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Michael L. Cummins January 26, 2004 On
January the 19th 2004 two Norfolk & Southern employees
approached the Ashville Area Heritage Society with the proposition that
two recently removed from service grade crossing signals might be
available to the society. Dennis Blaney (trustee AAHS) and Michael
Cummins (president AAHS) accompanied the employees to the Madison Avenue
crossing in Ashville to observe the signals. The employees indicated
that rail fan enthusiasts considered certain portions of the signals
very collectable. The employees also indicated that if these signals
were not acquired in the near future they would probably be made to
disappear by collectors. As a forum of the AAHS trustees was not
available Dennis and Mike made the command decision that these signals
should be acquired. On
January 21st 2004 Dennis Blaney met with Franklin Christman
(Village Administrator) concerning the village removing the signals from
railroad property. It was agreed that the village would move one signal
to the Ashville Park and the other would be temporarily moved to Dennis
Blanney’s property for storage. The village did move both signals the
week of January the 19th. The AAHS trustees plan to move
their signal to the museum park as weather permits and an exact location
can be determined. These
signals are thought to be the replacements for the wigwag signals that
at one time protected the Madison Avenue crossing. The below images are
of signals that currently protect the grade crossing at Griggs Street in
Ashville. These signals are almost exact duplicates of the Madison
Avenue signals. Norfolk & Southern plans to replace the Griggs
Street signals in the future.
Griggs Street crossing looking east. January 26, 2004
Griggs Street crossing looking west. January 26, 2004.
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