An item of Baltimore vintage beauty can be seen in this old GE cluster beneath the snow at dawn at Maryland Avenue and 27th Street.

First and foremost is the look of the GE Signal head.  Instead of carrying an assemblage of signal lights in a boxed form, GE's consist of light housings that are circular, and not much larger than the signal lenses themselves, thus presenting a streamlined, radically different appearance from all others.

While GE signals are believed to have debuted during World War II in Chicago among other places, they did not debut here until about 1955.  They were among an order (presumably new) placed under the leadership of Henry Barnes, and have always been painted the yellow color that he adopted while here.  By 1956, new span wired installations of GE round body single signals were a common sight in Baltimore.  Interestingly, all of these such installations have vanished, and the remaining survivors are a mix of mostly 3 and 4 way clusters, along with some pole based signals hung from span wire, and some pole mounted single signals that were installed in the early 1960's.

During the late 1970's and early 1980's, GE signals were largely removed from the streets of Baltimore, many of which were shuffled off to the City's surplus mart, where lucky buyers could pick one up for just $10 (compare this to ebay where one of these lights today would average about $100, when they can be found!).  Though often reported to be particularly delicate, the fact that these lights have served Baltimore intersections for close to 50 years through all kinds of weather is a testament to some degree of durability.  It will be interesting to see just how long it will be until the last one comes down - no time soon we hope!

The Basic single-face GE in a pole mounted form can be observed at a few spots around town, one of which is Keswick Road and University Parkway (Northern Crossing), as shown here.	Other single GE's can be observed mounted to poles hanging suspended from wiring in a few spots as well, such as at Liberty Heights and Eldorado.
University and Keswick is also home to a GE 3-way cluster seen here.  These may also be spotted in small numbers about town.	Once entirely outfitted with GE's, the intersection of Baltimore Street and Hopkins Place is now only "assisted" by this single pole mounted GE.
The most common setups among GE lights in Baltimore are as 4 way clusters, such as this one at Eutaw and Redwood Streets.  Note the use of tunnel visors on most of the Green signals within this grouping.	The typical GE set up among remaining signals is the diagonal set up, with a wire strung between opposite corners, and a pair of clusters hung from a "single" wire, such as here at Fairmount and Patterson Park Avenues.
The set-up at Athol and Old Frederick Avenues illustrates the flexibilty of the GE clusters as compared to a standard fixed angle 4-way. Since these streets meet at about 60 and 120 degree angles instead of in a perpendicular fashion, the signals may be rotated somewhat to offer a better view.	The use of GE signals is not limited simply to stoplights, as these Fire House clearance signals on McMechen Street at McCulloh Street testify, and should hopefully persist for years to come.
Meanwhile, a few GE's continue to function as "flashing"  signals warning motorists at starts and curves in Median Strips.  This well intact specimen does its daily duty at Roland Avenue and Wyndhurst.	Another dual direction GE Flasher sorted out the outgoing traffic of Druid Hill Park for motorists approaching  McCulloh Street from within the park, until a run in with a vehicle forced its replacement in the Fall of 2002.
	GE signals can take their share of abuse, albeit with some scars to show as a result. On May 29 2002 at about 3:30pm, this cluster at Bentalou and Lafayette was struck and lost a couple visors, while two of the inner reflectors dangled about perilously, as seen in the photo to the left.  Crews were on the scene later that day, and the signal was saved, though the signal heads now sport some electrical tape.  NOTE: The first view is rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the second
The most GE filled intersection anywhere is this one at Gay, Oliver, and Washington Streets in East Baltimore.  TEN (of the total of TWENTY) GE's are visible here in this view, along with the hardy center mounted Eagle 4 way!	Beneath the passing of Amtrak trains on the old Pennsy Northeast Corridor, there are a number of unusual GE lights that are brace mounted from poles set into the support columns of the railroad span.  The Christmas ornament looking signals shown here are at Washington and Biddle Streets.
1955 photo illustrates how many of the GE signals were mounted when originally installed.  The result: a hard to see appearance amid the busy background.  Surely, none survive this way, right???
This rare, wire mounted single signal at Argyle and Lafayette interestingly is in among the best condition of all the GE signals still in service.  It even appears to have gotten a recent repaint.	Another similar signal existed at the same intersection in 2002, but has since been replaced by 2004.  Two similar examples survive at Pratt and Albemarle, as well as a pair of flashers outside the Walbrook Engine House.