Some flat sounding bells

[ZachL]

Sounds like it's hitting some rust.

[freebrickproductions]

Pretty sure these WCH bells were frozen when this was recorded:


They sound better now:


For anyone curious, this is Oak Street in Wyandotte, MI.
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Michigan/R-Z/Wyandotte/Oak/

[ZachL]

Pretty sure these WCH bells were frozen when this was recorded:


They sound better now:


For anyone curious, this is Oak Street in Wyandotte, MI.
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Michigan/R-Z/Wyandotte/Oak/

Wonder why they got rid of the Safetran cantilevers? That, and the new cantilevers have WCH mechanical bells, when the old ones had GS e-bells.

[NathanFromEngland]

Pretty sure these WCH bells were frozen when this was recorded:


They sound better now:


For anyone curious, this is Oak Street in Wyandotte, MI.
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Michigan/R-Z/Wyandotte/Oak/

Wonder why they got rid of the Safetran cantilevers? That, and the new cantilevers have WCH mechanical bells, when the old ones had GS e-bells.

Conrail owns the middle section of tracks, and they installed the signals for those sections.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2039707 ... 384!8i8192

...The preemption either needs new batteries or maybe an LED upgrade, due to how dim those Durasig heads are.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2039607 ... 384!8i8192

[ZachL]

I'm aware Conrail...er Norfolk Southern owns the middle tracks...

Batteries have nothing to do with why those signals look like that, either.

[freebrickproductions]

Pretty sure these WCH bells were frozen when this was recorded:


They sound better now:


For anyone curious, this is Oak Street in Wyandotte, MI.
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Michigan/R-Z/Wyandotte/Oak/

Wonder why they got rid of the Safetran cantilevers? That, and the new cantilevers have WCH mechanical bells, when the old ones had GS e-bells.

It seems that Conrail, or at least what's left of it, is pretty big on making sure their equipment is nice and modern, at least on the lines that CSX and NS operate over. Not sure why WCH mechanical bells were chosen for the new signals, but IMHO, it was pretty nice to see. Might've been due to the depot being there, if I had to guess.

...The preemption either needs new batteries or maybe an LED upgrade, due to how dim those Durasig heads are.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2039607 ... 384!8i8192

I'm aware Conrail...er Norfolk Southern owns the middle tracks...

Batteries have nothing to do with why those signals look like that, either.

Yea, all traffic lights, including pre-empt signals, are run off of standard AC current (though traffic light bulbs use a different wattage from a typical household bulb). Likely either someone put too small of a bulb in there, the lenses need cleaning, and/or the reflectors need cleaning.

[ZachL]

Likely either someone put too small of a bulb in there, the lenses need cleaning, and/or the reflectors need cleaning.

My money is on the lenses/reflectors needing cleaning. That, and incandescent bulbs do get hot, and could actually "cook" the lens, and cause them to char or even melt through.

[freebrickproductions]

Likely either someone put too small of a bulb in there, the lenses need cleaning, and/or the reflectors need cleaning.

My money is on the lenses/reflectors needing cleaning. That, and incandescent bulbs do get hot, and could actually "cook" the lens, and cause them to char or even melt through.

Yea, especially if too large of a bulb is used, and the lens is a poly lens (and as those are Durasigs, that's probably what those lenses are). I have a pretty badly burnt Don't Walk lens that was in a pedestrian signal I got last year, and I can share pictures if anyone wants.

[NathanFromEngland]

Here's a rough sounding WRRS bell, which eventually dies.

[freebrickproductions]

Here's a rough sounding WRRS bell, which eventually dies.

It's actually WCH, IIRC, and it always does that, based on the other videos I've seen of that crossing.

Not entirely sure why the bell automatically shuts off after a while, but I wonder if there was once gates there or something.