Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Hey guys, Sorry if I'm kind of changing the subject here, but I've just got back from a trip to the Gold Coast and while visiting Dreamworld, i noticed they have a Westinghouse Teardrop (painted red) for their internal train "The Dreamworld Express"! It is located on a crossing inside a tunnel that is themed to look like a natural cave. The bell wasn't sounding very healthy as it was producing a loud "clunking" sound with very little ring. The gates used in this setup are manufactured by Magic Door Industries of Queensland and are intended for use in parking lots. Sorry about the low quality images. These are actually screen grabs from a video that I hope to post soon (unfortunately, I wasn't able to take proper photos at the time):










The crossing by the main station also has a Teardrop!:

Here's a flashing lights setup I've found at a Traffic School in East Bentleigh. Note the odd lamps used for the lights...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.929 ... 312!8i6656

There's also a passive crossing visible which uses hazard triangles.

These signals also used to have 90-degree crossbucks.
http://www.signspotters.hobbiesplus.com ... l0347e.jpg

Now, if only the LXRA still had the Centre Road signals in storage. As this traffic school would make a good home for them.

Another setup in another traffic school in Kew.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.810 ... 312!8i6656

A few closeup images.
http://www.signspotters.hobbiesplus.com ... lsig2r.jpg
http://www.signspotters.hobbiesplus.com ... flsigr.jpg

chris96 wrote:Hey guys, Sorry if I'm kind of changing the subject here, but I've just got back from a trip to the Gold Coast and while visiting Dreamworld, i noticed they have a Westinghouse Teardrop (painted red) for their internal train "The Dreamworld Express"! It is located on a crossing inside a tunnel that is themed to look like a natural cave. The bell wasn't sounding very healthy as it was producing a loud "clunking" sound with very little ring. The gates used in this setup are manufactured by Magic Door Industries of Queensland and are intended for use in parking lots. Sorry about the low quality images. These are actually screen grabs from a video that I hope to post soon (unfortunately, I wasn't able to take proper photos at the time):

Nice. I wonder if they got it off an actual crossing in Queensland?

Also, this crossing in Pomona must of been one of the last crossings in the state to still have bells! Even better, TWO Teardrop bells!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-26.364 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-26.364 ... 312!8i6656

Sadly, the crossing's been upgraded and the Teardrop bells are gone!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-26.364 ... 312!8i6656

Here's a video of the crossing in action when it still had the bells.


Moving onto some more interesting finds in Queensland, this crossing further up the line has Safetran 12" inch lights.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-26.335 ... 312!8i6656

More 12" lights (not too sure who made them).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-25.930 ... 312!8i6656

I guess the relay at this crossing is solar powered.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-25.637 ... 312!8i6656

"1 Track" signs.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-23.372 ... 312!8i6656

Harmon Gate Mechs.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-23.373 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-23.373 ... 312!8i6656

More Harmon Gate Mechs.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-23.378 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-23.378 ... 312!8i6656

Moving onto South Australia.

Found a crossing with McK&H gate mechs.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.017 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.017 ... 312!8i6656

TrickyMario7654 wrote: Nice. I wonder if they got it off an actual crossing in Queensland?

I would imagine they did (hence the red color). Also, I was told that Griswold bells were really common in Queensland. Sadly, they were probably all thrown out years ago.

TrickyMario7654 wrote: More 12" lights (not too sure who made them).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-25.930 ... 312!8i6656

Those look to be US&S/WABCO 12 inch lights, and the gate mechanisms are also US&S/WABCO Model 75s! Nice find!

freebrickproductions wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote: More 12" lights (not too sure who made them).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-25.930 ... 312!8i6656

Those look to be US&S/WABCO 12 inch lights, and the gate mechanisms are also US&S/WABCO Model 75s! Nice find!

Thanks for that!

Also, is this what they do at 'out of service' crossings in Queensland? Bag up one of the crossing lights and tape a black piece of paper that reads "NOT IN USE" on the SORS sign.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.434 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.434 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.434 ... 312!8i6656

Also, this signal is missing!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.434 ... 312!8i6656

It was still there in 2013...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-27.434 ... 312!8i6656

Back to Victoria now, where this crossing has Boom Barrier Cameras to catch people being idiots and driving around the gates.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.773 ... 312!8i6656

Also, V/Line replaced the signals at this location, even though they pretty much had the same equipment! Talk about a waste of money!!!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.773 ... 312!8i6656

Interestingly enough, when this crossing in Werribee was upgraded, they kept one of the old signals' masts!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.902 ... 312!8i6656

TrickyMario7654 wrote: Interestingly enough, when this crossing in Werribee was upgraded, they kept one of the old signals' masts!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.902 ... 312!8i6656

I can confirm that the Safetran gate mech on that mast is also original! A few years ago, the original lights were ripped out (most likely due to vandalism) and where replaced with (what appear to be) some older LED lights they had lying around.

