Lamar Street, Dallas, TX

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 2-2-24*

Southern shoulder signal: 2 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, a WCH mechanical bell, a WCH gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Southern median signal: 2 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, a WCH gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Northern median signal: 2 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, a WCH gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Northern shoulder signal: 2 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with Electro-tech LEDs, a broken WCH mechanical bell, a WCH gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

On the morning of February 2nd, I got on up and went out before the opening ceremonies of HarmonyCon to see about filming at least this crossing on the DART, as it was located just one station over from the hotel the con was being held at. Here we see a DART Red Line train rolling through this unique crossing.

After getting the DART Red Line train in the previous video, I moved over to the south side of the crossing and waited for the next one. I didn't have to wait too long, however, as soon this northbound Blue Line train came through the crossing.

This crossing is a pretty neat one, even if just for the location alone. The signals here were installed underneath Dallas's convention center, and I believe they would've been installed back in the mid-90s with the construction of the red and blue DART lines through here. Due to the low clearance caused by the convention center overhead, the signals here were originally installed with folding wishbone gate arms, certainly quite a bizarre sight to see.
Between 2000 and 2008, the signals here were upgraded to LED. Then, between 2020 and 2021, it appears, the right-rear light on the northern shoulder signal was replaced with a newer, though reused, WCH 12x20 inch head, but got the same LED it seems. Finally, sometime between 2022 and 2023, DART replaced most of the folding wishbone gate arms here with standard folding aluminum ones, for some reason. Thankfully, the one on the northern median signal still survives, which I'm quite glad to see. Believe it or not, this is the first crossing I've ever recorded in action with a wishbone-style gate arm, and I believe it's one of the last four active crossings in the US with wishbone gates as well. Even though the rest were replaced for whatever reason, it's still neat to see that they all have folding gate arms still as well. This might be the most at any one crossing here in the US, TBH.
Sadly, the bell on the northern shoulder signal here is broken, as it rings once upon the signals activating, and then stays silent the rest of the time the bells are supposed to be on. The one on the south side seems to work a bit better, as it rings until the gates have lowered and then again when the gates rise. Amusingly, it seems that one doesn't start ringing until the northern one has made its one ring.
Hopefully the bell here gets fixed (rather than being replaced), but the crossing remains unchanged for many more years to come. Either way, I'm glad I was able to get a few videos of it.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Texas/A-F/Dallas/Lamar/