Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[trainman7]

Here’s a few photos of what Vincent St looks like.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
It’s interesting how the signals are mounted on concrete islands which I’ve never seen before. The fence around the relay case should deter people from spraying graffiti on it!

[McK&H.Aust]

Here’s a few photos of what Vincent St looks like.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
It’s interesting how the signals are mounted on concrete islands which I’ve never seen before. The fence around the relay case should deter people from spraying graffiti on it!

Thanks for the pictures. Sure is an interesting installation, I notice the masts and bases are fabricated in one piece which I think is now against the current standards. I guess the installation was done by the South Maitland Railway which would explain the differences.

[trainman7]

Here’s a few photos of what Vincent St looks like.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
It’s interesting how the signals are mounted on concrete islands which I’ve never seen before. The fence around the relay case should deter people from spraying graffiti on it!

Thanks for the pictures. Sure is an interesting installation, I notice the masts and bases are fabricated in one piece which I think is now against the current standards. I guess the installation was done by the South Maitland Railway which would explain the differences.

I am pretty sure the signals were installed by South Maitland Railways.

[McK&H.Aust]

Here’s a few photos of what Vincent St looks like.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
It’s interesting how the signals are mounted on concrete islands which I’ve never seen before. The fence around the relay case should deter people from spraying graffiti on it!

Thanks for the pictures. Sure is an interesting installation, I notice the masts and bases are fabricated in one piece which I think is now against the current standards. I guess the installation was done by the South Maitland Railway which would explain the differences.

I am pretty sure the signals were installed by South Maitland Railways.

Certainly makes a nice change from the usual new installations. Given the opportunity I would probably film the crossing, just a matter of finding a train!

[trainman7]

Here’s a few photos of what Vincent St looks like.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
It’s interesting how the signals are mounted on concrete islands which I’ve never seen before. The fence around the relay case should deter people from spraying graffiti on it!

Thanks for the pictures. Sure is an interesting installation, I notice the masts and bases are fabricated in one piece which I think is now against the current standards. I guess the installation was done by the South Maitland Railway which would explain the differences.

I am pretty sure the signals were installed by South Maitland Railways.

Certainly makes a nice change from the usual new installations. Given the opportunity I would probably film the crossing, just a matter of finding a train!

Yes it’s nice change from the usual installations! Trains on the line haven’t run for a few weeks as there’s been a mine shaft collapse. Hopefully mining resumes soon as trains usually run fairly regularly.

[freebrickproductions]

Looks like the crossings SkyRail was set to replace have been closed now:


As a bit of a side note, it's interesting to me (as an American) seeing the new Searchlight signals installed along it.

[McK&H.Aust]

As a bit of a side note, it's interesting to me (as an American) seeing the new Searchlight signals installed along it.

Although those new signals take the same form as searchlights, they are actually tri-color LED lamps which can display green, red or yellow indications. The old style searchlight signals are gradually being replaced becuase they have moving parts, and in some areas (such as NSW) they have already been completely eliminated. McKenzie & Holland, followed by Westinghouse, made many of the searchlight signals used here, but they were likely based on an American design.

I take it that searchlight signals are also on borrowed time in America?

[freebrickproductions]

As a bit of a side note, it's interesting to me (as an American) seeing the new Searchlight signals installed along it.

Although those new signals take the same form as searchlights, they are actually tri-color LED lamps which can display green, red or yellow indications. The old style searchlight signals are gradually being replaced becuase they have moving parts, and in some areas (such as NSW) they have already been completely eliminated. McKenzie & Holland, followed by Westinghouse, made many of the searchlight signals used here, but they were likely based on an American design.

I take it that searchlight signals are also on borrowed time in America?

Still a searchlight-style signal.

I believe McK&H based their designs on a US&S Searchlight head, as, IIRC, the two are very close in design.

And yes they are, sadly. Outside of a few stragglers in the Birmingham area, the occasional ex-L&N fixed approach signal, and the ex-CofG ones on the NS Central of Georgia District, I don't believe there are any searchlight signals left in the state of Alabama, nor am I aware of any left in service in Tennessee (despite the fact that the L&N operated the vast majority of the trackage in that state, and they used searchlights almost exclusively). They're also steadily disappearing from UP's and BNSF's lines. For example, I believe the last ATSF-era searchlight signals on the BNSF Chillicothe Sub are soon to be replaced with modern "vader" signals, if they haven't been already. Many other older styles of signal are also steadily disappearing as well.

[McK&H.Aust]

Still a searchlight-style signal.

I think they stayed with the searchlight style signals to keep a uniform look, they would also be easier to install on electrified lines and have them positioned so the surrounding infrastructure doesn't obscure the signal sighting.

And yes they are, sadly. Outside of a few stragglers in the Birmingham area, the occasional ex-L&N fixed approach signal, and the ex-CofG ones on the NS Central of Georgia District, I don't believe there are any searchlight signals left in the state of Alabama, nor am I aware of any left in service in Tennessee (despite the fact that the L&N operated the vast majority of the trackage in that state, and they used searchlights almost exclusively). They're also steadily disappearing from UP's and BNSF's lines. For example, I believe the last ATSF-era searchlight signals on the BNSF Chillicothe Sub are soon to be replaced with modern "vader" signals, if they haven't been already. Many other older styles of signal are also steadily disappearing as well.

It sure is sad to see the older style signals being replaced. I understand the Railroad's reasons for installing new signals, but they just don't have that nice classic look

[McK&H.Aust]

Found a couple of local newspaper articles about crossings. I swear some Australian journo's are either dumb, lazy or maybe a bit of both

This first article is from Wollongong and seems quite pointless to me. The author is complaining about there being more crossings in the Wollongong region compared to Sydney, and nothing is being done about it. The article ignores the fact that at least seven crossings have been removed since the 1980's, the most recent being in 2015, and work has also begun to bypass another crossing at Dapto (Bong Bong Rd).
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/sto ... ne/?cs=300

The second article is from Rockhampton and seems to be another whinge piece about street running through the town, despite the fact that it would cost hundreds of millions (possibly billions) to move the railway line, and the trains go very slowly through town so nobody has ever been killed AFAIK.
https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/n ... r/3445599/