Memorial Drive, Decatur, AL

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Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG gate lights.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Decatur/Memorial/

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And now for the longest crossing video I've ever recorded...

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Here's a video of both sides of the crossing from July 28th:


I was experimenting with having two cameras running at the same time, as I got a tripod mount for my cellphone recently and was testing it out. I may start doing this to record multiple crossings if there are two crossings right next to each other that I really want to record, but the line isn't very busy.

The Safetran mechanical bell on the southbound signal is also now dying, with it being especially noticeable when the gates start to descend.

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*originally recorded on 12-31-19*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a flat-sounding Safetran mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, NEG gate lights, and a RECO gate light.

After I caught Q125, I heard over the scanner feed that NS 201 was approaching Decatur, so I went on over to this crossing to record it. After a bit of waiting, it came through with an ES44AC leading an ET44AC, making another pretty boring catch.

As you can see, a few changes have occured here since I last recorded this crossing in 2017. The first and foremost is that the second track here was removed, along with the 2 Tracks signs, and the closer signal was moved up closer to the tracks. This was due to the fact that NS is in the process of upgrading all of the sidings and major control points to CTC, and during the upgrade of Decatur Siding, they extended it on both ends, with the east end becoming CP 12th Street (which is a bit of an odd name, since the closest street with that number is 12th Avenue).
It appears that around this time, NS replaced the dying Safetran bell on the far signal with a new GS Type 3 e-bell, and both gate arms were replaced (though all of the gate lights were re-used). No other major changes have occured here thankfully, though the remaining Safetran mechanical bell is unfortunately sounding quite flat and even a bit rough, so I can't say how much longer it will still be around.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/Decatur/Memorial/

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*originally recorded on 8-26-21*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a dying Safetran mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.

While the NS local freight was working, I'd heard there was an NS 201 approaching Decatur, so I set-up with my car's hi-beams shining on the crossing. Once the local freight had shoved through, NS lined 201 on through here, and not too long after, 201 came rolling through with an AC44C6M leading a Dash-9 and an SD70ACe.

Sadly, the remaining Safetran mechanical bell here has started to die, as you can see. I'd predicted this would happen, given how it was sounding the last time I recorded it, but it's still a shame to see. Hopefully NS gives it some TLC, but I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a GS Type 3 before too long...
Also since I last recorded this crossing, NS has replaced the NEG gate lights on the far signal with new incandescent RECOs. No other changes appear to have occured here since I last recorded this crossing though.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/Decatur/Memorial/

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*originally recorded on 10-22-21*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, NEG gate lights, and a RECO gate light.

On October 22nd, I went out to Decatur to meet-up with a friend and watch some trains. This was the first crossing I recorded, where we see NS 201 passing through with a pair of SD70ACes for power and a friendly crew.

As you can see, since I last recorded this crossing, the remaining Safetran mechanical bell here has sadly since died and was replaced with a Safetran Type 3. No other major changes appear to have occurred here, however, so these slightly modernized 90s NS signals remain with almost all but their original bells.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/Decatur/Memorial/

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No changes here as of 11-27-23:

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*originally recorded on 3-11-24*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.

After I caught 101 in Belle Mina, I went back over to Decatur to see about shooting it again. As A81 was waiting at Decatur Junction ahead of 101 to get across the river, once the bridge was down and the MOW had cleared-up out of the way, it was the first to go. After a little bit of waiting here, NS A81 came rolling through and back into Decatur Yard with an SD40-2 leading an SD40-3 for power, both long-hood forwards. I believe this is the first time I've caught one of NS's new SD40-3 locomotives.

Unsurprisingly, nothing too major has changed to this crossing since I last recorded it either. Apparently I didn't entirely realized it at the time, but, prior to my last video, the closer signal had its two NEG gate lights replaced with the current RECOs. Not sure how I didn't notice that.
I'm also not sure why the gates here stayed down for so long after the train had passed.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/Decatur/Memorial/