originally recorded on 4-3-24
Signal on the left: 2.5 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, 1.5 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, a Safetran Type 2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 3.5 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.
After catching the signals being tested, I went over and chatted with the maintainer to see where an M601 that I knew was approaching was at, only to soon hear a horn being blown for a nearby crossing just to my west. It turned-out to be this CSX M210 departing Montgomery, which in most cases wouldn't be the most interesting train out there, as it just had an ET44AH leading an ES44AH. However, the ET44AH was the Georgia Railroad sticker unit, which was rather nice to see! As such, I'd say this was the better of the two trains I caught on this day.
Due to the damaged signal here, a stop and flag order was in effect on this crossing. As such, the train had to come to a complete stop before the crossing, with the conductor then getting off of the train. He then had to ensure traffic was stopped and the crossing was protected, by tossing out a couple of flares and waving a red flag, before giving the train permission to proceed and climbing back aboard as it crossed. Ain't every day you get to see that, TBQH!
After this, I got in my car and drove the three hours back to Huntsville, as it was starting to get late.
This crossing is another great one, featuring what I believe is a late-70s WofA install that's still pretty decently original. In the early-2000s, it appears, the left-hand pair of front overhead lights on the far signal were replaced by the current Safetran 12x24s. Then, sometime between 2009 and 2013, the rear-left overhead light was replaced by another newer Safetran 12x24, with this head appearing to be a reused late-90s one. At about the same time, both of the original Safetran mechanical bells here were sadly replaced with the current Safetran Type 2 e-bells. Next, sometime between 2013 and 2014, it appears the far signal's gate mech was replaced by the current, newer Safetran gate mechanism, which seems to have been a reused Safetran S40. Then, sometime between 2014 and 2016, the closer signal also had its original Safetran gate mech replaced by another reused Safetran S40, which is also the current gate mech. After that, the crossing remained largely unchanged, until the day this was filmed, when sadly the left-hand mast light on the closer signal was sadly snapped-off after being struck by an 18-wheeler.
Thankfully, most of the original 70s Safetran 12x20s are still in use at this crossing, which is nice to see, though the mast lights on the closer signal will be, if they haven't been already, replaced by some newer lights due to the junction box being broken in two. Hopefully the rest remain largely untouched. The backgrounds here have all gotten nicely faded over the years, which makes them look great, IMHO. The bells here also still ring until the gates rise, which is nice to see, especially on a CSX crossing in this state. The closer signal's gate arm also still retains a diagonally-striped base section, which is great to see as well. All in all, this is a great crossing and I'm glad I finally got to record it in action.
It seems the crossing also malfunction a bit after the train passed, given that the bells briefly shut-off but then quickly reactivated after it cleared the crossing.
www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/G-Q...
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