NE 2nd Street, Galva, IL

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 11-20-23*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Federal Signal 12x20 inch lights with Dialight Ball LEDs, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a US&S Model 95 gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 3 pairs of Federal Signal 12x20 inch lights with Dialight Ball LEDs, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a US&S Model 95 gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

After the eastbound mixed freight passed, AMTK 5, the westbound Amtrak California Zephyr, was starting to get rather close. As such, @TommyBNSF and I raced on over to this crossing to try and catch it, with us successfully beating it here by a few minutes. After a bit of waiting, we were able to catch the California Zephyr flying through with a pair of P42DCs for power.
Also, apologies for all the raindrops on the lens in this video. I wasn't sure if I'd've had enough time to grab my umbrella and get it set-up.

This crossing is another decent one, featuring another BN-era early WCH install from the late-70s, though this one is sadly a bit more modernized as well. In the 2000s, BNSF replaced the bell(s) here with the current GS Type 2 e-bells, following that up with upgrading the lights here to Dialight Ball LEDs in the early 2010s. The crossing then remained unchanged for about a decade, until 2021, when BNSF sadly replaced the original early WCH gate mechs here with the current (reused) US&S Model 95 gate mechs. Since then however, there have thankfully been no further major changes to this crossing.
Even with all of the various upgrades to this crossing, it's nice to see that the old FS 12x20s here remain in service. Hopefully the newer gate mechs here will mean that these older signals get to remain in service for many more years, but, with BNSF, you can never say for sure. Regardless, I'm glad I was able to record this crossing, even if my video of it is far from the best.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Illinois/A-K/Galva/NE2/