CR 52 #2, Pelham, AL

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 11-27-17*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with Dialight 433 Low Wattage Ball LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with Dialight 433 Low Wattage Ball LEDs, a WCH mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO incandescent gate lights.

The crossing here is pretty nice. It appears to have been upgraded in the 1990s, with the left-hand signal being installed in the early to mid 2000s as a knock-down replacement. It also used to be all incandescent (save for the gate lights on the far signal) when I visited it back in February, but sometime between then and now, the lights were upgraded to LED. At least they left the incandescent RECO gate lights on the near signal though, and the WCH mechanical bell here sounds rather healthy! There was also some utility work going on here, so the eastbound lane of CR 52 was closed with flaggers around it to keep traffic from colliding head-on.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/G-Q/Pelham/CR52_2/

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 6-18-22*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with Dialight Low Wattage LEDs, a WCH mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, an NEG LED gate light, a RECO gate light, and a RECO LED gate light.
Signal on the right: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with Dialight Low Wattage LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

After catching the second southbound intermodal train, I went over to this crossing to see about recording it as well, since I still had a bit of daylight left. After a little under another hour of waiting, I was able to get this rather nice combined unit coal & ethanol train, which had an AC44CW leading an ES44AH on the head-end, with an ET44AH and another AC44CW working as the mid-train DPUs. Of note, however, was the leading AC44CW, which was the NC&StL sticker unit! This was easily my second favorite catch of the day, and I'm certainly glad I was able to get it, especially since it was rather unexpected.

As you can see, nothing too major has changed to this crossing since I last recorded it. Unfortunately, one of the RECO incandescent gate lights on the far signal was replaced with an NEG LED, but the other one still remains, thankfully. The WCH mechanical bell at this crossing is also still around and still sounds rather healthy as well, which I'm rather glad to see. Hopefully it stays here for many more years to come.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/G-Q/Pelham/CR52_2/