Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 28, 1990                   TAG: 9006280346
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By Associated Press
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG                                  LENGTH: Medium

RELIABILITY TOUTED FOR SOLAR SIGNS/ LYNCHBURG FIRM THINKS IT'S A BRIGHT IDEA

And after counting more than 70 of the boards used to reroute traffic, the solar-product manufacturer decided he could design a better one.

"I could see the diesel [fuel] belting out the black smoke," he said.

Soth knew a solar board would get rid of the thick smoke, make less noise and be cheaper to operate over time.

That was in 1987. Today, Soth churns out about 59 Solrtron solar boards a year. Virginia Track & Equipment Co., on U.S. 29 just south of the Lynchburg airport, is the Virginia distributor for the product.

"We decided to take on the Solrtron line because it's an innovative product in the highway safety program," said Dan Lovern, sales representative for Virginia Track & Equipment. "We were looking to expand our business in some related products."

The company has long sold bulldozers, loaders and other heavy equipment to the construction industry.

The solar arrow boards cost more than diesel. Diesel boards range from $3,500 to $6,000, while a Solrtron board sells for $6,500 or $7,200, depending on whether it has 15 or 25 lights.

The flashing arrow is powered by a pack of six batteries that is recharged by energy gathered by solar panels. The batteries will run a flashing arrow for at least 14 days. The 48-by-96-foot boards flash the arrow 30 to 40 times a minute.

"Once you put it out there, it's virtually maintenance free, other than cleaning the solar panels," said Cary Glover, equipment supervisor for English Construction Co. in Altavista, which purchased some of the boards.

"You don't have to have somebody going out to put fuel oil in it, or worry about it cutting off. And you're not spending money on fuel," Glover said.

"We've found that the one that works off the solar panel won't let you down," said Bob Wingfield, vice president of engineering for the Lanford Brothers construction firm in Roanoke. "With the diesel, if the alternator fails to work, the engine stops and in an hour or so, the lights go out."

Reliability is particularly important to contractors who may be called out in the middle of the night to fix the boards if they stop working.

The solar boards are billed as unbreakable. But construction crewmen who have seen vandals steal, burn, shoot at and paint diesel arrow boards aren't so sure they believe the claim. Vandals always seem to find a way.

"We didn't buy because of the vandalism," said Wingfield. "We bought it thinking the price of diesel fuel is going to go up."

"I feel like it is an up-and-coming thing," Glover said. "Hopefully, we will always have the sun. That's the source that eliminates buying fuel oil. And that's always been a concern.

"I don't think you'll ever see a solar-powered bulldozer. But you might. Who knows? This is one step in a good direction."