Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[chris96]

Moving onto other stuff, I got a few more crossings today.

First off, is Progress Street in Dandenong South.

This crossing still has an old passive crossing sign, with a Hazard Triangle! There was also once a third track at this crossing which severed nearby factories.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... 9vYTJ3d2hz
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... ZQU2E4cF9n
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... ZNekNib080

The leftover track.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... dGOXlDU3hj
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... lyYlV4ZlFZ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... VYYTJsQU1Z

All the crossing lights here are mounted in WRRS brackets.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... UteDk0NGgw

The gate mechs still make a lot of squeaking noises when they operate, and someone also drew the Westinghouse logo on it!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... pZY1J4MUJr

An action shot.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... BNc0M3QVFR

Obviously, the bells were replaced here because the crossing is on Progress Street and they're trying to live up to their name!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... RPaUlvR2Vn

The other crossing I got is on Webster Street in Dandenong.

There's a set of McK&H lights on one of the cantilever signals, maybe they were reused from another crossing?
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... tQUU9OaVdZ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... hROEppdWZF

This crossing still has hybrid bells, although one of them sound pretty flat.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... QzaGhQbXRB

One side also has the SORS sign mounted on a separate post.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... w3MkQ0N0xN

An action shot.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... RkN0dWbWJB

Nice images!

I also snapped a few photos down in Geelong the other day as I noticed that a missing signal at the Abery Rd crossing on a disused industrial line has been replaced!

Originally, this signal had LED lights, a beacon and a Safetran Type 3 E-Bell:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.099 ... 56!6m1!1e1

However, by 2014 the line was abandoned and the signal mysteriously disappeared:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.099 ... 56!6m1!1e1

It has remained absent for a few years until recently when it was finally replaced with ..... old Westinghouse incandescent lights!:




The other signal lights remain the same:


The line is still disused:


Clearly, the owner of this track must have found those lights lying around somewhere and used them as a quick replacement. However, the bell has not been replaced meaning this is now a bell-less crossing!

[TrickyMario7654]

Nice images!

I also snapped a few photos down in Geelong the other day as I noticed that a missing signal at the Abery Rd crossing on a disused industrial line has been replaced!

Originally, this signal had LED lights, a beacon and a Safetran Type 3 E-Bell:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.099 ... 56!6m1!1e1

However, by 2014 the line was abandoned and the signal mysteriously disappeared:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.099 ... 56!6m1!1e1

It has remained absent for a few years until recently when it was finally replaced with ..... old Westinghouse incandescent lights!:




The other signal lights remain the same:


The line is still disused:


Clearly, the owner of this track must have found those lights lying around somewhere and used them as a quick replacement. However, the bell has not been replaced meaning this is now a bell-less crossing!

Thanks for that!

I guess the line hasn't been officially abandoned yet. Though it seems odd that they would use incandescent lights instead of LEDs...

[TrickyMario7654]

Found this NSW Level Crossing Finder. Maybe this can come in handy for NSW crossing pages on the site.
https://appln.transport.nsw.gov.au/maps ... s/map.html

Moving onto other finds. This crossing in Parkes was upgraded between 2010 and 2015. Here it is prior to the said upgrade occurring. (Also note the QLD SORS signs)
https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.141764 ... 312!8i6656

Here it is after the upgrade.
https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.141692 ... 312!8i6656

Interestingly enough, they left this signal alone!
https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.141692 ... 312!8i6656

[chris96]

Moving onto other finds. This crossing in Parkes was upgraded between 2010 and 2015. Here it is prior to the said upgrade occurring. (Also note the QLD SORS signs)
https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.141764 ... 312!8i6656

Here it is after the upgrade.
https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.141692 ... 312!8i6656

Interestingly enough, they left this signal alone!
https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.141692 ... 312!8i6656

Perhaps they decided it was good enough and wasn't worth replacing?

BTW, I found some more Westinghouse EB gate mechs in New Zealand:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-40.647 ... 56!6m1!1e1
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-40.648 ... 56!6m1!1e1

I also found this crossing with two Safetran Type 3 E-Bells (these a rare in New Zealand as most E-Bells there are WCH):
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-40.547 ... 56!6m1!1e1

And is this a McKenzie & Holland mech?:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-43.526 ... 56!6m1!1e1
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-43.526 ... 56!6m1!1e1

[chris96]

Sorry for a double post, but here's the Dreamworld teardrop video I promised:

[TrickyMario7654]

Sorry for a double post, but here's the Dreamworld teardrop video I promised:

Wow. That's the fastest Teardrop bell I've ever seen! I guess they don't maintain them...

[TrickyMario7654]

And is this a McKenzie & Holland mech?:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-43.526 ... 56!6m1!1e1
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-43.526 ... 56!6m1!1e1

Looks like it is. You can see the manufacturers plate from this angle.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-43.526 ... 312!8i6656

Also, I found a crossing with either Griswold, RACO, or Safetran EM gate mechs!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-41.159 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-41.159 ... 312!8i6656

Here's the same crossing active.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-41.159 ... 312!8i6656

This crossing has traffic cones on top of the WCH E-Bells!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-40.947 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-40.947 ... 312!8i6656

Strange gate mechanism. Who made them?
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-43.898 ... 312!8i6656

[freebrickproductions]

Strange gate mechanism. Who made them?
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-43.898 ... 312!8i6656

It's some Japanese company. I forget the name, sadly.

[McK&H.Aust]

Slightly off-topic but is this a Modern Industries Mechanical Bell? I don't if they were used in Australia...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.274 ... 312!8i6656

I visited the crossing today and can confirm that it is a Modern Industries bell. Got some pictures but won't be able to post until I get home.

I'm staying in the area for a couple of days and hope to film a train at the crossing. Also going to check out the Safetran m-bell at Wodonga and the Westinghouse teardrop bell at Yarrawonga.

[TrickyMario7654]

Slightly off-topic but is this a Modern Industries Mechanical Bell? I don't know if they were used in Australia...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.274 ... 312!8i6656

I visited the crossing today and can confirm that it is a Modern Industries bell. Got some pictures but won't be able to post until I get home.

I'm staying in the area for a couple of days and hope to film a train at the crossing. Also going to check out the Safetran m-bell at Wodonga and the Westinghouse teardrop bell at Yarrawonga.

Nice! Looking forward to seeing videos of those crossings...

Also. An LXRA commercial just came on the TV advising about how buses are replacing trains along the Lilydale and Belgrave lines due to the crossing removal works at Blackburn and Heatherdale Road's. I find it funny you can hear hybrid bells though out the commercial (they also say 'there are very few noises that Melbourians dread more than this...'), yet Metro keep on removing mechanical bells. So, people are more likely to dread the sound of GS E-Bells!