Who is this guy? He collects traffic lights? Really?

Thanks for visiting the official website for my collection of traffic lights – Stop lights, stop signals, red lights, whatever you'd like to call them. Odd hobby? Sure. I admit it. But everyone has some sort of "thing" that they're into or collect. For some people, it's coins. For others, it's books, salt & pepper shakers, or old computers. I collect traffic lights.

Where it All Started

For as long as I can remember, I've had a fascination with traffic lights. I don't know if it was because of the shapes, the lights, or both, but I wanted one badly. I etched images of them into furniture (ask my parents about the redwood patio furniture), I drew pictures of them with permanent marker (ask my parents about the basement stairs), I drew them on paper, I molded them out of clay, I folded them from cardboard, I tried every conceivable way to "build" a traffic light with the materials I had when I was a kid.

Father Feeds the Fire

When I was about four years old, my father built a traffic light night light for me. It was a hanging swag lamp made to resemble a fixed four-way, meaning it was a single signal with lights on all four sides. It was about 20 inches tall, and constructed of quarter-inch particle board with round holes cut out for the "lights". It used red, yellow, and green gels stuck to the inside of the holes for the lenses.

Two night lights illuminated the signal, each affixed to the top and bottom of the inside with electrical tape. Two extension cords powered the lights and ran down a chain from which it hung. I manually changed the phase of the light by plugging and unplugging the extension cords. Guess when I got my first taste of 120 volts running through my fingers.

Then when I was about 9 years old, a vendor at the Chester Flea Market had a full-blown, real traffic light sitting out for sale. My jaw just about hit the dirt. I didn't care that it didn't have the visors. It was so cool, especially seeing one within reach. My Dad eventually haggled the guy down from $80 to $45 and I got my first real traffic light.

It came connected to a home-made controller box in which a rotating disc inside tripped roller switches. They allowed the signal to run through a normal sequence. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. After owning this signal for about 5 years or so, gravity took its toll on it when it tipped over and hit the concrete basement floor, smashing the red lens. This was long before eBay or the internet, so I had no clue where to get a replacement lens. Regrettably, I sold it at a garage sale for $30. Sigh.

For a long time, the hobby and enthusiasm associated with traffic signals was at almost non-existent.

Some Things, You Never Grow Out Of

Years later, and thanks primarily to the Internet, eBay, Craigslist, and word-of-mouth, my enthusiasm re-emerged. Hard-to-find, rare, and odd-ball signals of all sorts started popping up from basements, attics, and barns all over the world.

I was able to meet other like-minded weirdos who shared my fascination with these obscure pieces of traffic control. My collection continues to grow, much to the chagrin of my wife, but she knows I enjoy it and borderline tolerates my hobby, however odd it is.

You Gotta See These

With the collection I have, I figured that keeping it to myself was a large waste of resources. I've not only accumulated a lot over the years, but have also learned a lot. Might as well show them off.

As for my site, the navigation at the top of each page breaks down my collection into a few categories.

• Me & MTL - You're now on this page with more information than you probably ever wanted to know about me.
• Traffic Light Collections - This is just a categories landing page and break-down of the collections. You can also jump directly to each collection.
  • Real - The real-deal traffic signals that performed duty in the real world.
  • Toys - I loved them as a kid and still do. Games, accessories, and more.
  • Wear - Anything that you could don or keep with you for that stylish night out on the town. Or look ridiculous.
  • Décor - Generally, anything decorative you’d find around the home or office.
  • Read - Book for all ages. It will eventually include brochures, magazines, and other reading material.
  • Signs - These may not be signals, but they're still cool.
• Videos - Audio and video that showcase traffic signals in some way.
• Links - Surprisingly and thankfully, there are others who share my fascination with traffic signals. This includes manufacturers' sites, too. If you have your own website relating to the collecting, history, preservation, or general interest in traffic lights or signs, let me know. I'd be happy to add you to my list.
• Blog - There's more to traffic lights than what I have in my collection. Here's where I ramble on about signals I've seen in the wild, discussions about signals that others have asked me about, along with some signal history and random musings.
• Store - I can't keep everything. I do have traffic lights for sale, like toys, decor, and others. My inventory can change at any time, so I'd check back often. If you're looking for something in particular, let me know.

More traffic lights will be added as time creeps along, so check back some time. You never know when I might obtain a new signal. I'm sure you're sitting on the edge of your seat, waiting with bated breath.

Contact Me

If you have any questions about traffic signals, questions about my collection, or would like to offer some insight or expertise about one of my signals, please don't hesitate to contact me.

If you would like to learn how much your traffic signal is worth, I offer detailed appraisals for whatever you think its worth. Because there are no guide books for how much traffic signals are worth, I use my nearly 30 years of experience in buying, selling, and collecting signals to give you an idea of how much your signal may be worth. If you think the information is worth it, toss me a couple of bucks to help me keep the server online. Email me for more information.

If you collect traffic signals or are in the traffic signal business and would like your website linked to from mine, let me know. Either way, it's always nice to connect with other who share interests. Contact me at  Chris@MyTrafficLights.com

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your visit.
Chris