Elm Street (AL 99) #2, Athens, AL

[freebrickproductions]

Signal on the left: 4 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, an NEG electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 4 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

I have finally recorded this crossing! As you can see, the bell here is extremely quiet. In fact, it is probably the quietest bell I've heard in person! It's kinda odd how they'd put an extremely quiet bell here, and only one bell, since the crossing is the largest one in Athens. The bell here also replaced a WCH mechanical bell sometime between 2007 and 2013. The WCH mechanical bell probably worked a lot better than the current bell. This crossing pretty much showcases my chief complaint with Safetran Type-2/NEG electronic bells.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Athens/Elm2

[cabman701]

Signal on the left: 4 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, a Safetran Type-2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 4 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

I have finally recorded this crossing! As you can see, the bell here is extremely quiet. In fact, it is probably the quietest bell I've heard in person! It's kinda odd how they'd put an extremely quiet bell here, and only one bell, since the crossing is the largest one in Athens. The bell here also replaced a WCH mechanical bell sometime between 2007 and 2013. The WCH mechanical bell probably worked a lot better than the current bell. This crossing pretty much showcases my chief complaint with Safetran Type-2/NEG electronic bells.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Athens/Elm2

Wow... there was only about 5 seconds from when the gates are fully down to the train. Good thing that semi stopped!

[freebrickproductions]

A bit of a bump, but no changes to report here as of 3-18-19:

Did get some better audio of the bell though.

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 9-3-21*

Signal on the left: 4 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, an NEG electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 4 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, RECO LED gate lights, and an NEG LED gate light.

After catching the northbound mixed freight in downtown Athens, I decided to try for a train at this crossing. After a while of waiting, CSX Q524 came north through the crossing with an ET44AH on the head-end and an ES44AH working as the mid-train DPU.

There has been a small change here since I last recorded this crossing. The far signal now has all NEG LED gate lights, while only the tip gate light on the closer gate arm was replaced with an NEG LED. Other than that, it appears no major changes have occured to this crossing though.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/Athens/Elm2/

[freebrickproductions]

Got the other side of this crossing recorded on 11-2-23: