Bell Maintenance and Replacement

[McK&H.Aust]

I have been thinking about this for a while. One of the main reasons for the use of e-bells is that they are virtually maintenance free when compared with mechanical bells, however it got me to wondering how often railroads actually do any maintenance on their mechanical bells (both now and in the past).

Like most people on this forum I have been fascinated by crossings since an early age, and have spent many hours at crossings over the years. Many times I have seen signal maintainers doing maintenance on gate mechs and lights or replacing broken gates, but never in my life have I seen any work being done to a bell.

I am wondering who on the forum has seen signal maintainers working on a bell (either maintenance or replacement) and are there any videos or images of this happening?

[TrickyMario7654]

Sadly, I don't know of any instances of GSV catching bell maintenance. But I did find a bunch of workers installing the foundations for new signals.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.568 ... 6656?hl=en

[chris96]

It's funny you should bring this topic up now, because just the other day I caught Metro signal maintainers cleaning/repairing the Westinghouse Hybrid bells at Royal Park. I had never seen this happen before. One of the bells was completely non-functional at this crossing, but they managed to fix it and it's working like new again!

[TrickyMario7654]

It's funny you should bring this topic up now, because just the other day I caught Metro signal maintainers cleaning/repairing the Westinghouse Hybrid bells at Royal Park. I had never seen this happen before. One of the bells was completely non-functional at this crossing, but they managed to fix it and it's working like new again!

That's good to hear! I wonder how much longer it will last...

[McK&H.Aust]

It's funny you should bring this topic up now, because just the other day I caught Metro signal maintainers cleaning/repairing the Westinghouse Hybrid bells at Royal Park. I had never seen this happen before. One of the bells was completely non-functional at this crossing, but they managed to fix it and it's working like new again!

It's great to hear cases where m-bells are being fixed rather than taking the easy way out and replacing them with e-bells. That's the sort of thing I am interested in because it is rare to see.

[weatherdan882002]

I may not know how they get fixed, but I know locally e-bells are only being installed if new signals are going in. For instance, with the Park Ave crossing here in town, both WCH mechanical bells at the crossing died, but instead of installing e-bells, they replaced them with two brand new WCH mechanical bells.

[TrickyMario7654]

I may not know how they get fixed, but I know locally e-bells are only being installed if new signals are going in. For instance, with the Park Ave crossing here in town, both WCH mechanical bells at the crossing died, but instead of installing e-bells, they replaced them with two brand new WCH mechanical bells.

It does seems like a waste of money to replace the signals themselves rather than the actual bell. Here in Melbourne, Metro only seem to be in a hurry to replace the remaining mechanical bells and not the actual signals. (I've seen crossings that have vintage McK&H lights, WRRS gate mechanisms and a electronic bell).

[chris96]

I may not know how they get fixed, but I know locally e-bells are only being installed if new signals are going in. For instance, with the Park Ave crossing here in town, both WCH mechanical bells at the crossing died, but instead of installing e-bells, they replaced them with two brand new WCH mechanical bells.

It does seems like a waste of money to replace the signals themselves rather than the actual bell. Here in Melbourne, Metro only seem to be in a hurry to replace the remaining mechanical bells and not the actual signals. (I've seen crossings that have vintage McK&H lights, WRRS gate mechanisms and a electronic bell).

Yeah, even V/line still have a handful of crossings with vintage gate mechs. Like this one in Norlane, Victoria that still has old Westinghouse mechs:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.085 ... 312!8i6656

[TrickyMario7654]

Bump! I found this video of a signal maintainer replacing a WCH M-bell with an e-Bell. Also note how he just throws the old bell on the ground.

[LARDLOGO]

Bump! I found this video of a signal maintainer replacing a WCH M-bell with an e-Bell. Also note how he just throws the old bell on the ground.

It said in the description that the maintainer was in a real pissy mood that day. That might explain the chucking.