Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Finally in 2016, things got ridiculous. The crossing now has gates! Oddly enough, they've either used a General Signals or Safetran Type 2 E-Bell rather than the typical Safetran Type 3's that V/Trash usually use on new setups.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.527 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.527 ... 312!8i6656

Those are General Signals e-bells. Also, interestingly enough, the gate lights there are from the British company Unipart Rail, which makes a lot of the equipment used by Network Rail over there in the UK.

freebrickproductions wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Finally in 2016, things got ridiculous. The crossing now has gates! Oddly enough, they've either used a General Signals or Safetran Type 2 E-Bell rather than the typical Safetran Type 3's that V/Trash usually use on new setups.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.527 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.527 ... 312!8i6656

Those are General Signals e-bells. Also, interestingly enough, the gate lights there are from the British company Unipart Rail, which makes a lot of the equipment used by Network Rail over there in the UK.

First time I've seen those gate lights outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland!

Some more interesting things in Melbourne...

There's this freight only line that runs between Newport and Sunshine stations. Here are the level crossings on the line (starting from Newport).

Kernot Street. Spotswood
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656

Some Westinghouse EB Gate Mechanisms!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656

Both the median signals have the lights mounted above the crossbuck.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656

Something I find odd at this crossing is that this signal has the newer white SORS signs, where as the other signals have the inverted versions of it.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656

For some reason, there's also a post for a passive crossing even though there's active protection at this location. (It still has a hazard triangle too!)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656

Back in 2014, the crossing had hybrid bells.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.828 ... 312!8i6656

Francis Street, Brooklyn
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.817 ... 312!8i6656

Like the previous crossing, it has Westinghouse EB gate mechanisms.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.817 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.817 ... 312!8i6656

Again, this crossing still had hybrid bells in 2014.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.817 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.817 ... 312!8i6656

Somerville Road #1, Brooklyn.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

The latest Street view shows the crossing with hybrid bells (though I'm willing to bet that they've been replaced).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

I guess there was a third track at one point, as there's a noticeable gap in between these signals and the track.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

Here's a strange looking cantilever.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

Also, this portion of the line has streetlamps for some reason!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

Somerville Road #2, Brooklyn. (This crossing is on a private spur line that leads to a Sim Metals)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

There's another leftover passive crossing post for some reason.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.809 ... 312!8i6656

This crossing has a General signals E-Bell. Also, take a look at the positioning of the lights on the same signal!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

Sunshine Road, Sunshine.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.796 ... 312!8i6656

This crossing has Unipart Rail gate lights.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.796 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.796 ... 312!8i6656

An old style cantilever (the rusty look sort of reminds me of the Murrumbeena crossing).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.796 ... 312!8i6656

Back in 2007/08, the crossing still had Hybrid bells and Harmon Gate Mechs!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.796 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.796 ... 328!8i1664

Not to mention, this Teardrop bell for some reason. (Sort of reminds me of Corrigan Road in Noble Park)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.796 ... 328!8i1664

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Somerville Road #2, Brooklyn. (This crossing is on a private spur line that leads to a Sim Metals)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

These traffic lights remind me of some doghouse signals here in the US:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

freebrickproductions wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Somerville Road #2, Brooklyn. (This crossing is on a private spur line that leads to a Sim Metals)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

These traffic lights remind me of some doghouse signals here in the US:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

What are Doghouse signals?

Here is one.

TrickyMario7654 wrote:

freebrickproductions wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Somerville Road #2, Brooklyn. (This crossing is on a private spur line that leads to a Sim Metals)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

These traffic lights remind me of some doghouse signals here in the US:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

What are Doghouse signals?

brett nc railfanner wrote: Here is one.

TrickyMario7654 wrote:

freebrickproductions wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Somerville Road #2, Brooklyn. (This crossing is on a private spur line that leads to a Sim Metals)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

These traffic lights remind me of some doghouse signals here in the US:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656

What are Doghouse signals?

The ones I'm personally talking about are what's often referred to as a "Lopsided" doghouse, such as these up near Nashville, TN:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0375593 ... authuser=0

I just discovered that the newer flat gates that V/Line use are made locally by a company called RSS (Rail Signal Services) based here in Melbourne!:
DSC09474 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

While I'm at it, I have a few other images to share.

The Geelong line is one of the few V/Line tracks to still use some vintage equipment. McIntyre Rd, Lara still has a McKenzie & Holland signal base on one of the original masts:
DSC09437 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09439 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09443 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09445 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

The rest of the crossing (apart from the bell) is all Westinghouse Equipment:
DSC09441 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09447 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09448 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09453 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09455 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

The crossing even has part of the original PTC sign still intact!:
DSC09450 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

The new Safetran/Siemens E-Bells were installed earlier in the year:
DSC09452 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
They replaced the original Westinghouse Hybrid Bells:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.011 ... 312!8i6656

The relay cases don't look original:
DSC09457 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

An action shot:
DSC09442 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

As a bonus, here's the Lara Defect Detector just down the line:
DSC09462 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

It's interesting that some Westinghouse light housings are black and others are white:
DSC09464 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

I found this crossing in Parwan with a missing crossbuck:
DSC09488 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09491 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

It was there in 2014:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.715 ... 312!8i6656

Another action shot:
DSC09501 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Logo on gate arm (not sure who it belongs to):
DSC09499 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Finally, here are some close-up shots of the two different gate lights that V/Line currently use:

Unipart Rail:
DSC09502 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

RSI:
DSC09458 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Sorry for this really long post BTW.
[/quote]

Nice finds!

chris96 wrote:I found this crossing in Parwan with a missing crossbuck:



It was there in 2014:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.715 ... 312!8i6656

Sort of reminds me of the Blackburn crossing. One of the signals (the one with the Teardrop bell) was missing the crossbuck in 2007. When street view returned to the crossing in 2009, the crossbuck was still missing! Believe it or not. A subsequent visit in 2013 shows that it was still missing!

2007: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.820 ... 328!8i1664
2009: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.820 ... 312!8i6656
2013: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.820 ... 312!8i6656

Once again, I'm wondering who makes the gate lights on the boom gates used by Metro?

chris96 wrote: Logo on gate arm (not sure who it belongs to):

That's one of Harmon's logos, IIRC.

chris96 wrote:
RSI:

I believe that's actually from General Signals.