Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[McK&H.Aust]

I also found some articles on the Villawood Level Crossing, which of course has its signals recycled at Bethungra after closure.

Articles with pictures of the crossing.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

An article on an accident at the crossing.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Apparently a lot of residents complained about how the crossing was too.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Additionally, here’s a couple of articles with pictures of the crossing at Merrylands.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Looks like they had problems with people hitting the lights on the median signals at the location.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

An article on the local council wanting to retain a pedestrian crossing at the location.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Some interesting articles and pictures there

One article I thought was particularly amusing was this one https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196 I liked the quote which reads "the red light was known and generally well observed by children as a warning to stop, and it was reasonable to expect that parents would play their part in the education of their children in that connection". Times have certainly changed!

[trainman7]

Been browsing some newspapers on Trove and I found a bunch of articles on the Guildford Level Crossing in Sydney, NSW.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=197
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... -title=722

The first link has a pretty good picture of the whole crossing too, which is great!

Great find with those articles, I've never seen a picture of the crossing from the front before, just a track view picture which I think was in a book (can't remember exactly). I also have a picture looking north from the station which I took in the 1990's and you could still see one of the concrete signal foundations, I think it was probably for the western gated signal, just haven't been able to find it yet.

On a different subject, found this notice on the ARTC website announcing the temporary closure of the Portland line, I guess due to the lack of trains.
https://tn.artc.com.au/StandingNoticeDe ... &year=2019

Thanks, you’ll be amazed at what you can find on the site...

I also found some articles on the Villawood Level Crossing, which of course had its signals recycled at Bethungra after closure.

Articles with pictures of the crossing.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

An article on an accident at the crossing.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Apparently a lot of residents complained about how loud the crossing was too.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/190736564

Additionally, here’s a couple of articles with pictures of the crossing at Merrylands.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Looks like they had problems with people hitting the lights on the median signals at the location.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164912548

An article on the local council wanting to retain a pedestrian crossing at the location.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... decade=196

Nice finds with those articles! It’s interesting to see what long gone crossings looked like. Also interesting to read the articles and discussions about the crossings at the time.

[McK&H.Aust]

Here’s a few photos of what Vincent St looks like.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
It’s interesting how the signals are mounted on concrete islands which I’ve never seen before. The fence around the relay case should deter people from spraying graffiti on it!

Was doing some research and discovered that the signals at Vincent Street had to be installed by Austar Coal Mine as one of the conditions for the development approval for construction of a new mine access point on Quorrobolong Rd. The project approval document was signed on September 6, 2009 and the section relating to the crossing can be found near the bottom of page 12 http://www.austarcoalmine.com.au/icms_d ... -mod-3.pdf

Here is a traffic study carried out as part of the development proposal, the section relating to the crossing begins on page 48 an has some interesting photos and information about the old passive signage and the need for an upgrade http://www.austarcoalmine.com.au/icms_d ... part-a.pdf

[freebrickproductions]

According to a guy named Victorian Rail Heritage on YouTube, Metro has been replacing the WCH gate mechs with new Siemens ones (source). Can anyone confirm this? Because it seems odd for Metro to do this, since they only started using them a few years ago.

[McK&H.Aust]

According to a guy named Victorian Rail Heritage on YouTube, Metro has been replacing the WCH gate mechs with new Siemens ones (source). Can anyone confirm this? Because it seems odd for Metro to do this, since they only started using them a few years ago.

I'm no expert on Melbourne crossings, but both gate mechs (Safetran and Siemens) in that video certainly don't look new and were probably recycled from one of the many crossings which have been removed in the last couple of years. I believe the Safetran mechs are fine, with the reliability problems being limited to Siemens mechs, although apparently a fix is now available http://download.siemens.com.au/index.ph ... c_id=20521

Haven't yet seen a Siemens mech in Australia with the new cast-on logo, so until we do I think that it's safe to assume these are recycled mechs.

[TrickyMario7654]

According to a guy named Victorian Rail Heritage on YouTube, Metro has been replacing the WCH gate mechs with new Siemens ones (source). Can anyone confirm this? Because it seems odd for Metro to do this, since they only started using them a few years ago.

I'm no expert on Melbourne crossings, but both gate mechs (Safetran and Siemens) in that video certainly don't look new and were probably recycled from one of the many crossings which have been removed in the last couple of years. I believe the Safetran mechs are fine, with the reliability problems being limited to Siemens mechs, although apparently a fix is now available http://download.siemens.com.au/index.ph ... c_id=20521

Haven't yet seen a Siemens mech in Australia with the new cast-on logo, so until we do I think that it's safe to assume these are recycled mechs.

I'm pretty sure those gate mechs were installed in mid-2017. The Safetran mech was almost certainly recycled from a grade separated crossing, likely from one of these two crossings (which both had Safetran gate mechs and had been removed by that stage).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.818 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.853 ... 312!8i6656

I'm not 100% sure on the Siemen gate mech though...

On a different note, work has begun to remove the High St, Reservoir crossing by building a skyrail at the location.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.716 ... 312!8i6656

[McK&H.Aust]

It's nice to see the forum is back in action

Thought I'd share a couple of things that some of you may have already heard.
Firstly the Wongawilli Coal Mine has been closed again, but this time they're removing some mining equipment so there seems to be little chance of it reopening.
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/sto ... go/?cs=300
The last train load of coal left the mine on March 15, 2019 and sadly the following crossings are now out of service...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.478 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656

It seems that the McCallum St crossing at Swan Hill could be receiving gated signals soon, this recent image from February shows what appear to be new signal foundations.
If that is the case then it's bye bye to the teardrop bell
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.338 ... 912!8i3456

[TrickyMario7654]

It's nice to see the forum is back in action

Thought I'd share a couple of things that some of you may have already heard.
Firstly the Wongawilli Coal Mine has been closed again, but this time they're removing some mining equipment so there seems to be little chance of it reopening.
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/sto ... go/?cs=300
The last train load of coal left the mine on March 15, 2019 and sadly the following crossings are now out of service...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.478 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656

It seems that the McCallum St crossing at Swan Hill could be receiving gated signals soon, this recent image from February shows what appear to be new signal foundations.
If that is the case then it's bye bye to the teardrop bell
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.338 ... 912!8i3456

I can’t see the image, maybe you forgot to post it?

Anyways, I really don’t see the point of upgrading the crossing considering the lack of traffic the line has beyond the station. Then again, it might be those stupid trolls at the Victorian State Government trying to make our lives more miserable.

[McK&H.Aust]

I can’t see the image, maybe you forgot to post it?

Anyways, I really don’t see the point of upgrading the crossing considering the lack of traffic the line has beyond the station. Then again, it might be those stupid trolls at the Victorian State Government trying to make our lives more miserable.

Not sure if this link will work any better https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.338 ... 912!8i3456

You can find the image on google maps if you zoom in on the intersection of McCallum and Curlewis Streets, then click on the blue dot for the 360 Photo which is on the western side of the roundabout. Looks like they're going to remove the disused siding track from the level crossing and move the new signals closer to the main line.

[chris96]

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I've been working in Queensland for the past 8 months and haven't really had the time to participate in this forum. Now that I'm back though, I have a lot of things to share from up north!

Firstly, it seems as though the future of Dreamworld's railway (and therefore, its crossing equipment) may be in doubt. Due to a lack of attendance and funds at the park after the horrible ride tragedy in 2016, it's been hinted by management that the train is too expansive to maintain and will be permanently retired. The train hasn't operated since halfway through last year and its reopening date has been constantly pushed back. While nothing has been officially announced yet, the swing gates at the "outback" crossing have been completely removed:




The bell has also been removed at this crossing, except I (stupidly) forgot to take a picture of it. This is a real shame as the closure of this railway will spell the end for the last real crossing bell left in Queensland (the teardrop next to Main Street Station). To be honest though, the way things are going, I don't think Dreamworld itself will last much longer. It's really struggling

In lighter news though, I was able to document this crossing in Beenleigh on the Gold Coast line. This is an excellent example of what most suburban crossings typically look like and what kind of equipment is most commonly used (based on my observations).



Active pedestrian crossings typically feature traffic signals (in custom protective casings) with speakers mounted above them to provide the audible warning alarm:


The speakers used are mostly made by TOA (for newer installations):


Or Audio Telex (at older installs):


Interestingly, these are the exact same speaker models used in Barker Technics E-Bells!

The pedestrian gates are often built into the surrounding fencing and sort of "blend together" as seen here:


GEC bases seem to be used quite commonly on Brisbane's rail network:


Another fairly common base in Queensland:


I have seen these gate lights at quite a few crossings but I'm not sure who makes them:


Westinghouse lights are probably the most common 8 inch lights in QLD, however, when overhead 12 inch lights are used, Modern Industries or Safetran units are often installed:


There are many different gate mechs employed around Brisbane's train network including a few vintage Mck&H, WRRS and Westinghouse units. They don't seem too concerned about replacing them either (unlike some other railway operator)! A Safetran mech is used at this crossing:


Something not really seen in other states is the use of US&S equipment, with quite a few crossings using lights and gate mechs from the company (as seen here):
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-16.927 ... 312!8i6656

So that's my little update for now. As interesting as Queensland's crossings can be, I'm glad to be back in the land of the bells!