Locations Of Currently Existing US&S TEARDROPS

[Smjh1979]

Looks like a teardrop to me.

[cabman701]

Looks like a teardrop to me.

Nice... I'm sure people coming from the opposite direction can really hear that bell well!

[Caltrain927]

Here are a couple on a very unused spur,
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.3 ... 25,,0,2.71
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.3 ... 9,,1,-2.48

[Josh]

Here are a couple on a very unused spur,
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.3 ... 25,,0,2.71
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.3 ... 9,,1,-2.48

Very cool find, Caltrain. That is some awesome street running in the second link. I love how the track curves cut off the corners of the street intersections. It's kind of weird too, how the crossing signals are almost randomly-placed along the sides of the streets, while the track is running down the center of the road. Kinda like: "If you didn't ALREADY see this big train running down right in the middle of the street..." Lots of old cantilevers too. Too bad that track is not in service.

[cabman701]

Off subject a little bit... but on that first link, I followed the road a little bit down to the Southeast and find something familiar. The classic Griswold signal that is posted on Dan's site:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&lay ... 86203&z=16

I believe I heard a rumor that it is not there anymore?

[Caltrain927]

Off subject a little bit... but on that first link, I followed the road a little bit down to the Southeast and find something familiar. The classic Griswold signal that is posted on Dan's site:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&lay ... 86203&z=16

I believe I heard a rumor that it is not there anymore?

Yes. The newer signals are 12x24 Harmon Cantilevers with Fading LED's & GS Type 2 Electronic Bells

[CIC755]

Not sure if this one from the Alton, IL area still exists, nor where it is exactly to check:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=274496

[cabman701]

Not sure if this one from the Alton, IL area still exists, nor where it is exactly to check:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=274496

Did some searching... I'm not sure how old this satellite image is, but I think this is the signal.

I only live about 90 minutes from Alton. I might have to venture down there one day. I'm just not sure if I could get into that old plant site (might be gated up of something).

[cabman701]

I couldn't sleep this morning for some reason... so I decided to head back out to Riverton, IL and hopefully catch a train at the teardrop crossing. Unfortunately as my luck goes, even though this is a usually busy line, I didn't see a train.

But... as luck would have it, a signal maintainer showed up at the crossing a few blocks east and started working on those signals. When he activated those signals, the teardrop crossing (and the crossing 2 blocks the other way) activated as well! (Guess the signals are wired together somehow...)

Anyways... here is a video of the teardrop. It is not very loud, and actually clicks more than it rings. I am a little worried that it's days could be numbered. You can also hear the e-bell on the crossing behind me.

Some good news... I attended a Christmas Eve mass in Riverton and drove by the above crossing. The teardrop bell is still in service! I am on vacation all this next week so I'm hoping to get this signal in action with a train.

[cabman701]

As promised, here is a video of this teardrop bell with a train! As you can see, the weather has changed slightly. Sorry for the poor audio, I guess my camera's microphone is a bit sensative, I'm going to have to see if there is a way to adjust that.



At the end of the video, it is very hard to see on the camera, but the crossing 2 blocks down malfunctioned for a moment. The gates began to rise, but then started to go back down again... then reversed again and went all the way up. Traffic did not start crossing until the gates fully raised and the lights shut off.