LightsoftheWest
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| I've always wondered why there are so many GE street lights in the vast majority of California. It almost seems as if the other major brands are rare in comparison. Is there a reason behind why GE was so popular in California?
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Baked bagel 11
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| Not too sure, it's not like they are local or anything.
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fluorescent lover 40
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| GE probably has/had good relationships with higher ups in various cities, utilities, CalTrans, etc. And many cities in California could/can afford them as well. Not sure about the rest of California in PG&E territory, but many cities/areas in SoCal have their lights owned by big utilities. SCE has been mainly pro-GE since the 70s or so, SDG&E has used large amounts of GE lights, and IID is mainly GE from what I’ve seen.
Nowadays in the days of LED, I noticed many places in California use a different brand instead of GE. SCE still uses GE for LEDs, but also uses AEL and Cooper for LEDs, and SDG&E also still uses GE but they also use AEL, and Cree for LEDs. I think IID uses GE for LEDs but I’m not sure. PG&E is pro-Cree.
Most of the remaining HID street lights I see out here are GE.
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Baked bagel 11
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| Interesting, I would think that from the point of view of a city with more money GE would be favourable because of the higher quality fixtures.
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fluorescent lover 40
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| Yeah, that's one of the main reasons why. That's why I mentioned money. I'd say the other is innovation. GE made some innovative and smart stuff back then. I bet the most fond brand back then would've been Westinghouse or Line Material before the mid 70s during the mercury era. But I know GE was used a lot even back in the mercury era.
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Baked bagel 11
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| Yeah, I agree. I think that another reason is that the popular brands from the 40s, 50s and 60s (incandescent and mercury era) which were disappearing at that time. (Speaking of, what did happen to line material and Joslyn?) Also, when did Westinghouse's lighting division become Crouse-hinds?
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fluorescent lover 40
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| I believe Line Material later became McGraw Edison, which became a part of Crouse Hinds in the early 1980s. Joslyn I’m not sure on.
I think Crouse Hinds bought Westinghouse’s street light division around 1982 or so.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
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Baked bagel 11
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| Ahh, that all sounds about right.
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LightsoftheWest
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Joslyn I believe was absorbed by Spaulding Lighting sometime in the early 1960's. @fluorescent lover 40 - Thanks for the explanation. |
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LG's #1 North American light fixture identifier
**If anyone wants to learn more about any company or product you've never heard of before, do please leave a comment saying so on one of my gallery pictures or by PM, and I'd be happy to give a thorough explanation.**
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fluorescent lover 40
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| Thanks for the info. Interesting to hear. There isn’t much info about Joslyn out there. And no problem.
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Baked bagel 11
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| Interesting to hear that it was absorbed into Spaulding. The product lines seem so different (no models carried over that I know of).
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LightsoftheWest
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| I believe the Joslyn mercury roadway luminaires were renamed the Metropolitan series under Spaulding Lighting.
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LG's #1 North American light fixture identifier
**If anyone wants to learn more about any company or product you've never heard of before, do please leave a comment saying so on one of my gallery pictures or by PM, and I'd be happy to give a thorough explanation.**
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Baked bagel 11
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Aah. Of course!  |
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