Elm Street, Emmet, AR

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 2-5-24*

Signal on the left: 4 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with WCH Clear LEDs, a WCH Type 1.5 electronic bell, a WCH gate mechanism, and Alstom LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 3 pairs of WCH 12x20 inch lights with WCH Clear LEDs, a WCH Type 1 electronic bell, a WCH gate mechanism, and Alstom LED gate lights.

After getting the crossing in Sulphur Springs filmed, and documenting two others in Texas, we continued onto Texarkana for lunch. After snagging some lunch there, we went into Arkansas to see about catching some trains on the UP Little Rock Sub. This was the first train we caught: a northbound autorack train flying through the town of Emmet, AR, with a C44ACM leading an SD70M for power.

This crossing is honestly a great one, and one I'm quite glad I got to record. The signals here were installed by UP in the late-1990s, and, outside of the replacement of the gate arms, gate lights, and signage, appear to still be fully original. The closer signal even still has its original early WCH e-bell, which featured low quality speakers that made the tone of the bell extremely scratchy when it was set to loud volumes like this one is. In fact, it also does a great job of drowning-out the bell on the far side, which you can really only hear when the signals shut-off.
I will say, it was great getting to record more Clear LEDs like this, as the last ones I got to shoot in action were on the UP Roseville Sub in Reno, NV, back in 2018. I don't think I'd ever filmed a crossing with all clear LEDs before as well. I hope these great signals continue to remain unchanged for many more years to come, but, either way, I'm glad I was able to film them when I did.