Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad The Yoncalla Wig-Wag

Wig Wags on the Central Oregon & Pacific are definitely on borrowed time.  They are no longer considered adequate to protect the motoring public from trains at grade crossings, yet they soldier on in a few locations in Oregon and California.  Early in 2000, three Oregon signals on CORP were slated for removal -- Yoncalla, Three Pines Rd. near Hugo and Medford's 11th St.  Fortunately for us affectionados of these ancient devices, only the Yoncalla wig-wag was taken down in 2000 and it had originally been approved for removal in 1999.
Click on the thumbnails above and below for larger images

	The first time I laid eyes on the Yoncalla Wig-Wag was in the Spring of 1999 when Rick Perry was showing me his territory.  It was protecting a road that once lead to a saw mill.  Rick said that as soon as a barrier across this road was erected, the signal would come down
	Thinking this was the last time I'd see it standing, I fired off a few pictures of the installation and we departed.
	In June I was pleasantly surprised to see the signal still up and active as Rick and I chased Amtrak's Talgo down the Siskiyou Line.  That's Rick's maroon hi-rail pickup in the background: he was officially on duty to take care of any signal problems as well as to check the function of his signals with a live train.
	The passing train afforded an opportunity for a closup shot with the banner swinging.
	The Yoncalla Wig-Wag's time ran out in mid-2000 as a lockable gate was built across the road.  In this pic the crew has rigged a sling to support the signal as they remove the bolts from its base.
	Gently the boom truck lifts the mast, tilts it and partially lowers it.  Here we see the banner being removed to be set aside (photo on right at top of page) .
	Finally the base, mast and cantilever assembly is lowered onto the bed of the boom truck.  Another Wig-Wag has fallen on the Central Oregon & Pacific.