US 72, Scottsboro, AL

[freebrickproductions]

Signal on the left: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Far median signal: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Near median signal: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.

Here we see NS A81 a bit further down the line, going through the last crossing before the only remaining customer along the line. Further to the south, the line is used for car storage.

As you can see, the train has to get very close to the crossing before the signals activate. Like Willow Street, after the train passes, the signals here have a tail-ring malfunction. As a result of this, and how quickly the malfunction occurs after the crossing begins to deactivate, several drivers have to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting the gates.

There used to be all 8 inch lights at this crossing, but last summer, NS replaced them all with the 12x20s you see here. Interestingly enough, the signal with the bell was the last one to have 8 inch lights on it at this crossing. This crossing also has a rather flat sounding Safetran mechanical bell at it, IMO. This is also the only crossing along the branch line to have gates at it.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Scott ... S72_AL279/

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 7-28-23*

Signal on the left: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Far median signal: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Near median signal: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, RECO LED gate lights, and a RECO gate light.
Signal on the right: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, a RECO LED gate light, and RECO gate lights.

After catching NS A81 at Willow Street, I was able to successfully chase it on down to the US 72 crossing for another video of it. After a bit of waiting, NS A81 came through the last crossing they had to go across before reaching the one remaining customer on the line.

Thankfully, like with Willow Street, this crossing has barely changed at all since 2017. In fact, the only major differences I've seen have been the replacement of about half of the gate lights on the crossing with RECO LEDs and the fact that the crossing no longer has a tail-ring malfunction after the train passes. All four of the classic SOU signals here, albeit with newer lights, along with their original 1st Gen Safetran mechanical bell, sounding about how it did back in 2017.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/R-Z/Scottsboro/US72/

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 8-25-25*

Signal on the left: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Far median signal: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Near median signal: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, RECO LED gate lights and a RECO gate light.
Signal on the right: 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, RECO LED gate lights, and a RECO gate light.

After catching A81 at Willow Street, I chased it on down to this crossing on US 72 for one final video of it. Here we see NS A81 for the third and final time on this day, slowly crossing this rather major (for this area, at least) highway.

As you can see, sometime after I last filmed this crossing back in 2023, NS did a pretty large upgrade to the old SOU signals at this crossing. The signals here had their lights upgraded to LED, which is probably for the best considering the crossing they protect is on a dual carriageway with a 65 MPH speed limit. As part of the upgrade here though, it appears, the 1st Gen Safetran mechanical bell here was sadly replaced with a pair of GS Type 3 e-bells. And no, that's not a typo, while the closer median signal here had its bell replaced with the current GS Type 3, another GS Type 3 was installed on the far shoulder signal. Interestingly, that far one rings until the gates rise, while the closer one still rings until the gates have lowered. Thankfully, all four signals here still retain their original mid-70s Safetran gate mechs, which are nice to see.

https://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/R-Z/Scottsboro/US72/