Traditionally, the RTD (and predecessor MTA) had different headsigns for different parts of the systems and each sign included the routes for one or more divisions. When a bus was reassigned to a different division, the headsign and shortsign (the smaller sign with the line number) would need to be pulled out and replaced with sign rolls for the new division.
Around 1983, RTD had already received shipments of RTS and Grumman 870 buses with electronic destination signs. RTD already had many coaches slated for disposal. This included old looks and new looks. Some new look coaches and the AMG buses would remain with the system for awhile and were not slated for disposal, yet. The fleet disposal was also timed around the conclusion of the 1984 Olympic Games for which RTD was operating an extensive service.
In order to make it easier to move coaches between divisions, especially since the buses with the electronic signs could easily be transferred, RTD replaced the individual headsigns for each division with a single "everything" sign that was designed to be used in any division. The sign also needed to be able to accommodate the additional readings related to the Olympic service. The Everything Signs went into all of the buses that were slated for disposal around or after the Olympics and therefore not being retrofitted to electronic signs.
In the deployment of the everything sign, the shortsign was completely removed. In most buses, RTD took a piece of blank short sign mylar and put that on the roll.. so there were no line numbers. The line number would be displayed by both a dash card and the three digit line number sign curbside.
Destination names would also change. For example, the old line 243 (formerly line 153) was a U-shaped line and had destinations Mason-Devonshire, Winnetka-Ventura, DeSoto-Devonshire, DeSoto-Ventura. With the new sign, the only valid destination names were Chatsworth and Woodland Hills.
A headsign roll can only handle about 160 exposures (different signs). The Everything Sign had 151 exposures:
- CANOGA PARK
- CHATSWORTH
- ENCINO
- GRANADA HILLS
- LOS ANGELES
- NORTH HOLLYWOOD
- NORTHRIDGE
- PACOIMA
- PANORAMA CITY
- RESEDA
- SAN FERNANDO
- SHERMAN OAKS
- STUDIO CITY
- SUNLAND
- SUN VALLEY
- SYLMAR
- UNIVERSAL CITY
- VAN NUYS
- WESTLAKE VILLAGE
- WOODLAND HILLS
- BURBANK
- BURBANK AIRPORT
- EAGLE ROCK
- GLENDALE
- OBSERVATORY
- HIGHLAND PARK
- L.A. ZOO
- MONTROSE
- NOT IN SERVICE
- GLASSELL PARK
- BEVERLY HILLS
- CENTURY CITY
- FOX HILLS MALL
- HOLLYWOOD
- LOS ANGELES
- MALIBU
- MARINA DEL REY
- PACIFIC PALISADES
- SANTA MONICA
- UCLA
- VENICE
- W. LOS ANGELES
- WESTWOOD
- W.L.A. TRANS. CTR.
- VERMONT AV.
- WESTERN AV.
- WILTON PLACE
- CRENSHAW
- RIMPAU BLVD.
- LA BREA AV.
- FAIRFAX
- SUNSET BLVD.
- COMPTON
- HUNTINGTON PARK
- RANCHO LOS AMIGOS
- SO. LOS ANGELES
- WATTS
- SLAUSON AV.
- FLORENCE AV.
- MANCHESTER
- IMPERIAL HWY.
- ROSECRANS
- CARSON MALL
- EL SEGUNDO
- HAWTHORNE
- HERMOSA BCH.
- IMPERIAL TERM.
- INGLEWOOD
- LAX
- LOS ANGELES
- MANHATTAN BEACH
- PALOS VERDES
- PLAYA DEL REY
- REDONDO BCH
- SAN PEDRO
- SOUTH BAY CTR
- WESTCHESTER
- WILMINGTON
- NOT IN SERVICE
- BOYLE HEIGHTS
- CAL-STATE L.A.
- LOS ANGELES
- E. LOS ANGELES
- COUNTY HOSPITAL
- SYBIL BRAND INST.
- UNION STATION
- GARFIELD AV.
- ATLANTIC
- ROWAN AV.
- BELL
- BELLFLOWER
- BELL GARDENS
- BREA MALL
- CERRITOS CENTER
- CUDAHY
- DOWNEY
- FULLERTON
- LAKEWOOD
- LA MIRADA
- LONG BEACH
- LYNWOOD
- NORWALK
- SANTA ANA
- L. B. MARINA
- SOUTH GATE
- WHITTIER
- WHITWOOD CTR.
- ALHAMBRA
- ALTADENA
- ARCADIA
- AZUSA
- DIAMOND BAR
- DUARTE
- EASTLAND
- EL MONTE
- GLENDORA
- HACIENDA HEIGHTS
- PUENTE HILLS MALL
- LOS ANGELES
- MONROVIA
- MONTCLAIR
- ONTARIO AIRPORT
- PASADENA
- POMONA
- RACE TRACK
- ROSEMEAD
- SAN DIMAS
- SAN GABRIEL
- SIERRA MADRE
- TEMPLE CITY
- WEST COVINA
- NOT IN SERVICE
- AIRPORT
- DISNEYLAND
- DODGER STADIUM
- GREEK THEATRE
- HOLLYWOOD BOWL
- KNOTTS BERRY FARM
- FAIR GROUNDS
- RACE TRACK
- ROSE BOWL
- SPECIAL
- CAL-STATE UNIV.
- DOMINGUEZ HILLS
- E.L.A. COLLEGE
- EXPOSITION PARK
- HOLLYWOOD PARK
- LOYOLA UNIV.
- SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK
- U.C.L.A./WESTWOOD
- (Olympic rings) - The only time I can ever remember a graphic image as opposed to letters and numbers being used on an RTD destination sign.
