NNN/AAAAAAA

[Stevan Z]

There was an elusive 500-AT in Lombard, but it has never been confirmed. Here is a photo from the Siren Enthusiast Facebook page (Steven Z's photo):

Yes that is my photo from Facebook. And yes, its a confirmed 500.

[SuperBanshee]

I'm intrigued about the one photo - I was certain it showed the old 500 under a tarp. If it's not the 500, perhaps it's that strange flag-like object behind the siren seen in the Google Maps picture. I seem to recall people thought it was a Thunderbolt even though it doesn't look to be.

The Google Maps view shows the 500's nice deep red color - this was one of Federal's alternative paint schemes during the 1950s, sometimes used for non-Civil Defense sirens. This helped to differentiate from sirens reserved for Civil Defense which were usually Sunshine Yellow. In truth there was little consistency with this practice as many sirens were painted yellow no matter what their purpose was. The 500-SH in Reedburg, WI was painted yellow even though it is a fire siren.

With enough time and patience I'm sure a more extensive list of 500 locations can be compiled. Old city records, photos, and eyewitness accounts would be most useful. Another location that evaded my earlier post was Richmond, Minnesota. A nice photo of it, an Erick siren, and a fire bell can be found on Wikipedia. From what scant detail can be made out, it appears to be a 1970-1981 model since the intake assembly cannot be seen along the projector screen.
A direct link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2013 ... mondMN.jpg

[SoundMaster 391]

Here we go SuperBanshee. I found this video on YouTube. From what the cam recorder says he filmed this back in 2003. The location was in Madison, Wisconsin and it was located at a park somewhere. Not sure which park though.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCkIuC4t-y0

[SuperBanshee]

That one was located on Charleen Lane near McGinnis Park. It sounds great in the video but unfortunately it is gone. The one on Hammersley Road appears to have been the last 500AT left in Madison, and it will be gone soon if it isn't already.

[Valra Bellkeys]

If someone made a list of all known 500's, so much of that list would be in Los Angeles...

[holler]

And somehow we wound up with one here in Georgia.

[freebrickproductions]

Isn't there also a 500AT in Dundee, MI?

[SuperBanshee]

Yes - the one in Dundee, Michigan was installed in March 1970 which would make it one of the very last 500-SHTTs to use the 10-12 chopper. It is still in service as a fire siren, sounding the "Attack" wail signal for fire calls. In fact the Attack signal was originally the fire departments' preferred call signal before the dawn of Civil Defense. The fire department had this siren rebuilt in 2008-2009 and they changed the gearbox or belts so it rotates much faster than usual.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iWDtVkUaKg

[coastalsyrolover]

And somehow we wound up with one here in Georgia.

One from LA or one originally put in service there?

[murrfarms]

And somehow we wound up with one here in Georgia.

One from LA or one originally put in service there?

Original installation from sometime in the mid-1960s. It's the 500SH-TT in Byron, GA that we've recorded several times in the past. It wasn't originally installed on that particular water tower that it's on now though; it used to be way up on the upper brace of the old water tower in downtown where its original mounting platform still remains, which is identical to the platform mounted to the water tower that it's on now. I'm not sure when it was moved to the newer water tower or why, but I would imagine it was done no later than sometime in the 90s since the water tower is fairly old now.