One of the most frustrating things for an historian is knowing you read something somewhere but not being able to trace back to the source….the info I seek is out there, somewhere!! I was thinking it might have been in the Van Raken book, but I just scoured that and didn’t come up with it. In fact, it’s a little surprising it doesn’t discuss the getting the tracks out of downtown Zeeland more…
SOMEWHERE I read that when the Interurban tracks were moved off Main Avenue and into private right of way through Zeeland one half block north of Main the town required the interurban company to furnish wig wag signals (they may have called them something else but it was clear this is what they were referring to) at each crossing because the cars didn’t have the same visibility rolling along through backyards as they did on the street. In exchange, the interurban could run a little bit faster with this extra piece of safety. Except, apparently, when someone was boarding or alighting from one of the crossings! Can you imagine seeing an interurban car roll through zeeland passing a half dozen or more wig wags?!
Thanks for sharing this great West Michigan interurban action photo. It’s one of my favorites!