Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[Jack2003]

I have some very sad news to report, a YouTuber named onalky posted a video of the Racecourse Road, Donald level crossing with the last working Wabco bell in Australia in action, probably a test activation and then another clip of it during a test activation and this is the very sad part about it, the Wabco bell has very sadly been replaced with a Safetran Type 3 ebell. Very sad news for 2019, the Wabco bell at Donald is unfortunately now history. Here is McK&H Aust's video of the crossing:
Here is onalky's video showing the new Safetran Type 3 ebell:

[chris96]

I have some very sad news to report, a YouTuber named onalky posted a video of the Racecourse Road, Donald level crossing with the last working Wabco bell in Australia in action, probably a test activation and then another clip of it during a test activation and this is the very sad part about it, the Wabco bell has very sadly been replaced with a Safetran Type 3 ebell. Very sad news for 2019, the Wabco bell at Donald is unfortunately now history. Here is McK&H Aust's video of the crossing:
Here is onalky's video showing the new Safetran Type 3 ebell:

Aw man, that really sucks. I guess WABCO can now join Griswold/RACO and US&S bells in the list of units that have now been completely eradicated from active service in this country.

This gives me flashbacks to 2007 when the last known Griswold/RACO bell was removed from Devon Rd Level Crossing in Pascoe Vale. I had relatives in the area back then and was lucky enough to see and hear the bell on many occasions when it was still in use. While I didn't know anywhere near as much about crossing equipment back then as I do today, I was still well aware it was a unique bell. When it was ripped out and replaced with an adjusted type 1 I was devastated. For a while, I used to think the Safetran Bells were identical to the Devon Rd bell until I realized they lacked the Griswold name and were instead branded as Safetran, which made the situation even sadder. Here's an image of Devon Rd's original bells in the 60's (the crossing also had a Teardrop back then, but it had been replaced with a Hybrid by the time I visited the area):



It does make you wonder if there were other bells that were used in this country at some point but have 'come and gone' without us knowing? WRRS Mini Bells maybe?

It won't be long before all the Safetran M-Bells are removed and there's only one crossing left with Modern Industries bells in the country right now, hence why it's so important to document such equipment before it's all history. There used to be so much variety here, now it's just the same thing over and over again. Such a shame.

RIP WABCO Bell, you protected that crossing well!

[Jack2003]

Moving onto some good news now. We've stayed at Lorne this weekend for 2 nights and got home yesterday afternoon and I can confirm that the Barwon Park Road level crossing in Inverleigh still has it's hybrid bell! I checked the crossing on our way up and I was expecting it would've been replaced by now





This also means Mahers Road, Railway Street, Inverleigh - Winchelsea Road in Inverleigh still have their hybrid bells as well





Unfortunately I didn't film one of these crossings as there was going to be no trains for a few hours. I would've filmed Barwon Park Road if there was a train going to be not to far away. Hopefully next time I'm in Geelong I can get that crossing filmed.

Also I found this picture on Facebook a few days ago of the Belgrave - Gembrook Road level crossing in Emerald on Puffing Billy in 2013 in the process of getting new gated signals with hybrid bells. This was one of three crossings on Puffing Billy in 2013 which got new gated signals, the others were Belgrave - Gembrook Road, Clematis and Long Pockitt Lane, Selby. Here's the picture:



There is also footage from 2013 of a train view between Belgrave and Selby and it shows the Long Pockitt Lane level crossing in Selby in the process of getting gates. The crossing appears at 8:13:

[YouTube]https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=pu ... ORM=VRDGAR[/YouTube]

I have also now mastered uploading images to the forum, they will now work for you all. Thanks for the steps Chris96

Here is the list of remaining mechanical bells in Victoria on the Metro Rail Network, on non Metro crossings, heritage railways
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5126

[chris96]

Moving onto some good news now. We've stayed at Lorne this weekend for 2 nights and got home yesterday afternoon and I can confirm that the Barwon Park Road level crossing in Inverleigh still has it's hybrid bell! I checked the crossing on our way up and I was expecting it would've been replaced by now





This also means Mahers Road, Railway Street, Inverleigh - Winchelsea Road in Inverleigh still have their hybrid bells as well





Unfortunately I didn't film one of these crossings as there was going to be no trains for a few hours. I would've filmed Barwon Park Road if there was a train going to be not to far away. Hopefully next time I'm in Geelong I can get that crossing filmed.

