computer.