Main Avenue, Bowling Green, KY

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 12-5-23*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of WRRS 8 inch lights, a WRRS mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, RECO LED gate lights, and a RECO gate light.
Signal on the right: 3 pairs of WRRS 8 inch lights, a WRRS mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

After I got I141 just south of Portland, I went back up to Bowling Green for another crossing. After a couple of hours waiting here, I was able to get this CSX M575 rolling through Bowling Green with an ET44AH leading an ES40DC, an AC44CW, another ET44AH, and a GP40-3 for power.

This crossing is yet another great one, featuring an old L&N install at it that seems to date back to the 1950s. It seems there were originally more tracks here, hence why the signals have a pair of mechanical bells, but, at some point, the extra tracks were ripped-out and the closer signal was moved closer to the remaining main. At the same time, it seems the gate mast on the closer signal (and possibly the lights) got replaced as well. The crossing seems to have largely remained unchanged after, but, in the 2000s, CSX replaced both of the gate mechanisms here with the current Safetran ones. Thankfully, the classic 8 inch lights and mechanical bell pair here remained since they were installed, which is rather nice to see. The 8 inch lights also have some very nicely faded backgrounds on them, and the closer signal also still retains an older diagonally-striped gate arm on it, while the far one still retains an incandescent gate light.
Of course, the star of the show here is easily the pair of WRRS mechanical bells here. This is the only such pair on the entire line, and both thankfully still sound rather healthy! Hopefully these classic signals remain here for many more years to come, but, either way, I'm glad I got this crossing recorded when I did.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Kentucky/A-K/ ... reen/Main/