Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[freebrickproductions]

I have to ask, are there any active Safetran mechanical bells left on a crossing in Australia now?

[Jack2003]

I have to ask, are there any active Safetran mechanical bells left on a crossing in Australia now?

Sadly there are only 4, 2 at the Caribbean Rail Market in Scoresby, 1 in West Melbourne and 1 at Heywood. There's also one on a signal which alerts workman of an approaching train in the yards at Seymour.

[Jack2003]

I have a few things to share. Firstly this week the crossings at McBride Street, Cockatoo and Beaconsfield-Emerald Road, Emerald had their new gated signals installed so it's RIP to the teardrop bells at those crossings. The signals at McBride Street were commissioned on Wednesday and Beaconsfield-Emerald Road the next day. Here's a test activation of McBride Street:


Unfortunately there's no video of Beaconsfield-Emerald Road but there is a picture showing the new setup being commissioned, sorry about the poor quality and size:


In other news the person named Andrew on the Facebook group Railways-Melbourne & Country Victoria said that they already purchased 4 to 5 inch adapters to fit teardrop bells on the gated signal poles, this is what Applehead137 has told Puffing Billy before and they're now finally doing it, it would be great to have the teardrop bells make a return on the gated crossings on Puffing Billy!

Also School Road (east of Menzies Creek station) will also be the tenth crossing on Puffing Billy to recieve gates by early next year. The crossing is very busy with tourist buses but the upgrade to me and others seems worthless as it's normally not that busy. Will be interesting to see if they reuse the teardrop bell there.

Anyway that's all from me

[chris96]

In other news the person named Andrew on the Facebook group Railways-Melbourne & Country Victoria said that they already purchased 4 to 5 inch adapters to fit teardrop bells on the gated signal poles, this is what Applehead137 has told Puffing Billy before and they're now finally doing it, it would be great to have the teardrop bells make a return on the gated crossings on Puffing Billy!

Also School Road (east of Menzies Creek station) will also be the tenth crossing on Puffing Billy to recieve gates by early next year. The crossing is very busy with tourist buses but the upgrade to me and others seems worthless as it's normally not that busy. Will be interesting to see if they reuse the teardrop bell there.

Wow, how interesting. Does this mean they intend to replace some of the existing WCH M-bells at crossings that are already upgraded or is this for all future upgrades going forward? Either way, that's fantastic news! It's great to see a historical railway group finally realizing the importance and significance of operating these bells. One question though, do you know if/how they received approval from VicTrack to install these bells? Last I heard, VicTrack only allow the installation of WCH and Westinghouse Hybrid mechanical bells on new setups under current guidelines (and we know they're really not fond of M-Bells anyway). Perhaps they got an exemption or were able to 'bend the rules' a little? If so, that's great because it shows they might finally be getting the hint that E-Bells are truly inappropriate for tourist lines. That also bodes well for the possibility of seeing the Hybrid recycled when the Healesville - Kinglake Rd upgrade takes place on the Yarra Valley Railway. Let's just hope. It would also be great if they could somehow reuse the WABCO bell they have in storage too, though it would probably have a few reliability issues knowing how temperamental they are. I've had so many mechanical issues with my WABCO that I've had to fix and all it does is sit in my living room!

[Jack2003]

In other news the person named Andrew on the Facebook group Railways-Melbourne & Country Victoria said that they already purchased 4 to 5 inch adapters to fit teardrop bells on the gated signal poles, this is what Applehead137 has told Puffing Billy before and they're now finally doing it, it would be great to have the teardrop bells make a return on the gated crossings on Puffing Billy!

Also School Road (east of Menzies Creek station) will also be the tenth crossing on Puffing Billy to recieve gates by early next year. The crossing is very busy with tourist buses but the upgrade to me and others seems worthless as it's normally not that busy. Will be interesting to see if they reuse the teardrop bell there.

