Henty, Australia.

[McK&H.Aust]

This crossing is at Sladen St, Henty NSW, Australia. It is located on the main line from Sydney to Melbourne and has some rare equipment. It is one of the few remaining crossings to have Harmon gate mechs and Harmon 8x24 lights! The crossing was installed in January 1984 in conjunction with the installation of CTC signalling between Junee and Albury. Most crossings on this section of track were upgraded at the time due to the CTC allowing faster train speeds, and this is the only section of track to feature these strange looking lights (I guess Harmon had the contract to supply equipment only for this section).

The Harmon gate mech on the western side of the crossing also has WRRS/GRS counterweights for some reason, I guess the Harmon ones were not heavy enough for the longer gate. The crossing has two WCH m-bells, the one on the western side only rings until the gates lower while the eastern bell rings until the gates rise. It is slow to get going when the crossing activates, and skips & makes lots of clicking noises, I think it may die soon. Apart from the Harmon lights there is also a median signal with WCH lights, and an extra signal which protects a third siding track over the crossing. The extra signal has Westinghouse lights and only activates for a train on the siding track, which is currently out of service.

Most of the other Harmon mechs, and the Harmon 8x24 lights have been replaced by newer equipment, and this is one of the few crossings in the area that retains it's original equipment.

[freebrickproductions]

I have to wonder if Harmon sold 24 inch backgrounds for their 8 inch lights here in the US. I know the MUTCD specifies that backgrounds can be 20 inches or 24 inches in size, and lens sizes can be 8 inch or 12 inch, but I can't recall if they specified that 8 inch lights had to use a 20 inch background or not.

[McK&H.Aust]

I have to wonder if Harmon sold 24 inch backgrounds for their 8 inch lights here in the US. I know the MUTCD specifies that backgrounds can be 20 inches or 24 inches in size, and lens sizes can be 8 inch or 12 inch, but I can't recall if they specified that 8 inch lights had to use a 20 inch background or not.

The 8x24 lights could have been a one off thing, or specially requested by the customer. Maybe the demand wasn't there so they stopped making them. I guess most railroads would rather use 12x24 lights.