Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[McK&H.Aust]

This crossing in QLD has some new kind of solar powered signals.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.654 ... 312!8i6656

Wow, those a weird looking! Not sure if I'm a big fan of the design. I could see it looking great in a very modern town or city, but on a rural road like this, not some much.
There's also the issue with gates...

They certainly are weird looking. It does not look like a very practical design, quite a large contraption just for 2 pairs of lights. Surely it would have been easier to use the normal equipment and have it hooked up to the solar panels.

Wouldn't be surprised if they have batteries in the gates for storing power to use at night/on cloudy days. In fact, the relays might be in there as well, as I don't see a case at the crossing!

I found this video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgNdlLyqKz8 It doesn't explain much about how they work but shows them in action. There is even a stop sign which can be displayed, it must be a failsafe device for when power is lost.

[ToledoRailfan]

This crossing in QLD has some new kind of solar powered signals.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.654 ... 312!8i6656

Wow, those a weird looking! Not sure if I'm a big fan of the design. I could see it looking great in a very modern town or city, but on a rural road like this, not some much.
There's also the issue with gates...

They certainly are weird looking. It does not look like a very practical design, quite a large contraption just for 2 pairs of lights. Surely it would have been easier to use the normal equipment and have it hooked up to the solar panels.

Wouldn't be surprised if they have batteries in the gates for storing power to use at night/on cloudy days. In fact, the relays might be in there as well, as I don't see a case at the crossing!

I found this video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgNdlLyqKz8 It doesn't explain much about how they work but shows them in action. There is even a stop sign which can be displayed, it must be a failsafe device for when power is lost.

In the background, the signals also had stop signs. Looks like the system turns into a Passive crossing from a signalized crossing in a fail safe way. Pretty cool.

[McK&H.Aust]

This crossing at Ivanhoe, NSW has a Westinghouse hybrid bell as well as yodalarms. The bell works normally during the day and then at night an automatic timer switches off the bell and the yodalarms are used instead. It is meant to reduce the noise for local residents (doesn't look like there are many!). Because of the isolated location I doubt there would be any pedestrians so I'm not sure why they went with such an elaborate setup. The crossbuck on the signal with the bell has been installed incorrectly, it says Crossing Railway.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.914 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.914 ... 312!8i6656

[cabman701]

This crossing at Ivanhoe, NSW has a Westinghouse hybrid bell as well as yodalarms. The bell works normally during the day and then at night an automatic timer switches off the bell and the yodalarms are used instead. It is meant to reduce the noise for local residents (doesn't look like there are many!). Because of the isolated location I doubt there would be any pedestrians so I'm not sure why they went with such an elaborate setup. The crossbuck on the signal with the bell has been installed incorrectly, it says Crossing Railway.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.914 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.914 ... 312!8i6656

That's funny... because you would think the yodalarms would be more annoying.

[McK&H.Aust]

That's funny... because you would think the yodalarms would be more annoying.

Yodalarms can be annoying but these ones probably have the volume adjusted down. I don't know why they didn't put the bell on the opposite side of the crossing, it would be further from the houses. The Westinghouse hybrid bells are also very loud, they could have used a soft-tone WCH M-bell and saved the extra wiring and timer.

[McK&H.Aust]

Found this crossing in Toowoomba, QLD that was upgraded recently but check out the old equipment. It had two very rare Westinghouse teardrop bells (most crossings in QLD don't even have bells) and some old cantilevers that look more like the American ones. There are also some 12 inch lights on the cantilevers which are not very common in Australia. The 8 inch lights are Westinghouse but not sure who made the 12's.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656

The new crossing is interesting, it seems it was upgraded along with the nearby intersection. The old cantilevers have been replaced by traffic light cantilevers and the traffic lights are integrated with the new crossing signals. All lights are now 12 inch (The support brackets are Westinghouse but the lights look like Safetran?) and there are new median signals. The old teardrops are gone (not even replaced by e-bells) and there are some kind of sirens or yodalarms on the new pedestrian crossings.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656

