Montgomery Avenue, Sheffield, AL

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Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, 1 pair of Harmon 12x20 inch lights, a WCH mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
There's also a gateless signal for a side-street with 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights.

This crossing used to have some 8 inch lights, which you can see here:
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Alabama/Sheffield/Montgomery/

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Here's an alternate angle of the crossing that I took today, featuring the gateless signal front and (almost) center! Also, take note of the hanging gate light on the right-hand signal.

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*originally recorded on 7-29-20*

Signal on the far left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the near left (out of frame): 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights.
Signal on the right: 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, 1 pair of Harmon 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.

Yesterday, I went back out to the NS Memphis District West End to document the last few crossings needed for the site, along with getting a few crossings re-recorded due to either changes happening there or my previous videos of them being messed-up due to wind.
These were my first two catches of the day: NS 265 with a BNSF ES44DC leading another BNSF ES44DC, a BNSF ES44C4, yet another BNSF ES44DC, a BNSF ET44C4, and another BNSF ES44C4 meeting NS 16Z with a UP AC45CCTE leading a UP SD70M! The power on both, at least certainly the leading engines, might not've been all that interesting, but it was certainly great seeing another meet, especially one where I'm finally on the correct side like this! Also nice seeing another SD70M, seeing as NS retired all of theirs a while back and I haven't seen one in a while. Both trains did have a squealing good time going around the curve here as well, and while it doesn't seem to be too bad on video, it was certainly rather loud in person.

Sadly, a few upgrades changes have occured here since I last recorded this crossing. First off, the WCH mechanical bell at this crossing has been replaced with a General Signals Type 2 e-bell. Given how now the bell looks, I'm guessing it was some left-over stock the maintainer happened to have on hand. Not entirely sure why it was replaced, but I'm guessing the WCH bell may have died. Thankfully the mechanical bells in Cherokee and the one just outside of Tuscumbia are still there.
Next up, the front pair of lights on the closer signal were replaced with a pair of new Safetran 12x24 inch lights. Again, not sure why this was done, though it is a bit of a shame as the main lights (and now just the rear lights) were older Safetran 12x20s from the Southern Railway. Thankfully, the rear lights and side lights here remain unchanged.
Finally, the far signal has had its gate lights upgraded to LED at some point, though that's still a more minor change. This crossing does still remain at least somewhat interesting with a good mixture of equipment as well, so it's always a nice crossing to record, IMHO. The gate arm on the closer signal is having the striping peel off of it though.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/R-Z/S ... ontgomery/

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No major changes as of 6-10-21, though the tip gate light on the closer signal is now LED.

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No major changes here as of 6-24-23, though I've finally gotten a video here on the north side of it:

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Still the same as of 8-1-23:

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*originally recorded on 8-6-25*

Signal on the far left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the near left: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights
Signal on the right: 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, 1 pair of Harmon 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, RECO LED gate lights, and a RECO gate light.

After catching 16A again over at Tuscumbia, I noticed NS had something lined out of Sheffield Yard, so I decided to hang around and see what it was. After a while of waiting, I was finally able to catch my fourth and final train of the evening: NS 283 heading west through downtown Sheffield with a BNSF ET44C4 leading a BNSF ES44C4 for power. After this, I made my way back home to Huntsville for evening.

It appears that at some point within the past few years, the base gate light on the signal with the bell here was replaced with another RECO LED gate light. Amusingly, the RECO LED gate light that had already been on the tip of that gate arm has since died, meaning that signal still retains one working LED gate light. Thankfully, nothing else has changed to this crossing since I last recorded it. I'm glad to see the 70s Safetran and Harmon 12x20s are still around here, along with the late-70s and 80s Safetran gate mechs, and especially the old gateless GRS mast closest to the camera here. I do still miss the 8 inch lights and WCH mechanical bell this crossing used to have though, admittedly.

https://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/R-Z/ ... ontgomery/