VARICOM TRAFFIC CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

BASIC PREMISES INHERENT IN CHANGEABLE MESSAGE SIGN DEVELOPMENT ARE REVIEWED: (1) USING FAIL-SAFE DEVICES IN CASE OF A POWER FAILURE, (2) RESISTING VANDALISM, (3) OPERATING UNDER ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS, (4) FOLLOWING SPECIFICATIONS FOR DISPLAYS AND LETTER TYPE, ETC., AND (5) OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS, INCLUDING THE COST OF ELECTRICITY. HOW VARICOM, A TRAFFIC CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, UTILIZED THESE PREMISES INTO CONSTRUCTING A COMPACT SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED. THE VARICOM RESEMBLES A SPEED LIMIT SIGN; IT HAS 2 HOUSINGS - THE LOWER CONTAINS THE THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR AND THE UPPER IS THE CABINET FOR THE SIGN ITSELF. ALL OF THE FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF THE LINE-POWERED UNIT ARE CONTAINED WITHIN THE SIGN CABINET: THE FLASHING-LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS AT THE TOP; THE RADIO OR LINE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT IS ON THE LEFT SIDE; THE LOGIC PACKAGE IS SUSPENDED FROM THE TOP; THE DRIVE TRAIN, WITH A REVERSIBLE 12-V DC MOTOR, IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE; THE CAM ASSEMBLY IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TOP DRUM; THE STORAGE BATTERY IS ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT SIDE; AND THE HEAT SOURCE IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CABINET, BENEATH THE MESSAGE WINDOW. BECAUSE THE COMMUNICATION LINK MAY BE EITHER RADIO OR HARD WIRE, THE VARICOM CAN ACCOMODATE A MOTORIST- AID PHONE. ALTHOUGH INITIAL COSTS VARY DEPENDING ON THE KIND OF INSTALLATION, THE TYPICAL COST FOR A LIMITED NUMBER OF UNITS USING LINE POWER AND LINE COMMUNICATIONS IS APPROXIMATELY $10,000.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr129/129-008.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309020530
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board

  2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC    20418
• Authors:
  • Powers, Lawrence A
• Conference:
  • Conference on the Changeable-Message Concept of Traffic Control
  • Date: 1971-7-15 to 1971-7-16
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: p. 29-32
• Monograph Title: THE CHANGEABLE-MESSAGE CONCEPT OF TRAFFIC CONTROL
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 129
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communication systems; Costs; Radio; Telephone; Traffic control; Transmission lines; Variable message signs
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226392
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309020530
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 17 1973 12:00AM