Randolph Street (GA 90/GA 128)#2, near Oglethorpe, GA

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 6-27-25*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Modern Industries 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 pair of WCH 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, a dead WCH mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, NEG LED gate lights, and a RECO LED gate light.
Signal on the right: 4 pairs of Modern Industries 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 pair of WCH 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, a WRRS mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, NEG LED gate lights, and a RECO LED gate light.

After catching M605 in Montezuma, we continued on over to this crossing just north of the neighboring city of Oglethorpe. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long before anything came through. After a little bit of waiting here, we were able to catch our second train of the day here: CSX I025 with a pair of ES44AHs pulling and an AC44CW working as the mid-train DPU.

This crossing is another great one, and, believe it or not, had been the last crossing on the CSX Fitzgerald Sub with 8 inch lights! It appears that the signals here were originally installed by the SCL back in the late-60s/early-70s, though, it appears later-on in the 70s the SCL replaced the left-rear light on the far signal with an MI 8 inch light. Then, in either the late-70s the SCL or the mid-80s the SBD replaced the bell on the far signal with the current WCH mechanical bell. At about the same time in the mid-80s, the SBD replaced the cantilevers here with the current MI ones, replacing all of the lights on them at the same time, though the gate masts were left alone. After that, in the 2000s, it appears, CSX replaced the gate mechanism on the closer signal here with the current Safetran one. Then, sometime between 2008 and 2013, CSX replaced the original WRRS/GRS Type D gate mech on the far signal with the current Safetran one as well. Not too long after, sometime between 2013 and 2014, CSX upgraded all of the MI 12x24 inch lights here to LED, though the 8 inch rear lights were surprisingly left alone! As such, this became the last crossing on the Fitzgerald Sub to retain 8 inch lights, as the rest were replaced when CSX upgraded this line to LED sometime between 2013 and 2014. Unfortunately, sometime before 2022, CSX would finally replace the 8 inch lights with the current LED WCH 12x24s.
Thankfully, since then, this crossing has remained largely unchanged, which is nice to see. The closer signal even still retains its original WRRS mechanical bell, which thankfully still sounds pretty nice and healthy! Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the WCH bell on the far signal, which is pretty much dead. RaisedLetter later swung by this crossing and was able to confirm that it sadly only clicks, which is a shame to see. Hopefully CSX gives it some TLC, but I wouldn't be too surprised if it's eventually replaced with an NEG e-bell instead.

https://www.rxrsignals.com/Georgia/G-Q/ ... Randolph2/