My 1966 Federal Model LV Fire Signal Siren

[me400r3]

First post on the forum.

In Summer of 2020, I unexpectedly became an owner of a siren. Sure, it’s not some Vortex or something but it has a 8 port chopper… so it’s still a siren obviously.

I’ve been into sirens for over 10 years (just joined ARS recently), but vintage traffic control devices are more of my main hobbies. That year I acquired an almost extinct traffic signal combination, a two section signal head meant to stop traffic outside a firehouse, with a siren on top to audibly alert motorists to clear the way for the engine responding. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the siren is a LV by Federal Sign & Signal from 1966.

The signal setup was originally owned by the City of Long Beach and was salvaged in the late 1980s by a gentleman who at the time was working on the LA Metro Blue Line project, the first light rail line in the region using a old red car right of way. The signal sat in his scrapyard for 30 years awaiting some restoration that never happened, and ultimately was sold to me in overall rough condition.

The setup was taken apart for cleaning and restoration. First thing I wanted to see was if the siren actually worked. I spun the chopper to find it’s not seized and aside from tons of dirt spun. Then I hot wired the leads a cord to see what happens. It worked! Was loud and proud with a higher pitched 8 port tone. The restoration took a back seat for 3 years until last Fall I decided to finally restore both the siren and signal. It took about 4 months to finish.

I took apart the siren, and all it needed was new hardware and cosmetic work. The siren received new brass screws (originally were stripped), and the housing was sanded and repainted. The original colors were a red intake / top cover, with a black shroud. After work was finished the siren was reassembled and mounted back on its freshly repainted perch. All a LV is, is a vertical mount Model L meant for things like traffic signals. The siren was likely on some control relay at the fire station (unknown which one exactly, long gone) but I hooked up a small corded switch so the siren could be manually sounded for occasional signal-related demonstrations.

(Pictures go from bottom -> top.)

[Eclipse DDS]

Wow, that's an amazing (and unique) restoration job! I had no idea a traffic light-siren combination existed in this way, this is really interesting!

[me400r3]

Thanks! It was kinda a somewhat California thing back in the 60s, but today there’s no known signal / siren combos hanging, let alone still functional. This may have served Station 7 but I have zero way to confirm, even off Historical Aerials.

[getextreme2]

but today there’s no known signal / siren combos hanging, let alone still functional.

There is one, it's somewhere in California, near San Francisco I believe. I couldn't find it though on the map, but I do remember seeing it a few months ago on there.