Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Talk about signals ranging from wigwags to EVA signals here.

Moderators: freebrickproductions, mlgillson, TommyBNSF, Raco_GS

User avatar
TrickyMario7654
Posts: 1355
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 6:45 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by TrickyMario7654 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:34 pm

McK&H.Aust wrote:
freebrickproductions wrote:(Reposting because this post got eaten by the forum earlier.)
McK&H.Aust wrote:There are some interesting crossings between Echuca and Deniliquin, but as usual the images are quite old so they could have been upgraded by now.

These two crossings have WCH m-bells which are the older kind without the stepped base. They also seem to have WRRS junction boxes for the lights which is rare for Victorian Railways.

Pakenham St, Echuca
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.127 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.127 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.127 ... 312!8i6656

Francis St, Moama
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.112 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.112 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.112 ... 312!8i6656

This crossing at Sturt St, Echuca has an interesting setup with a cantilever signal and a Westinghouse hybrid bell mounted on the median signal.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.125 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.125 ... 312!8i6656
I know this is a bit of a bump for this old post, but according to newer street view imagery, all three of those crossings have had their bells replaced:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.127 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.112 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.125 ... 312!8i6656
Thanks for the updates. It seems that despite the line beyond Echuca seeing few trains these days, money was spent on the usual Safetran type 3 upgrade.
Speaking of which, someone commented on Stuart Hunt's most recent video that the hybrid bells at Hallam have been replaced with e-bells now despite the crossing there being slated for removal! :Curse1:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.018 ... 312!8i6656
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Australia/Vic ... lam_South/

Metro are total idiots in my book, as the old bells were actually pretty healthy there. I'm no conspiracy theorist, but I wonder if they've caught onto the fact that the LXRA have been giving away old equipment to railfans and collectors and they're now trying to get rid of the m-bells off crossings up for removal so they can't get hold of them?
User avatar
McK&H.Aust
Posts: 926
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 8:16 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by McK&H.Aust » Sun Mar 17, 2019 11:53 pm

TrickyMario7654 wrote: Speaking of which, someone commented on Stuart Hunt's most recent video that the hybrid bells at Hallam have been replaced with e-bells now despite the crossing there being slated for removal! :Curse1:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.018 ... 312!8i6656
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Australia/Vic ... lam_South/

Metro are total idiots in my book, as the old bells were actually pretty healthy there. I'm no conspiracy theorist, but I wonder if they've caught onto the fact that the LXRA have been giving away old equipment to railfans and collectors and they're now trying to get rid of the m-bells off crossings up for removal so they can't get hold of them?
It's a shame the hybrid bells have been replaced and it does seem wasteful, I hope the replacement e-bells aren't those horrible adjusted GS type 1's.

It's an interesting theory but I doubt Metro would go to so much trouble just to stop collectors from getting the hybrid bells, the signals will most likely be altered during the removal project which would be an easier time to change bells. The real reason is probably a very silly and bureaucratic one.
User avatar
McK&H.Aust
Posts: 926
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 8:16 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by McK&H.Aust » Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:46 pm

It's difficult to know for sure, but I suspect that this crossing at Glennies Creek may have a dead Safetran type 3 e-bell on the far signal, the possibly dead bell was only installed last year when it replaced the original WCH m-bell.

In this most recent video there doesn't seem to be any variation in the bell volume or sound direction once the gates have lowered, when the bell on the far signal is meant to shut off.


Compare it with this video taken a year earlier before the m-bell was replaced.


GSV image from 2010 when the crossing had both m-bells https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.461 ... 312!8i6656
trainman7
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2017 6:37 am
Location: Maitland, NSW, Australia

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by trainman7 » Tue Mar 19, 2019 1:51 am

McK&H.Aust wrote:It's difficult to know for sure, but I suspect that this crossing at Glennies Creek may have a dead Safetran type 3 e-bell on the far signal, the possibly dead bell was only installed last year when it replaced the original WCH m-bell.

In this most recent video there doesn't seem to be any variation in the bell volume or sound direction once the gates have lowered, when the bell on the far signal is meant to shut off.


Compare it with this video taken a year earlier before the m-bell was replaced.


GSV image from 2010 when the crossing had both m-bells https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.461 ... 312!8i6656
I saw that video a few days ago and I was wondering the same thing. I might try to get up there soon but it might not be easy at the moment because of time constraints. It’s a shame the m-bell was replaced as it sounded quite healthy...