Also I found this picture on Facebook a few days ago of the Belgrave - Gembrook Road level crossing in Emerald on Puffing Billy in 2013 in the process of getting new gated signals with hybrid bells. This was one of three crossings on Puffing Billy in 2013 which got new gated signals, the others were Belgrave - Gembrook Road, Clematis and Long Pockitt Lane, Selby. Here's the picture:



There is also footage from 2013 of a train view between Belgrave and Selby and it shows the Long Pockitt Lane level crossing in Selby in the process of getting gates. The crossing appears at 8:13:

[YouTube]https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=pu ... ORM=VRDGAR[/YouTube]

I have also now mastered uploading images to the forum, they will now work for you all. Thanks for the steps Chris96

Here is the list of remaining mechanical bells in Victoria on the Metro Rail Network, on non Metro crossings, heritage railways
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5126

Fantastic find with Barwon Park Road! I also assumed the Hybrid was replaced and never actually bothered to look at the crossing in person. I am so pleased to hear that it's still there! Seriously, what is it with Inverleigh and Hybrid Bells? I swear they must be stuck in some sort of time loop!

Nice pictures too, I'm glad to hear you've mastered embedding images on the site!

[RedhenRailcarSAR]

Change of topic, I made a visit to the Morphett vale miniature railway and found out they have an operational WRRS bell at one of the crossings! It’s the only active protection at a crossing there but still very cool.
Woodville road on the Outer Harbor line still has normal crossbucks so that’s a relief
I might be getting a mini bell to add to my collection, I’ll confirm on Friday.
Well that’s about it for now from me, but hopefully I’ll have more to say next time.

[McK&H.Aust]

Sadly the removal of more rare crossing equipment continues in what's left of 2019. The target this time is the Army Camp Road Level crossing near Singleton which has Federal Signal gate mechs. The existing crossing is due to be decommissioned on November 19 according to this ARTC notice https://extranet.artc.com.au/docman/Doc ... 1019648425

[Jack2003]

Unfortunately I have more sad news and that is that the School Road level crossing at Menzies Creek (west of Menzies Creek Station) has had it's new gated signals installed, the Western Cullen Hayes gate mechs and crossarms have been installed on the new signals and the Western Cullen Hayes mechanical bell has been installed on the western gated signal. However at this stage the signage, lights, counterweights and gates have not yet been installed and the current signals are still in place, unfortunately either this week or next weekend the new signals will be operating so it's RIP to the current signals and fast ringing teardrop bell. This crossing has had some near misses quite a bit and of course there was the collision with the mini bus in March last year, so I kinda do agree this crossing needs gates to stop these near misses, but it sucks that the teardrop bell is going and I reckon they should've put gates on a separate pole. BOOM GATE UPGARDES FOR GATELESS CROSSINGS WITH MECHANICAL BELLS SUCK!!!!! Also Beaconsfield - Emerald Road and McBride Street, Cockatoo are going to be getting gates next year, I don't know what month though. Here are some pictures of the current signals with the new signals installed. The pictures were taken by Train Chaser Jesse who isn't a member on the forum, but he has a YouTube channel. Thanks Train Chaser Jesse for allowing me to use these pictures of yours:

The lights on this signal have been extended out a little to make room for the new gated signal:






This crossing will have the same equipment like Old Monbulk Road, Belgrave, Edenmont Road, Clematis and Pinnocks Road, Emerald. I can also imagine the Western Cullen Hayes mechanical bell sounding quite fast like the teardrop bell.

[Username1]

I found an image on LXRA’s Facebook of the new flat gates at Evans Road, Lyndhurst:

https://www.facebook.com/84360189238116 ... =n&sfns=mo

IMO it’s a shame that Metro didn’t use General Signals or WCH gate lights which seem to be standard across the state, I don’t really like the look of the Siemens gate LEDs.

[RedhenRailcarSAR]

Rip FS Gate Mechs ): this year there has been loads of good stuff being replaced which sucks.
I don’t remember if I already said this but the Cormack Rd crossing in Wingfield that Mck&h Aust filmed (with WCH first gen m bell and Westinghouse incandescents) got new signals, with a combo of a wch e bell and Safetran Type 3.
RIP School Rd old signals, today is their last full day of operation.
Interesting about Evans Rd, but I don’t like the gate lights they are using ): I find them hard to see in the day, the original Artcraft gate lights are so much better. I remember them being much more visible than any other gate lights, while today’s Unipart, Siemens/Westinghouse(the one at Evans Rd I think?) gate lights can be barely visible at times.
Some other news, the Gawler line in Adelaide is now 100% red crossbucks, the last normal ones on the line got taken down this month.

[TrickyMario7654]

Sorry for my lack of activity lately, but I just want to report that early work on the Cardinia Road Level Crossing Removal in Pakenham has begun. My school bus goes over this crossing on a daily basis, and I’ve noticed them working on a temporary road alignment so that they build the road bridge. I’ve noticed some electronic signs that say the crossing is going to be closed to traffic for nightworks between the 24th and the 28th, and I suspect that they’re crossing removal related.

Will be interesting to see if they make any modifications to the signals throughout the construction work.