Not crossing related but the old traffic lights were replaced too. The old incandescent lights have no backgrounds which was once very common but now becoming rarer. All of the new lights have backgrounds and are LED.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656

[freebrickproductions]

Found this crossing in Toowoomba, QLD that was upgraded recently but check out the old equipment. It had two very rare Westinghouse teardrop bells (most crossings in QLD don't even have bells) and some old cantilevers that look more like the American ones. There are also some 12 inch lights on the cantilevers which are not very common in Australia. The 8 inch lights are Westinghouse but not sure who made the 12's.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656

The new crossing is interesting, it seems it was upgraded along with the nearby intersection. The old cantilevers have been replaced by traffic light cantilevers and the traffic lights are integrated with the new crossing signals. All lights are now 12 inch (The support brackets are Westinghouse but the lights look like Safetran?) and there are new median signals. The old teardrops are gone (not even replaced by e-bells) and there are some kind of sirens or yodalarms on the new pedestrian crossings.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.558 ... 312!8i6656

The 12 inch lights on the old signals appear to be WCH and the new ones appear to be Safetrans. Nice find!

[McK&H.Aust]

The 12 inch lights on the old signals appear to be WCH and the new ones appear to be Safetrans. Nice find!

Thankyou for the information. Being born & bred in NSW 12 inch lights are very rare around here, as well as cantilevers. For some reason they seem very reluctant to use either. The only crossing I know of in NSW that has 12 inch lights is this one (it is also the only one to have cantilevers).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.563 ... 312!8i6656
I think the lights could be WCH https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.563 ... 312!8i6656 https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.563 ... 312!8i6656

One of the things I like about American crossings (apart from the bigger variety of equipment) is the cool cantilever setups you guys have.

[TrickyMario7654]

Hi there! I'm new to the site. Like, McK&H Aust. I'm also an Aussie and I've got sort of an interest in crossing signals too. I'm also a fan of Melbourne's rail network too. I thought I would share some more Google Map finds I've discovered.

A crossing that still has black striped barriers: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.867 ... 312!8i6656

One of Melbourne's three (four until earlier this year) tramsquare crossings: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.889 ... 312!8i6656 (Also note the hinged barriers)

A crossing that had a teardrop bell in June 2013, but was replaced with a Westinghouse Hybrid bell rather than an E-bell sometime after that photo:
June 2013: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.881 ... 312!8i6656
October 2015: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.881 ... 312!8i6656

A crossing in Springvale that has been eliminated altogether! This was done by lowering the rail line below the road:
Before: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.948 ... 312!8i6656
After: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.948 ... 312!8i6656

A crossing which has lights above the crossbuck: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.730 ... 312!8i6656

Prototype pedestrian devices used to warn people of another train coming whether it being an express train on the southbound line or another is using the northbound line: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.918 ... 312!8i6656 (This crossing was recently grade separated in a similar matter to Springvale)

That's all I've found so far...

[freebrickproductions]

Hi there! I'm new to the site. Like, McK&H Aust. I'm also an Aussie and I've got sort of an interest in crossing signals too. I'm also a fan of Melbourne's rail network too. I thought I would share some more Google Map finds I've discovered.

A crossing that still has black striped barriers: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.867 ... 312!8i6656

One of Melbourne's three (four until earlier this year) tramsquare crossings: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.889 ... 312!8i6656 (Also note the hinged barriers)

A crossing that had a teardrop bell in June 2013, but was replaced with a Westinghouse Hybrid bell rather than an E-bell sometime after that photo:
June 2013: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.881 ... 312!8i6656
October 2015: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.881 ... 312!8i6656

A crossing in Springvale that has been eliminated altogether! This was done by lowering the rail line below the road:
Before: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.948 ... 312!8i6656
After: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.948 ... 312!8i6656

A crossing which has lights above the crossbuck: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.730 ... 312!8i6656

Prototype pedestrian devices used to warn people of another train coming whether it being an express train on the southbound line or another is using the northbound line: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.918 ... 312!8i6656 (This crossing was recently grade separated in a similar matter to Springvale)

That's all I've found so far...

Welcome to the forums! Those are some nice finds there!