During the steam era, many rural crossings had the crossing signs mounted on poles that were painted barber pole fashion. What are the two colors? White and black? White and red? ???

No proof on my part, I always sensed Black and White when I looked at photos, however red is known to show up like black on some B&W photography. Yet look at a red caboose and it is way more of a gray tone than anything black around it.

I know somewhere (RCT&HS calendar?) there is a color photo of I-8 on a coal region branch with one of these crossing poles in black and white stripes. But as you mentioned, there are B&W photos where the colors look black and white while others look gray and white. ??? If I use red and white, proof that the standard was black and white will appear shortly thereafter.

I have not yet repainted the barber pole stripes.h the old paint between the rust is black and white. This pole and crossbuck came off the perkiomen at Vera Cruz. It now resides at my caboose. It cost me a case of coors to the operator replacing them with new ones. It was missing the letter C. Which we found in the cinders and welded back on. I hope this helps.

Yes, it does help. Good shot for approximating the stripe with. You welded on the letter "C"? So the crossbuck is a casting with the lettering attached separately? Assumed it was cast with the lettering in place. Again, thank you.

I'll bet the end of the crossbuck was broke off between the C and the R. I got one through similar means. When I was working in my former LEO career I made friends with Dave Snyder, a CR and ex Rdg signal maintainer that covered the Valley and R&C branches that both ran through my jurisdiction. Very soon after the cast iron crossbucks on Fritztown Road were replaced with new reflective ones at the last crossing in Berks County, I found a cast iron crossbuck in my yard one morning, Although I have no idea who was driving it, I did see a CR truck speeding away. Since I didn't live in my township I had no authority to go after him nor site this unknown perpetrator for littering. That cross buck was also broke off at the end, I cannot remember which letter though. Due to an untimely move and change in my marital status, that crossbuck was last seen by me at the RCT&HS facility in Leesport along with my cast iron whistle sign (from Sinking Spring) and a cast iron No Trespassing sign (wait, that might have been a private crossing sign) from where I do not remember. I do admit that one of those signs, found laying loose in the weeds with pole still attached did look a bit awkward hanging out the side of a cruiser. Just doing my duty to keep the good township from looking like a scrap yard!