Main Street (TX 110/FM 17) #2, Grand Saline, TX

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 2-1-24*

Signal on the left: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with Harmon Fading LEDs, 2 pairs of Harmon 12x20 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, 1 pair of Harmon 12x20 inch lights with WCH 1st Generation LEDs, 1 Safetran 12x24 inch light with an Electro-tech LED, 1 pair of Harmon 12x20 inch lights with GE Dotted LEDs, 1 WCH 12x24 inch light with a WCH 1st Generation LED, a WCH Type 1.5 electronic bell, a dead RACO mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and Alstom LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with Harmon Fading LEDs, 1 pair of WCH 12x24 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, 1.5 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, 1 WCH 12x20 inch light with a GE Dotted LED, a dead WCH electronic bell, a WCH gate mechanism, and Alstom LED gate lights.

After catching Amtrak 22 a second time just east of Mineola, we started on our way to Dallas & HarmonyCon for the weekend. As we were heading out, we wound-up going through Grand Saline, and, as we crossed the line one last time, I looked to my right (to the west), & saw a train approaching. As such, I quickly pulled off and managed to get set-up with a few seconds to spare. Here we see get to see our final (and unexpected) catch of the day: an eastbound mixed freight with a pair of AC45CCTEs for power.

This crossing is a pretty neat one, featuring a pair of older MoPac cantilevers at it. It appears both cantilevers here were installed by the MoPac in the 1970s, though with them being installed at different times, it appears. It seems these also replaced an older MoPac install, as the far signal still retains what I believe is a RACO mechanical bell on top of its cantilever mast. Either way, in the late-70s, it appears that both gate masts here were replaced with the current ones, and the cantilever-mounted bell was replaced by a pair on the gate masts. Not too long after, in the 80s/early-90s, it appears, the lights on the gate masts were replaced with the current Safetran 12x20" heads, followed by the closer signal having the lights on its cantilever being replaced with WCH 12x20" heads. Then, in the early-2000s, a few more changes would occur here. First, both bells were replaced with the current WCH e-bells. At about the same time, the far signal had it's rear-left overhead light replaced with the current WCH 12x24" light with a WCH 1st Gen LED, with three of the Harmon lights on that signal also getting the same LEDs. It seems that, at about the same time or shortly after, UP went through and upgraded the rest of the crossing to LED, putting Harmon Fading LEDs in the lights on the gate masts and Electro-tech LEDs in the rest of the light heads. Strangely, at about the same time as all of this, it appears, UP decided to add a pair of WCH 12x24" lights, presumably with LEDs (though I can't entirely tell what in the grainy 2008 imagery), to the rear of the near signal's gate mast, for reasons I'm not entirely sure of.
Next, sometime between 2008 & 2013, a couple more changes would occur to the closer signal, both appearing to happen at about the same time (and closer to/in 2013, I suspect). On this signal's gate mast, the original Safetran gate mechanism was replaced with the current WCH one, along with the rear lights on this same gate mast being removed, seemingly as they served no use. Also in 2013, the two closest tracks here, a pair of unused storage/yard tracks, were ripped-out from the crossing. However, the closer signal was not moved, so it remains rather far back from the crossing itself.
The crossing remained unchanged for a few years, but, sometime between 2018 and 2021, a few more changes occurred here. On the closer signal, the front-left overhead light was replaced by a WCH 12x24 with an Electro-tech LED, with the front-right overhead light getting a 24" background on it as well. At about the same time, it appears, the left-rear mast light of the closer signal and both rear mast lights of the far signal got new GE Dotted LEDs in them. Finally, sometime after June of 2023, one of the side lights on the far signal was replaced with a Safetran 12x24" light with an Electro-tech LED.
Despite all of the upgrades to this crossing, it's nice to see a pair of older MoPac cantilevers still in use here, along with the classic MoPac style with the gate masts in front of them. It's also nice to see some of the old MoPac-era lights and gate mech still around too. The mix of LEDs here is neat as well, as there's a good variety of makes & models here. It seems the gate masts are run on a separate flasher relay from the cantilevers, as the lights on them flash out of sync. Amusingly, despite this crossing having three bells, only one on the far signal still works as well.
I'm glad I got to film it though.