CR 53, Stevenson, AL

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 12-15-22*

Signal on the left: 4 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs and a Safetran Type 2 electronic bell.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs.

After catching the southbound CSX coal train, I continued to hang around in Stevenson and watched NS 733 pass through (though I didn't film it). A little while after that, as the sun was setting, a northbound train approached on the Chattanooga Sub. Figuring there was still just enough light left for it, I quickly got up to this crossing and set-up, and was able to record this northbound empty coal train coming through with a CM44AC leading an ET44AH on the head-end and another, very fresh-looking, CM44AC working as the DPU. After this, I got some food and went home, as it was getting dark.

This crossing is a pretty nice one, originally featuring a pair of signals that CSX appears to have installed in the late-90s. In the 2000s, it appears CSX replaced both bells here with the current Safetran Type 2 on the far signal and a GS Type 2 on the closer one, followed by both signals getting an LED upgrade in the early-2010s. Then, sometime between about 2018/2019 and 2021, the closer signal was replaced entirely with a re-used older signal (that appears to be a former L&N one) with re-used (but newer) Safetran 12x24 inch lights and more WCH 2nd Gen LEDs. Strangely, this new signal completely lacks a bell, even though the one it replaced had one. Either way, since then, nothing appears to have changed to this crossing.
And with this crossing as well, I've recorded all of the signalized crossings on the Chattanooga Sub's mainline in Alabama, though I still need to re-record CR 75 in Stevenson and Bass Road in Bass, as the former has a new e-bell on it and the latter has a new LED at it.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/R-Z/Stevenson/CR53/