Main Street (SC 336), Ridgeland, SC

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 6-26-21*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Modern Industries 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, 1 pair of WCH 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, a Federal Signal mechanical bell, a Siemens gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Federal Signal 12x20 inch lights, 2 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, a Federal Signal mechanical bell with a cracked gong, a Siemens gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.

This was the third train we both caught on June 26th, and was the first of four that we caught over on the Charleston Sub. This train was a northbound intermodal train with an ET44AH on the head-end and an ES44AH working as the mid-train DPU. We'd actually seen another on the Columbia Sub, but the rain prevented me from being able to film it (as I'd left my umbrella and jacket back at the hotel), though Ethan still got a video of it.

This crossing's another nice one, featuring an old SCL install from the mid-70s. However, in the 1980s, CSX replaced the cantilever on the far side with the current MI one, though the old Harmon cantilever on this side and the remaining 8 inch mast lights were left untouched. The crossing pretty much remained unchanged here until sometime between 2013 and 2019, when the far signal was given a full LED upgrade, though the closer signal was still entirely original at the time. Then, sometime after 2019, both of the original WABCO Model 75 gate mechs here were replaced and the 8 inch lights on the closer signal got upgraded to the current LED 12x24s.
Thankfully, the original Federal Signal 12x20 inch overhead lights and Federal Signal bell pair here have remained entirely unchanged. Kinda surprised that CSX hasn't upgraded the overhead lights here yet to LED, given the fact that everything else at this crossing's LED now. The FS bells here were also quite cool to see though, as I'd originally figured they were just something the SCL only used on their gateless signals. I guess the gated signals got them too, but they certainly seem to be rather rare to find on 'em. Unfortunately, this crossing might not have its FS bell pair for too much longer, as the closer one has a nice big crack in the gong where the hammer strikes. Either way though, this was still a rather cool crossing and I'm glad I got to film it. And hey, now I can say I've been to South Carolina and have filmed trains there too!