Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

chris96 · Post by **chris96** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 3:58 am

TrickyMario7654 wrote:
chris96 wrote:Also, the bells at Toorak Road, Kooyong sound a lot worse now than they do in the video. There are a lot of big trees around the crossing. I suspect leaves have found their way inside the bell, as they just make a horrible "dink" noise and don't ring at all.
I imagine that since they're removing the crossing in a few years time, they're not gonna bother replacing it with an e-bell. Does it sound the same as it does in this video? (Toorak Road crossing seen at 4:57)

It's a little difficult to tell from the video, but they seemed to still have a slight ring to them when this video was taken. When I heard them a few weeks ago, they almost sounded like someone hammering nails really loudly rather than a bell!

They sound similar to this dodgy bell on the Puffing Bill Railway (the one that remains on until the gates rise):

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 4:22 am

chris96 wrote: It's a little difficult to tell from the video, but they seemed to still have a slight ring to them when this video was taken. When I heard them a few weeks ago, they almost sounded like someone hammering nails really loudly rather than a bell!

They sound similar to this dodgy bell on the Puffing Bill Railway (the one that remains on until the gates rise):

I might have to check out the Toorak Road crossing in future and take a look at it. Might even film it in action...

McK&H.Aust · Post by **McK&H.Aust** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 10:31 pm

YouTube · Thu Oct 06, 2016 11:40 pm

Nice find with that WABCO!

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 11:51 pm

AFAIK, there used to be a crossing in Wodonga with a teardrop bell too. But it was closed when they converted the Albury/the Victorian section of the Melbourne-Syndey line to standard gauge and re-routed the line via the outskirts of the township.

McK&H.Aust · Post by **McK&H.Aust** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 12:54 am

freebrickproductions wrote:Nice find with that WABCO!

Thanks, I would love to know if it's still there. I would drive all the way down there just to film it (probably an 8 or 9 hour drive for me) as the WABCO bells are VERY rare in Australia.

McK&H.Aust · Post by **McK&H.Aust** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 1:07 am

TrickyMario7654 wrote:AFAIK, there used to be a crossing in Wodonga with a teardrop bell too. But it was closed when they converted the Albury/the Victorian section of the Melbourne-Syndey line to standard gauge and re-routed the line via the outskirts of the township.

This must be it. High St, Wodonga. It actually had 2 teardrop bells, would have been a great crossing. Notice the median lights are mounted above the crossbucks.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.120 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.120 ... 312!8i6656

Check out what's left now (not much), Interesting how they left the old signal gantry.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.120 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.120 ... 312!8i6656

Found another 2 teardrop bells on the old branch line that went down to Bandiana. All of the crossings have since had the signals removed.

Lawrence St, Wodonga. This one also has the lights mounted above the crossbucks.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.125 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.125 ... 312!8i6656

Thomas Mitchell Drive, Wodonga.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.129 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.129 ... 312!8i6656

chris96 · Post by **chris96** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 3:47 am

McK&H.Aust wrote:I have noticed on GSV that there are lots of mechanical bells, including McK&H Teardrops, Westinghouse Hybrid, Safetran and a WABC0 between Albury and Seymour. The only problem is that many of the images are quite old (2010 and earlier) and I'm wondering if anyone knows how many of these bells are still there. The section of track is managed by ARTC, who don't seem to be in a hurry to replace their mechanical bells, so hopefully most of them are still around.

High St, Barnawartha (Safetran) https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.099 ... 312!8i6656

Sadly, I don't think it's there anymore as it looks like they were about to install new signals when street view came through:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.099 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.099 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.099 ... 312!8i6656

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 4:05 am

McK&H.Aust wrote:
freebrickproductions wrote:Nice find with that WABCO!
Thanks, I would love to know if it's still there. I would drive all the way down there just to film it (probably an 8 or 9 hour drive for me) as the WABCO bells are VERY rare in Australia.

I think it's worth driving down to there to film it. I would like to see you film at some Victorian signals. There's also this very strange crossing which is partly grade separated with one track running under the road and one running at the same level of the road (it's around an hour's drive from where I live.)

chris96 · Post by **chris96** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 6:19 am

Check out the unusual crossbuck this crossing in Western Australia had:
http://www.westonlangford.com/media/photos/107376.jpg
The photo was taken in 1966 so unfortunately this signal would be long gone.

Some other finds from WA:

Rare Westinghouse Teardrop bell at Pemberton:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.441 ... 312!8i6656

A downgraded crossing further down the line (although this section is clearly disused):
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.590 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.590 ... 328!8i1664

In 2008, this crossing on Pinjarra-Williams Rd in Meelon still had standard 8 inch lights instead of the rectangular backgrounds that are now used in WA. It didn't have any bells either:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.704 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.704 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.704 ... 328!8i1664

Fast forward to 2010 and the crossing now has new LED rectangular backgrounds, but also has a teardrop bell!

:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.704 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.704 ... 312!8i6656

It's the same story for the next crossing along the line, except it seems one of the signals had been knocked over when street view came through in 2008:
2008:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.703 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.703 ... 328!8i1664

2010:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.703 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.703 ... 312!8i6656

The teardrop bell looks to be in great condition:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.703 ... 312!8i6656

Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

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