43rd Street, Birmingham, AL

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 5-12-20*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.

After catching the northbound mixed freight, I continued working on finishing-out the north-end of the NS AGS South District. When I got to the crossings on Omega Street, I saw the signal to my north upgrade to an approach indication, so I tried to head back to Midfield to record a crossing there. However, on my way, I saw the train rolling north, so I turned around and chased him back north to this crossing. The train turned out to the the same autorack train I had seen earlier in the day at Woodstock and Vance, only this time returning back to Irondale loaded with the AC44C6M leading. Certainly not a bad train to end off on.

This crossing is another pretty decent one, featuring a pair of NS signals that were originally installed in the 1990s. It appears that in the mid to late-2000s (and certainly by the time street view first came through here in 2012), the original bells here were replaced by the current pair of Safetran Type 3s, with no major changes having occurred since then.
One of the lights on the far side has blown, so NS will probably have to replace that soon. Like with 17th Way, the bells here also ring when the gates rise, which is nice to see as well.