Hay Street, Fayetteville, NC

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 7-28-24*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 3 pairs of Federal Signal 12x20 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, and a General Signals Type 1 electronic bell.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, 3 pairs of Federal Signal 12x20 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, and an NEG electronic bell.

After I caught M401, I went on up to this crossing for M400, since I knew it was approaching. After about an hour of waiting, I was able to get my sixth train of the day: CSX M400 with a lone ET44AH pulling on the head-end and an ES44AH working as the mid-train DPU. I was kinda hoping he'd get on through so I could race to another crossing for I031, since I knew that was quickly approaching as well, but he absolutely took his sweet time entering the yard here in Fayetteville to work it, so I031 wound-up meeting him here. As such, I was able to also get my seventh and final train of the day at this crossing: CSX I031 with a CM44AC leading an AC44CW for power.

This crossing is another nice one, and is the third of the trio of gateless crossings left on the A Line that I'm aware of. This one's the northernmost of the three, and is located next to Fayetteville's Amtrak station. This crossing was also the last of the three gateless crossing in Fayetteville to feature 8 inch lights, interestingly enough.
The signals here were originally installed by the SCL back in the early-1970s. In the late-90s, CSX replaced both bells here with GS Type 1 e-bells. The crossing remained largely unchanged for a good few years, but then, sometime between 2013 and 2015, the overhead lights at this crossing were upgraded to LED. Then, sometime between 2015 and 2016, the original 8 inch lights on the masts were replaced. The far signal got its 8 inch lights replaced by the current Safetran 12x24s with WCH 2nd Gen LEDs, which appear to have been new old stock at the time, while the closer signal had its 8 inch lights replaced with the current WCH 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs. Finally, sometime between 2019 and 2021, CSX replaced the GS Type 1 e-bell on the closer signal with the current NEG e-bell.
Thankfully, despite the upgrades here, this crossing retains its classic gateless Walpar cantilevers from the SCL, which is nice to see. I'm glad to see more early FS 12x20s still in use here as well, even if they are LED, along with the GS Type 1 on the far signal still hanging on. Hopefully these signals remain unchanged for many more years to come, but, either way, I'm glad I was able to get the last three gateless crossings on the A Line filmed in action.