20th Street, Cairo, GA

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 4-2-22*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of US&S 12x20 inch lights, a US&S mechanical bell, a US&S Model 75 gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of US&S 12x20 inch lights, a US&S mechanical bell, a US&S Model 75 gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.

On April 2nd, after having a rather disappointing day with the FGAR, I went up to the CSX Dothan Sub to see about documenting changes along the line. While I was approaching the crossing on Pine Park Road just east of Cairo, I heard something over the scanner that sounded like it was Q650 working the yard in Thomasville. As such, when I got to this crossing, I decided to sit and wait, instead of continuing to check for upgrades, just to see if something was coming. Sure enough, after a little bit of waiting, I heard the Pine Park DD go off. As such, I quickly set-up (grabbing the umbrella I'd brought with me to keep the rain off of my camera) and, not too long after, Q650 came rolling through here with a YN3b AC44CW leading a YN2 AC44CW!

This crossing is a really nice one, and was one I'd really wanted to get when I was here back in 2019, but sadly wasn't able to. The signals here are a 1980s SBD US&S install that's pretty much still entirely original, which is great to see! I'm actually not aware of any other SBD US&S installs that are this original, outside of the occasional signal or mast here and there. Both of the US&S mechanical bells here sound very healthy as well, which is great to see.
Really, the only the first notable change here was sometime between 2013 and 2019, when CSX sadly replaced both of the original hexagonal fiberglass gate arms here were replaced with newer more standard fiberglass gate arms with the vertical striping, with all of the original gate lights being replaced with RECO LEDs during that time. Then, sometime more recently, CSX replaced the closer signal's gate arm with an aluminum one, and replaced the RECO LEDs on that with the current NEG LED gate lights. Not sure why this was done, but I guess the old one got struck by a car. In fact, it was still laying just east of the crossing while I was here.
Hopefully CSX leaves these SBD signals untouched for many more years to come, but either way, I'm glad I was able to finally record these signals in action.
This crossing is also surrounded by a scrap yard, which makes parking a bit interesting. As such, if anyone else comes down here to shoot this crossing, I'd probably recommend doing so on a weekend.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Georgia/A-F/Cairo/20/