3rd Avenue (TN 96), Franklin, TN

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 6-21-24*

Signal on the left: 5 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs and a WCH mechanical bell.
Signal on the right: 5 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs and a WCH mechanical bell.

On June 21st, I decided to go up to the Nashville area for some railfanning, mainly with the hopes of catching L696 on the CSX Nashville Subdivision. The Nashville Subdivision is worked by two local freights: L695 from Spring Hill to Columbia and back (interchanging with the TSRR) and L696 from Spring Hill to Radnor Yard in Nashville and back, with all of the signalized crossings on the Nashville Sub being between the depot in Spring Hill and Brentwood. Normally, L695 runs during the day while L696 runs during the night. However, due to a curfew on the CSX S&NA North Subdivision (until July 13th), L696 is now running during the day, so I went on up to get what I feel is the most interesting crossing on the line recorded at long last. Sadly, I wound-up restarting the camera right before the crossing activated (but was still able to get a full activation, thankfully), but I was still able to catch CSX L696 heading north through the crossing with an SD40-3 leading a GP40-2 for power. I may see about coming back here in the near future and rerecording this crossing.

This crossing is a very nice one, and, as I stated earlier, is probably the best one on the CSX Nashville Subdivision. The signals here were installed by CSX back in the 1990s, but, sometime between 2013 and 2014, the lights were all upgraded to LED with the rest of the line. Since then, however, no other changes have occurred to this crossing, thankfully. I'm especially glad to see that both of the WCH mechanical bells here still remain, even if the one on the far side sounds a bit rougher than the closer one. This is the last crossing on the Nashville Subdivision to retain any mechanical bells though, so hopefully they'll be here for many more years to come. Either way, I'm just glad I finally got this crossing recorded. The LEDs in the front mast lights of the closer signal have also had the arrays come out of the gaskets for their lenses.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Tennessee/A-F/Franklin/3/

[freebrickproductions]

Got a better video here on 7-2-24: