FM 1255, Silver Lake, TX

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 2-1-24*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, a dying WRRS mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and Alstom LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 3 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, a RACO gate mechanism, and Alstom LED gate lights.

After catching the UP mixed freight just east of Big Sandy, we raced on back over to this crossing in the unincorporated community of Silver Lake as I figured we'd have enough time to beat Amtrak here. Thankfully, we did, and, about 20 minutes later, the northbound Texas Eagle came flying through as they began to slow down for their station stop in Mineola.

This crossing is honestly a great one, and easily one of the best on the UP Mineola Subdivision. The signals here are a very classic MoPac install, quite possibly from about 1963 or 1964, as the closer signal still features a TPC-branded base and the classic TPC extensions on the main lights, despite being a RACO signal. The closer signal also has a GRS bracket on it, though I'm not sure if it would've had any old GRS lights on it originally or not.
In the late-70s, it appears that the far signal was replaced entirely with the current one, though the original WRRS mechanical bell was reused onto the newer signal (though I'm not sure if the lights would've been or not). In the late-90s, all of the lights here would be replaced with the current WCH 12x20 inch light heads, which originally had clear LEDs in them. Then, sometime between 2013 and 2023, the LEDs in the far signal's lights were replaced. One was replaced with a WCH 2nd Gen(?) LED, while the rest were replaced with Electro-tech LEDs. Finally, sometime between March of 2023 and my visit to this crossing less than a year later, UP replaced all of the LEDs here with a new set of Electro-tech LEDs.
Thankfully, no other changes have occurred to this great crossing, with the closer signal even still retaining its original (early) RACO gate mechanism, and the far signal also still retaining the original WRRS mechanical bell. Sadly, the WRRS mechanical bell here could very much use some TLC, as it clicks quite a lot when it tries to ring. According to TheCentralTexasRailfan, the bell here's been sounding rough in the videos he's seen taken at the crossing, so it sounds like it's been like this for a while. Sadly, I wouldn't be too surprised if an NEG or other e-bell (preferably a WCH e-bell or a GS Type 3) finds its way to this crossing eventually. Regardless, this is honestly a great crossing as I stated above, and I'm quite glad I was able to film it in action.