James E. Chaney Drive, Meridian, MS

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 4-27-24*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, an Invensys Rail gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, a Safetran mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, RECO LED gate lights, and an Alstom LED gate light.

After I shot Amtrak 19, I continued on up to this crossing in the hopes of getting something here. Thankfully, I was quite lucky, as when I got here, I saw I968 was just down the tracks heading towards this crossing. As such, I quickly got set-up with a bit of time to spare, and was able to catch CPKC I968 rolling through the crossing with a pair of UP AC45CCTEs leading an NS Dash-9 and a UP AC44CWCTE on the head-end, and a UP C44ACM working as the mid-train DPU. Sadly, the train wound-up coming to a stop and tying-down on the crossing due to needing to get a crew change and to refuel the locomotives. Thankfully, however, after between 1 to 1.5 hours of sitting here, the now-NS 28J departed and got going once again, and was able to clear the crossing not too long after. After this, I went and got myself some supper and then drove the 3.5-hours-ish back home to Huntsville.

This crossing is another great one, and I'm glad I got to record it. The crossing here is split between NS and CPKC (previously KCS), with NS maintaining the far signal and CPKC maintaining the closer signal. Originally, the signals here were installed in the early-90s by NS and the MidSouth Rail Corp., though, sometime between 2011 and 2013, NS replaced their signal here with the current one. Then, sometime between 2019 and 2022, KCS upgraded the front lights on their signal to LED, but left the rear lights incandescent. Finally, in 2022 (between @EthantheRailfanner 's visit to the crossing that May and street view coming by that November), KCS upgraded the rear lights on their signal to LED.
Since then, however, thankfully no major changes appear to have occurred to this crossing. Aside from the LEDs, the old MidSouth Rail Corp. signal here is basically still fully original, complete with its original Safetran mechanical bell! Sadly, the mechanical bell does sound a bit rough and clicky, but overall still sounds fairly loud, so hopefully CPKC gives it some TLC before too long. However, as this is the last mechanical bell on the CPKC Meridian Subdivision and one of the last two along the NS NO&NE District, I'm glad to see that it's still around. NS's bell also is set to ring while the gates rise, which is rather neat to see as well. All in all, this is a great crossing, and I'm glad I was able to record it too.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Mississippi/G ... _E_Chaney/