Azalea Street, Steele, AL

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 2-8-25*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG gate lights.
Signal on the right: 4 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG gate lights.

After catching M523, I loaded my stuff back-up into my car to head to another crossing, only for my car to refuse to crank. I tried it again, getting the same result. Thankfully, I was able to flag someone over and get my car jump-started, but, due to the dead battery, I had to immediately go back home to get it replaced. (Also as a result of that, I wound-up missing an X125 with the Monon heritage unit leading that came shortly after I left, but oh well.)
A bit bummed about missing several hours of trains after eventually getting the battery replaced, I saw that there was an NS 179 that'd be coming down the AGS North District with some great power on it on Facebook. After confirming with agsnorthproductions that it hadn't even left Chattanooga, I hit the road for the Steele area to see about trying to record it. After nearly an hour and a half of driving (during which the 179 left Chatt), I was able to make it down to Steele. After a bit of waiting, a northbound started to get close, so I made my way over to this crossing and met-up with agsnorthproductions. A little bit later, I was able to catch my second train of the day: NS 108 with an AC44C6M leading an ES44DC for power.

This crossing is a rather nice one, featuring an early-2000s NS install that's basically still entirely original. In fact, the crossing is pretty much fully original outside of the replacement of the ENS signs with the current blue ones in the mid-2010s, given that the crossing still features both of its original diagonally-striped gate arms! Nice to get another pair of these recorded, I'm not sure if the Memphis East still even has any left at this point unless the ones in Hollywood and Fackler still survive.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/R-Z/Steele/Azalea/