Wow, how interesting. Does this mean they intend to replace some of the existing WCH M-bells at crossings that are already upgraded or is this for all future upgrades going forward? Either way, that's fantastic news! It's great to see a historical railway group finally realizing the importance and significance of operating these bells. One question though, do you know if/how they received approval from VicTrack to install these bells? Last I heard, VicTrack only allow the installation of WCH and Westinghouse Hybrid mechanical bells on new setups under current guidelines (and we know they're really not fond of M-Bells anyway). Perhaps they got an exemption or were able to 'bend the rules' a little? If so, that's great because it shows they might finally be getting the hint that E-Bells are truly inappropriate for tourist lines. That also bodes well for the possibility of seeing the Hybrid recycled when the Healesville - Kinglake Rd upgrade takes place on the Yarra Valley Railway. Let's just hope. It would also be great if they could somehow reuse the WABCO bell they have in storage too, though it would probably have a few reliability issues knowing how temperamental they are. I've had so many mechanical issues with my WABCO that I've had to fix and all it does is sit in my living room!

Hopefully they do, I think heritage railways would be allowed to as the pedestrian crossing at Menzies Creek received a teardrop.

[Jack2003]

Anyway I shall include more new Street View images which haven't been included:

Williams Road, Sailor Gully showing a new gateless signal with a Safetran Type 3: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.715 ... 384!8i8192

The reason why this crossing hasn't recieved gates yet as they have no room to install a gated signal next to Peg Leg Road, I honestly don't agree on it needing gates either.

Clarkes Road, Rochester with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.414 ... 312!8i6656

McCormicks Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.457 ... 312!8i6656

Elmore-Minto Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.500 ... 384!8i8192

Parsons Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.516 ... 384!8i8192

Avonmore-Mayreef Road with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.542 ... 384!8i8192

Carrs Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.568 ... 384!8i8192

Bellholme Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.610 ... 384!8i8192

Old Murray Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.614 ... 384!8i8192

Goornong-Mayreef Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.624 ... 384!8i8192

Mulcairs Lane, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.629 ... 384!8i8192

Bagshot-Whirrakee Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.643 ... 384!8i8192

Midland Highway, Bagshot with gates, which I'm surprised didn't receive red background crossbucks as it was upgraded in 2015: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.654 ... 384!8i8192

Golf Course Road, Ascot with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.713 ... 384!8i8192

Powell Street, East Bendigo with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.739 ... 384!8i8192

Hillcrest Road, Frankston with ebells and Western Cullen Hayes gate mechs: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.153 ... 384!8i8192

Frankston-Flinders Road, Baxter with ebells: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.205 ... 384!8i8192

Frankston-Flinders Road, Tyabb with ebells: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.285 ... 384!8i8192

Unfortunately I have some sad news to report and that is Beavers Road, Northcote will be recieving new Western Cullen Hayes gate mechs and new style Westinghouse lights on the gateless signals. I was told this my McK&H Aust.

[chris96]

Anyway I shall include more new Street View images which haven't been included:

Williams Road, Sailor Gully showing a new gateless signal with a Safetran Type 3: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.715 ... 384!8i8192

The reason why this crossing hasn't recieved gates yet as they have no room to install a gated signal next to Peg Leg Road, I honestly don't agree on it needing gates either.

Clarkes Road, Rochester with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.414 ... 312!8i6656

McCormicks Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.457 ... 312!8i6656

Elmore-Minto Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.500 ... 384!8i8192

Parsons Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.516 ... 384!8i8192

Avonmore-Mayreef Road with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.542 ... 384!8i8192

Carrs Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.568 ... 384!8i8192

Bellholme Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.610 ... 384!8i8192

Old Murray Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.614 ... 384!8i8192

Goornong-Mayreef Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.624 ... 384!8i8192

Mulcairs Lane, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.629 ... 384!8i8192

Bagshot-Whirrakee Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.643 ... 384!8i8192

Midland Highway, Bagshot with gates, which I'm surprised didn't receive red background crossbucks as it was upgraded in 2015: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.654 ... 384!8i8192

Golf Course Road, Ascot with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.713 ... 384!8i8192

Powell Street, East Bendigo with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.739 ... 384!8i8192

Hillcrest Road, Frankston with ebells and Western Cullen Hayes gate mechs: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.153 ... 384!8i8192

Frankston-Flinders Road, Baxter with ebells: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.205 ... 384!8i8192

Frankston-Flinders Road, Tyabb with ebells: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.285 ... 384!8i8192

Unfortunately I have some sad news to report and that is Beavers Road, Northcote will be recieving new Western Cullen Hayes gate mechs and new style Westinghouse lights on the gateless signals. I was told this my McK&H Aust.

