What is this?

[Pimpala03]

I noticed this atop a tower, it kind of made me think it might be a siren. I'm sorry for the really crappy cell phone pic, I did not have a real camera.

[JasonC]

Pimp, at first glance, it looks like an old railroad Semaphore, but since you live in Louisiana, my guess is that it's a Gamewell Dipahone air horn. They have a very distinct sound, and larger ones were used as fog horns.

[Pimpala03]

The building in the picture is the old train depot.

[JasonC]

What town is this located in?

[Pimpala03]

Here's the Street View link.

[Pimpala03]

Bernice, LA.

[Trey]

I think it is a semaphore since it is at that depot.

[JasonC]

Yep, it's definitely a semaphore Looks like the tracks were abandoned quite a few years ago, but they are still mapped on Google Maps. A lot of old depots kept their semaphores for historical purposes. Don't feel bad though, a lot of common things are mistaken for sirens all the time.

[Pimpala03]

Well tell me, Jason... What's a semaphore?

[Tannre]

I honestly have no idea either, maybe it is in the Gamewell family, since it resembles a Diaphone quite significantly.