Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Huh???
https://www.google.com/maps/@46.2459867 ... 312!8i6656

Erik-Gorb-Hamilton wrote:This crossing is the last crossing on the ENTIRE BNSF Seattle Subdivision to have a mechanical bell anywhere. If you google street viewed all other crossings on the BNSF they would be all E-Bells. The UP, However, still has a plethora of Safetran M-Bells at their crossings. It is my goal one day to get the bell of this crossing when the maintainers finally bring it down. The bell would have to be restored as I haven't heard it run in my life. I've also had trouble identifying this bell. Could anyone figure out what type of mechanical bell this is?

Thank you!

Looks like an older WCH, though it might be WRRS or Federal Signal. Would need to see the back. I'm betting WCH though.

Erik-Gorb-Hamilton wrote:This crossing is the last crossing on the ENTIRE BNSF Seattle Subdivision to have a mechanical bell anywhere. If you google street viewed all other crossings on the BNSF they would be all E-Bells. The UP, However, still has a plethora of Safetran M-Bells at their crossings. It is my goal one day to get the bell of this crossing when the maintainers finally bring it down. The bell would have to be restored as I haven't heard it run in my life. I've also had trouble identifying this bell. Could anyone figure out what type of mechanical bell this is?

Thank you!

The traffic signals being attached to the cantilever is pretty interesting. I wonder what this is for? Maybe it is some sort of junction box?

NathanFromEngland wrote:Huh???
https://www.google.com/maps/@46.2459867 ... 312!8i6656

That is pretty odd! Maybe it is some sort of symbol that that railroad uses?

freebrickproductions wrote:

Erik-Gorb-Hamilton wrote:This crossing is the last crossing on the ENTIRE BNSF Seattle Subdivision to have a mechanical bell anywhere. If you google street viewed all other crossings on the BNSF they would be all E-Bells. The UP, However, still has a plethora of Safetran M-Bells at their crossings. It is my goal one day to get the bell of this crossing when the maintainers finally bring it down. The bell would have to be restored as I haven't heard it run in my life. I've also had trouble identifying this bell. Could anyone figure out what type of mechanical bell this is?

Thank you!

Looks like an older WCH, though it might be WRRS or Federal Signal. Would need to see the back. I'm betting WCH though.

Friday is coming up and that is when dad has off so I'll see if i can check it out. WCH Is mixed along with the Safetrans on the UP so they are quite common. Now if it was a WRRS or Federal Signal bell then I would be happy!

Here is a mixmatch of crossing equipment! The signal on the right I think is a WCH Base with RACO Lights (At least that's what I think they said when I checked oh about 6 years ago...)

ToledoRailfan wrote: The traffic signals being attached to the cantilever is pretty interesting. I wonder what this is for? Maybe it is some sort of junction box?

I have never noticed that box... The safe assumption is that that is the transformer for the traffic lights.

Erik-Gorb-Hamilton wrote: Friday is coming up and that is when dad has off so I'll see if i can check it out. WCH Is mixed along with the Safetrans on the UP so they are quite common. Now if it was a WRRS or Federal Signal bell then I would be happy!

Here is a mixmatch of crossing equipment! The signal on the right I think is a WCH Base with RACO Lights (At least that's what I think they said when I checked oh about 6 years ago...)

Either way though, the bell ain't in service.

That crossing has Safetran 12x20s with what appears to be Harmon Fading/GE Uniform Look LEDs with a WCH mechanical bell.

Erik-Gorb-Hamilton wrote:All those pictures from the UK get me into following some of the rail system over there. I noticed a abandoned branch line heading off from the main and discovered these fellas. Now I don't know much about railroads/ways across the pond but I do know that these gates are very rare to find nowadays?

There is quite a few examples of manually operated gates in the UK. Here are some examples.
An Asterisk (*) means the manually operated gates have been removed.

Shippea Hill, Ely*
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.43019 ... 312!8i6656

Now here is a strange example, lights and manually operated gates at Lakenheath (*)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Lak ... !4d0.53522

Another strange example at Redcar Central, The gates come out in a telescopic way when moving. There used to be gates that ran out into the road until they blocked the road, but they were prone to failure in high winds and were especially unreliable. Network Rail replaced them in 2015.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.61578 ... 312!8i6656

Here are some views of an old crossing signal on display at the Wolcott Heritage Center in Maumee, Ohio.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5723378 ... 6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.573628, ... 6656?hl=en

Looks like there was a thunderstorm over Lake Erie when this was taken.

NathanFromEngland wrote:Huh???
https://www.google.com/maps/@46.2459867 ... 312!8i6656

OCS means Occupancy Control System and the lower signs means that the main track starts there.

Active crossing:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.6043447 ... 312!8i6656