Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Occasionally, mostly when a rail line's traffic dwindles past a certain point, railroads will elect to remove equipment from signaled crossings to cut maintenance costs, often leaving only the masts and crossbucks. Here are some examples.

Laconia, NH - 1979 Safetran install by Goodwin Railroad, tracks currently (albiet rarely) operated by Plymouth and Lincoln railroad - lights and gates removed in the mid 90s. Bells no longer work either.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.5298724 ... ?entry=ttu

Saranac Lake, NY - circa late 70s Safetran install by Adirondack Railway - tracks (and likely signals) sadly now removed, despite the promising sign posted.
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.3333335 ... ?entry=ttu

Tupper Lake, NY - circa late 70s Safetran install by Adirondack Railway - used today by Adirondack Railroad excursions, but signals not reactivated. New gated signals planned for near future. Bell does not work.
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.2412743 ... ?entry=ttu

Lyons Falls, NY - Circa 1970s/80s WCH install by Conrail (with Safetran bell) - Old industrial spur now owned by Mohawk, Adirondack and Northern Railroad but out of service since mill closed down probably two decades ago.
https://www.bing.com/maps/?cp=43.615348 ... &dir=188.8

Rio Bravo (Bakersfield), CA - Circa 1980s WCH install by Southern Pacific - Track still used, but road appears to be a seldom used plant entrance which didn't justify signal maintenance. Signals "neutered" circa early 2012. Tracks now operated by San Joaquin Valley Railroad.
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3985021 ... ?entry=ttu

Feel free to post any more you know of here!

Y Street, Lincoln, NE.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8245161 ... ?entry=ttu
What's interesting, if you go back you'll see this crossing had two cantilevers that were cut off, and one was replaced with a new standard mast. (Wonder why they just didn't use a standard wood post to mount the replacement sign instead?)

SirKrunch wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 23, 2023 10:05 pm

Y Street, Lincoln, NE.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8245161 ... ?entry=ttu
What's interesting, if you go back you'll see this crossing had two cantilevers that were cut off, and one was replaced with a new standard mast. (Wonder why they just didn't use a standard wood post to mount the replacement sign instead?)

Probably so the railroad can easily reinstall lights should they choose to in the future.

Adding to my original list, there is a large number of these crossings (too many to list individually) on the currently-OOS Metro-North Beacon Line between Brewster and Beacon, NY. The lights, bells, etc were likely removed after Conrail ended regular service on the line in 1992. The line has seen occasional MNCR equipment moves since then, but even those seem to be done with by now, judging by the condition of the tracks.

Olney, IL.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.717507, ... ?entry=ttu

I think the stumpy guy is cool. They even bothered to cap it.