Another Safetran e-bell that died (only just remembered lol) was on this signal at Darling St, Carrington: https://goo.gl/maps/Hu3ezGEJCRy I took this photo from the side of a tourist train back in April 2016 of the signal showing it had an older model Type 3 that was dead: https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/ It replaced a WCH m-bell around mid 2010. By February 2017 however, it was replaced by a newer model one: https://goo.gl/maps/Z7SgsmxZK8G2 With so many Type 3s dying, it really makes me wonder when they will stop replacing faulty e-bells with faulty e-bells or stop installing them all together.
User avatar
TrickyMario7654
Posts: 1355
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 6:45 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by TrickyMario7654 » Wed Mar 20, 2019 7:47 pm

Been browsing some newspapers on Trove and I found a bunch of articles on the Guildford Level Crossing in Sydney, NSW.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=197
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722

The first link has a pretty good picture of the whole crossing too, which is great!
User avatar
freebrickproductions
Posts: 8449
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:12 am
Location: Huntsville, AL
Contact:

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by freebrickproductions » Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:17 pm

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Been browsing some newspapers on Trove and I found a bunch of articles on the Guildford Level Crossing in Sydney, NSW.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=197
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722

The first link has a pretty good picture of the whole crossing too, which is great!
Trove doesn't seem to work for me, for some reason?
They/Them for me, please.

Click here if you want to submit crossing photos to the site!

Avatar by runesprite on Twitter.
User avatar
TrickyMario7654
Posts: 1355
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 6:45 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by TrickyMario7654 » Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:58 pm

freebrickproductions wrote:
TrickyMario7654 wrote:Been browsing some newspapers on Trove and I found a bunch of articles on the Guildford Level Crossing in Sydney, NSW.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=197
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722

The first link has a pretty good picture of the whole crossing too, which is great!
Trove doesn't seem to work for me, for some reason?
I’m guessing you have to be in Australia in order to access their archives, hence why it doesn’t work on your side.
User avatar
freebrickproductions
Posts: 8449
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:12 am
Location: Huntsville, AL
Contact:

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by freebrickproductions » Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:12 pm

TrickyMario7654 wrote:
freebrickproductions wrote:
TrickyMario7654 wrote:Been browsing some newspapers on Trove and I found a bunch of articles on the Guildford Level Crossing in Sydney, NSW.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=197
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722

The first link has a pretty good picture of the whole crossing too, which is great!
Trove doesn't seem to work for me, for some reason?
I’m guessing you have to be in Australia in order to access their archives, hence why it doesn’t work on your side.
That, or the distance between my computer and their server(s) is too great, as the errors I was getting were related to the connection timing out.
They/Them for me, please.

Click here if you want to submit crossing photos to the site!

Avatar by runesprite on Twitter.
User avatar
McK&H.Aust
Posts: 926
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 8:16 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by McK&H.Aust » Fri Mar 22, 2019 2:30 am

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Been browsing some newspapers on Trove and I found a bunch of articles on the Guildford Level Crossing in Sydney, NSW.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=197
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722

The first link has a pretty good picture of the whole crossing too, which is great!
Great find with those articles, I've never seen a picture of the crossing from the front before, just a track view picture which I think was in a book (can't remember exactly). I also have a picture looking north from the station which I took in the 1990's and you could still see one of the concrete signal foundations, I think it was probably for the western gated signal, just haven't been able to find it yet.

On a different subject, found this notice on the ARTC website announcing the temporary closure of the Portland line, I guess due to the lack of trains.
https://tn.artc.com.au/StandingNoticeDe ... &year=2019
User avatar
TrickyMario7654
Posts: 1355
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 6:45 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

Post by TrickyMario7654 » Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:46 am

McK&H.Aust wrote:
TrickyMario7654 wrote:Been browsing some newspapers on Trove and I found a bunch of articles on the Guildford Level Crossing in Sydney, NSW.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=197
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722

The first link has a pretty good picture of the whole crossing too, which is great!
Great find with those articles, I've never seen a picture of the crossing from the front before, just a track view picture which I think was in a book (can't remember exactly). I also have a picture looking north from the station which I took in the 1990's and you could still see one of the concrete signal foundations, I think it was probably for the western gated signal, just haven't been able to find it yet.

On a different subject, found this notice on the ARTC website announcing the temporary closure of the Portland line, I guess due to the lack of trains.
https://tn.artc.com.au/StandingNoticeDe ... &year=2019
Thanks, you’ll be amazed at what you can find on the site...

I also found some articles on the Villawood Level Crossing, which of course had its signals recycled at Bethungra after closure.

Articles with pictures of the crossing.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

An article on an accident at the crossing.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Apparently a lot of residents complained about how loud the crossing was too.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/190736564

Additionally, here’s a couple of articles with pictures of the crossing at Merrylands.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Looks like they had problems with people hitting the lights on the median signals at the location.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164912548

An article on the local council wanting to retain a pedestrian crossing at the location.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
Last edited by TrickyMario7654 on Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply