27th Street #2, Birmingham, AL

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*originally recorded on 5-19-21*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights and a General Signals Type 1 electronic bell.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights.

After the Autorack train came through, I figured the local was about to leave and head-up to the Ensley Branch, so I quickly made my way up to this crossing, where I was able to see it go through with its SD60e pair, including NS's first SD60e rebuild trailing!

This crossing is a pretty nice one, featuring an older pair of gateless signals installed by the SOU (most likely back in the 1970s). It appears that the signals likely remained mostly unchanged until the 80s, when NS upgraded the lights here to all Safetran 12x24s. Then, in the late-90s, the bell here was replaced with the current GS Type 1 e-bell. The crossing was then left further unchanged until sometime between 2011 and 2017, when the closer signal had its lights upgraded to the current Safetran 12x20s, and since then, no major changes have occured to these signals (thankfully). The closer signal's mast is also bent, so I'm kinda surprised that NS hasn't ever replaced it.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/B ... am/27_St2/

[freebrickproductions]

Got a video from the side with the GS Type 1 on 1-27-22: