Produced from 2000 to 2014, GS Type 2 E-Bells, or GS2 bells, marked the end for mechanical bells on many railroads in North America. GS Type 2 E-Bells are identified solely by the sound emitted from the bell.

The GS2 sound dates back to July of 2000, around the time that the GS1 sound was phased out. It seems to be a compressed, low quality recording of a mechanical bell, with a more defined "ring" compared to previous GS tones. It isn’t known who provided the bell sound recording, but it is known that the GS2 sound was discontinued sometime in mid 2014, in favor of the GS3 sound.

General Signals continued to use GS1 shells up until 2004 or so. To eliminate confusion, GS E-Bells with GS1 shells and GS Type 2 circuit boards are simply called "GS Type 2 E-Bells".

Around 2004, in an effort to eliminate issues due to the design of GS1 shells, a new shell was constructed by General Signals. These shells are known as GS2 shells, and are still used today on GS Type 3 E-Bells.

The primary issue to be tackled was bell failures due to moisture entering the bell, either through the screws on top of the cap or by entering through the bug-proof mesh and making contact with the partially exposed circuit board. The solution was to attach the speaker to a circular piece of plastic that acted like a lid to cover the inside of the bell, and then mount the circuit board on top of this lid to isolate it from the rest of the bell. This way, the circuit board could not be damaged by weather or dust entering the bell through the bug-proof mesh, along with eliminating the need for screws on top of the cap. Along with this change, the screws used were changed to a rust-proof type, allowing for easy disassembly of the bell no matter the location’s climate or age of the bell. Because of these changes, GS2 shells are slightly shorter than GS1 shells.

There are 2 versions of GS Type 2 circuit boards. GS100 series boards use the standard GS2 sound, while GS200 series boards use the loud tone GS2L sound. The loud tone GS2L sound is slightly faster than the standard GS2 sound, and has a distinct "clack" to it. The loud tone GS2L sound is very rare in North America, but is quite common in Melbourne, Australia.

All GS Type 2 E-Bells are equipped with a potentiometer that controls the volume of the bell. The pitch of a GS Type 2 E-Bell cannot be adjusted without making custom modifications.

All GS Type 2 E-Bells can fit onto 4 or 5 inch diameter poles.

GS Type 2 E-Bells with GS1 shells measure 18 1/2 inches in height and 6 inches in diameter, while GS Type 2 E-Bells with GS2 shells measure 18 inches in height and 6 inches in diameter.

All GS E-Bells function off 12 volts DC.

Standard GS Type 2 E-Bells measure between 85 and 95 decibels at 5 feet. The exact decibel measurements of the Loud Tone GS Type 2 E-Bell aren’t known.

GS Type 2 E-Bells weigh about 9 lbs.

Several variants of the GS Type 2 E-Bell exist. The model numbers are listed below.

EB-3-360-5 ~ Standard GS Type 2 E-Bell.
EB-3-360-5-I ~ Loud Tone GS Type 2 E-Bell.
EB-3-360-5-3W ~ GS Type 2 E-Bell with a 3 way volume switch.

The GS Type 2 E-Bell is one of the most iconic crossing bells of the early 21st century, and many can be found in service across the United States, Canada, and around Melbourne in Australia. Although they haven’t been produced in over a decade, they are still easy to obtain through eBay or Facebook Marketplace.