Wednesday, December 28, 2022

After numerous accidents where the Illinois Central Railroad crossed Highway 7 near Grenada, Mississippi, in the 1930s, inventor Alonzo Billups came up with this one-of-a-kind solution.


When a train approached the crossing, motorists were confronted with a lighted skull and crossbones, the glowing words “Stop-DEATH-Stop,” flashing neon arrows indicating the train’s direction, and an air raid siren.

This crossing had numerous deadly accidents, one of which was someone in his family and thus inspired him to create this unique warning device.

Why the railroad, the county, and the state failed to do so, is something I can't understand.  How are they not liable for knowingly ignoring a repeatedly evident and easily found cause of death to the public?

Mr. Billups tried to market his invention but this was the only one ever built. 

The device was installed in 1940 and lasted until 1970. The crossing is still there but all that remains of this device is the concrete blocks that supported it. Picture was taken sometime in 1940.

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