Here's the crossing in 2014 with the original lights:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.902 ... 312!8i6656

And here it is again in 2015 with the "new" lights with a black backing:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.902 ... 312!8i6656

chris96 wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote: Interestingly enough, when this crossing in Werribee was upgraded, they kept one of the old signals' masts!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.902 ... 312!8i6656

I live close to that crossing and can confirm that the Safetran gate mech on that mast is also original! A few years ago, the original lights were ripped out (most likely due to vandalism) and where replaced with (what appear to be) some older LED lights they had lying around.

Here's the crossing in 2014 with the original lights:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.902 ... 312!8i6656

And here it is again in 2015 with the "new" lights with a black backing:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.902 ... 312!8i6656

Did Safetran gate mechs exist in 1976? It can't be original...

Also, did you notice this odd sign at the nearby Cherry Street crossing?
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.898 ... 312!8i6656

TrickyMario7654 wrote: Did Safetran gate mechs exist in 1976? It can't be original...

Also, did you notice this odd sign at the nearby Cherry Street crossing?
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.898 ... 312!8i6656

I meant they left that Safetran mech from the older setup. It definitely wouldn't have been part of the original installation in the 70's. Sorry, I probably should have made it clearer.

As for the unusual sign, it was installed after a fatal crash in 2012 when a car rushed through while the gates were lowering but couldn't make it off the tracks in time due to traffic congestion at the other side. Cars would often be impatient and queue over the crossing in peak times instead of waiting at the crossing until the other side is clear (like they are supposed to).

chris96 wrote:I meant they left that Safetran mech from the older setup. It definitely wouldn't have been part of the original installation in the 70's. Sorry, I probably should have made it clearer.

As for the unusual sign, it was installed after a fatal crash in 2012 when a car rushed through while the gates were lowering but couldn't make it off the tracks in time due to traffic congestion at the other side. Cars would often be impatient and queue over the crossing in peak times instead of waiting at the crossing until the other side is clear (like they are supposed to).

That's alright, we all make mistakes from time to time.

I was thinking that the sign was installed after that accident, but was unsure. Thanks for verifying that. It seems that people often cue over tracks during peak times. (Hence why the double fatality accident at Surrey Hills occurred, would have been better to cop a lowering boom gate then having your car crushed by a train.)

The crossing in St Albans also tended to have idiots queuing on the tracks, as this picture clearly demonstrates.
http://railgallery.wongm.com/accidents/ ... 5.jpg.html

This one also demonstrates how most of the 16 deaths at this crossing occurred.
http://railgallery.wongm.com/accidents/ ... 9.jpg.html

Will people ever learn?!

Moving onto other stuff, I got a few more crossings today.

First off, is Progress Street in Dandenong South.

This crossing still has an old passive crossing sign, with a Hazard Triangle! There was also once a third track at this crossing which severed nearby factories.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... 9vYTJ3d2hz
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... ZQU2E4cF9n
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... ZNekNib080

The leftover track.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... dGOXlDU3hj
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... lyYlV4ZlFZ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... VYYTJsQU1Z

All the crossing lights here are mounted in WRRS brackets.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... UteDk0NGgw

The gate mechs still make a lot of squeaking noises when they operate, and someone also drew the Westinghouse logo on it!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... pZY1J4MUJr

An action shot.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... BNc0M3QVFR

Obviously, the bells were replaced here because the crossing is on Progress Street and they're trying to live up to their name!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... RPaUlvR2Vn

The other crossing I got is on Webster Street in Dandenong.

There's a set of McK&H lights on one of the cantilever signals, maybe they were reused from another crossing?
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... tQUU9OaVdZ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... hROEppdWZF

This crossing still has hybrid bells, although one of them sound pretty flat.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... QzaGhQbXRB

One side also has the SORS sign mounted on a separate post.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... w3MkQ0N0xN

An action shot.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Y7t ... RkN0dWbWJB