Southeast Parkway, Franklin, TN

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 7-18-24*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Harmon 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, an NEG electronic bell, a Siemens gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, an Invensys Rail gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.

On July 18th, I went back up to the Nashville area to see about getting another crossing on the CSX Nashville Subdivision recorded. I originally was gonna go for the one in Thompson's Station, but, after finding-out that L696 was already to Radnor, I decided to head for this crossing and wait instead. After a little while of waiting, I was able to catch my first train of the day: CSX L696 with the SD50-3 leading the GP40-2 for power.

This crossing is a pretty decent one, featuring a bit of relatively unique equipment for the line, along with some of the newest signals on the Nashville Sub (and were indeed the newest until just a few weeks prior). Originally, there was an old pair of gated L&N double-mast signals here from the 60s, which appeared to still be fully original (complete with their WRRS 8 inch lights, WRRS mechanical bell, and what I assume were GRS/WRRS-branded Type D gate mechs). Unfortunately, sometime between 2014 and 2017, CSX replaced the signals here with the current ones. Since then, it seems the only change here was the replacement of the previous NEG e-bell with a newer one sometime after 2022.
Interestingly, this crossing features the only Siemens and Invensys Rail gate mechs on the line, as all of the other three gated crossings on the Nashville Sub use Safetran ones. The far signal also seems to have been built out of spare-parts, as it features some reused Harmon 12x24 inch light heads and what seems to be a reused Safetran mast, while the closer signal seems to have been a spare 2012-2014-spec CSX signal. While the signals currently here might not be nearly as interesting as the classic install that preceded them, it's still not a bad crossing and I'm glad I was able to get it recorded.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Tennessee/A-F ... Southeast/