29th Avenue #2, Birmingham, AL

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 12-29-20*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Siemens gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Siemens gate mechanism, a RECO gate light, and two RECO LED gate lights (one dead).

After catching the local freight on the Ensley Branch, I went up to this crossing to wait on NS 329. After a little while of waiting, we eventually see NS 329 come through with an NS AC44C6M leading a trio of Dash-9s on the head-end, and a UP SD70ACe paired-up with a UP AC44CWCTE for the mid-train DPUs. Not a bad lash-up, overall.

The crossing here is also a pretty decent one, if a bit boring. The signals here were installed in about 2014/2015, replacing an older pair of SOU-era gated signals, which had received a few various upgrades over the years (though likely still retaining their original gate mechs, it appears).
Back when I saw this crossing in action a couple of times a few months earlier in 2020, the bells here remained on while the gates were down, and all of the gate lights appeared to be LED. However, for whatever reason, it appears that most of the LED gate lights here died and were replaced with the current incandescent ones, though the closer signal retains at least one still. The lights here also seem to start a second or two before the bells do, for whatever reason. The closer signal here also needs a bit of TLC, it seems, as one of the lights is dead and both of the working gate lights flash with each other instead of alternating, while the tip gate light is also dead.
As you can see (and hear), this crossing is also located right next to the diamond with the CSX Mineral Subdivision, which is neat to see.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/B ... m/29_Ave2/