Thanks for the updates Level Crossing Fan! It's interesting that most of those new gated setups use General Signals Bells instead of the Safetran Type 3. I keep thinking that V/Line and ARTC are phasing out GS bells in rural areas, but then they continue to pop up again. I wonder why/how the crossing designers and installers choose between the Safetran and GS bells? Perhaps it's to do with availability at the time?

[freebrickproductions]

Anyway I shall include more new Street View images which haven't been included:

Williams Road, Sailor Gully showing a new gateless signal with a Safetran Type 3: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.715 ... 384!8i8192

The reason why this crossing hasn't recieved gates yet as they have no room to install a gated signal next to Peg Leg Road, I honestly don't agree on it needing gates either.

Clarkes Road, Rochester with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.414 ... 312!8i6656

McCormicks Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.457 ... 312!8i6656

Elmore-Minto Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.500 ... 384!8i8192

Parsons Road, Elmore with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.516 ... 384!8i8192

Avonmore-Mayreef Road with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.542 ... 384!8i8192

Carrs Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.568 ... 384!8i8192

Bellholme Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.610 ... 384!8i8192

Old Murray Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.614 ... 384!8i8192

Goornong-Mayreef Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.624 ... 384!8i8192

Mulcairs Lane, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.629 ... 384!8i8192

Bagshot-Whirrakee Road, Goornong with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.643 ... 384!8i8192

Midland Highway, Bagshot with gates, which I'm surprised didn't receive red background crossbucks as it was upgraded in 2015: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.654 ... 384!8i8192

Golf Course Road, Ascot with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.713 ... 384!8i8192

Powell Street, East Bendigo with gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.739 ... 384!8i8192

Hillcrest Road, Frankston with ebells and Western Cullen Hayes gate mechs: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.153 ... 384!8i8192

Frankston-Flinders Road, Baxter with ebells: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.205 ... 384!8i8192

Frankston-Flinders Road, Tyabb with ebells: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.285 ... 384!8i8192

Unfortunately I have some sad news to report and that is Beavers Road, Northcote will be recieving new Western Cullen Hayes gate mechs and new style Westinghouse lights on the gateless signals. I was told this my McK&H Aust.

Thanks for the updates Level Crossing Fan! It's interesting that most of those new gated setups use General Signals Bells instead of the Safetran Type 3. I keep thinking that V/Line and ARTC are phasing out GS bells in rural areas, but then they continue to pop up again. I wonder why/how the crossing designers and installers choose between the Safetran and GS bells? Perhaps it's to do with availability at the time?

Budgeting might also have an effect. IIRC, GS e-bells are much, much cheaper than Safetran Type 3s.

[Jack2003]

Yeah it's weird decision making at times. Anyways SBMetro who's on Discord and YouTube but not on the forum sent me these pictures on Discord showing the now trashed Beavers Road level crossing in Northcote which was upgraded on Saturday night. Here are the pictures:



The gated signal in this picture has recently received a new stop on red signal sign and looks as if it has been mounted to the old brackets

[chris96]

Yeah it's weird decision making at times. Anyways SBMetro who's on Discord and YouTube but not on the forum sent me these pictures on Discord showing the now trashed Beavers Road level crossing in Northcote which was upgraded on Saturday night. Here are the pictures:



The gated signal in this picture has recently received a new stop on red signal sign and looks as if it has been mounted to the old brackets

Aww, that sucks. Such a shame to see more classic Westinghouse equipment bite the dust. Do you know if any other crossings in the area have been upgraded too? I hope this doesn't turn into a line-wide roll-out of upgrades like what happened on the Upfield line. In any case, I hope they leave the original un-adjusted GS Type 1 at Hutton St, Thornbury alone!