Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

freebrickproductions wrote:

McK&H.Aust wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Also, what happened to that video of the crossing at Shepherds Siding?

I've been doing some research, it seems that there is no suburb or town named Shepherds Siding, it's just a railway name. Hopefully the video will be up some time on Sunday.

What town is it closest to then? I'd just list it as "near <Town Name>" since it isn't in a town.

I would say Harefield. Here's the area around the crossing.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.013 ... 305,15.25z

Same can be said for this crossing at a location called 'Manor' (the name of the nearby train station which closed in 1970). There is no town or suburb named 'Manor', so I would say 'Near Werribee' for this one.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.930 ... 312!8i6656

freebrickproductions wrote:

McK&H.Aust wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Also, what happened to that video of the crossing at Shepherds Siding?

I've been doing some research, it seems that there is no suburb or town named Shepherds Siding, it's just a railway name. Hopefully the video will be up some time on Sunday.

What town is it closest to then? I'd just list it as "near <Town Name>" since it isn't in a town.

It's right on the border between two towns (Harefield and Brucedale), although I wouldn't really describe them as towns because there are only farms in the area.

Even the railways have changed their mind several times over the years. There was a small station which was originally called Shepherds Siding when it was opened in 1893, then in 1925 the name was shortened to Shepherds. The station was demolished in 1975, but an old metal "Shepherds" sign has been retained near the site. The most recent railway documentation refers to the location as Shepherds Siding, as there still is a siding here for the nearby grain silos, although the siding and the silos seem to be out of service.

The video had been delayed while I figure out what name to use, although I am leaning towards Shepherds Siding. Just trying to find out when the gates were installed.

McK&H.Aust wrote:

freebrickproductions wrote:

McK&H.Aust wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Also, what happened to that video of the crossing at Shepherds Siding?

I've been doing some research, it seems that there is no suburb or town named Shepherds Siding, it's just a railway name. Hopefully the video will be up some time on Sunday.

What town is it closest to then? I'd just list it as "near <Town Name>" since it isn't in a town.

It's right on the border between two towns (Harefield and Brucedale), although I wouldn't really describe them as towns because there are only farms in the area.

Even the railways have changed their mind several times over the years. There was a small station which was originally called Shepherds Siding when it was opened in 1893, then in 1925 the name was shortened to Shepherds. The station was demolished in 1975, but an old metal "Shepherds" sign has been retained near the site. The most recent railway documentation refers to the location as Shepherds Siding, as there still is a siding here for the nearby grain silos, although the siding and the silos seem to be out of service.

The video had been delayed while I figure out what name to use, although I am leaning towards Shepherds Siding. Just trying to find out when the gates were installed.

I'd go with either the larger of the two "towns" (or at least whichever one has the closer center) or Sheperds Siding myself.

I just got back from a drive to Maryborough to check out the vintage equipment on some disused crossings in the area.

I'll start with Derby Rd:
DSC09908 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09891 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09863 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

This crossing features a rare WABCO bell:
DSC09903 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09905 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09871 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09867 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

The signals are in a poor state:
DSC09889 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09887 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09878 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09879 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09880 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

You can see where an extra pair of lights were attached:
DSC09876 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09865 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

More items of interest around the crossing:
DSC09874 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09886 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09895 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09893 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Believe it or not, this crossing still has power! The relay box was making a loud buzz from the electricity running through it!

As you can see, the track is in a terrible state:
DSC09901 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09899 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09897 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09884 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09883 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

A little bit further down the line baulks have been placed across the tracks. But bizarrely, a new LED signal has been installed and is operational!
DSC09859 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Moving on the the next crossing, Pyrenees Highway:
DSC09941 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09915 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09953 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09946 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Again, the signals here are in a very poor state:
DSC09916 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09923 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09925 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09937 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09934 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09939 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09942 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09949 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09951 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

This crossing features a Westinghouse Teardrop Bell!:
DSC09917 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09920 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09910 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09913 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

The relay box:
DSC09926 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09927 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09930 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Old PTC sign:
DSC09933 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

The final crossing I visited was on McClure St:
DSC09826 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09820 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09802 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09838 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09845 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09843 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09837 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09834 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09832 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09830 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09825 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09818 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09816 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09813 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09811 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09808 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09803 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

This crossing also had power and a new signal installed!
DSC09839 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

The track is well overgrown:
DSC09823 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr
DSC09835 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Sorry for this big post btw.

chris96 wrote:I just got back from a drive to Maryborough to check out the vintage equipment on some disused crossings in the area.

Sad to see these signals in a sorry state, I suppose that they will be removed soon.

I almost wonder if the line is just in "limbo" and the railroad plans on re-opening it, or the line is in the process of being re-opened.

freebrickproductions wrote:I almost wonder if the line is just in "limbo" and the railroad plans on re-opening it, or the line is in the process of being re-opened.

I believe those lines haven't seen any trains since around 2004/05. At least one crossing along one of those lines (at Campbells Creek, IIRC) has had the signals removed and tracks paved over.

Also, I figured out something about the Crossing ID's in Victoria. The ID is determined by the distance from Southern Cross station in Melbourne and what line it's from.

For instance, Marshall Street, Ivanhoe's ID is S0123. Meaning it's 12.3xx km from Southern Cross. All crossing ID's on the Hurstbridge line start with 'S' (like S0158 for Lower Plenty Road, Rosanna).

TrickyMario7654 wrote:

freebrickproductions wrote:I almost wonder if the line is just in "limbo" and the railroad plans on re-opening it, or the line is in the process of being re-opened.

I believe those lines haven't seen any trains since around 2004/05. At least one crossing along one of those lines (at Campbells Creek, IIRC) has had the signals removed and tracks paved over.

That's right. In fact the next crossing down from McClure Street on the Maryborough to Castlemaine line at Chaplins Rd in Carisbrook has also been paved over and all of its signage has been removed. Still, it's strange that new signals have been installed on these lines well after they were closed and power has been left on in the relay boxes.

Here's something else that I forgot to post yesterday. I spotted this resting between bushes just outside a rail yard in Maryborough:

chris96 wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:

freebrickproductions wrote:I almost wonder if the line is just in "limbo" and the railroad plans on re-opening it, or the line is in the process of being re-opened.

I believe those lines haven't seen any trains since around 2004/05. At least one crossing along one of those lines (at Campbells Creek, IIRC) has had the signals removed and tracks paved over.

That's right. In fact the next crossing down from McClure Street on the Maryborough to Castlemaine line at Chaplins Rd in Carisbrook has also been paved over and all of its signage has been removed. Still, it's strange that new signals have been installed on these lines well after they were closed and power has been left on in the relay boxes.

Here's something else that I forgot to post yesterday. I spotted this resting between bushes just outside a rail yard in Maryborough:

Wonder why they left a signal base in the middle of nowhere?

TrickyMario7654 wrote: Wonder why they left a signal base in the middle of nowhere?

Who knows?

It's also just hit me how the teardrop bell at McClure St must have been re-used from another installation somewhere else or was originally part of an older setup at that crossing because the rest of the setup is pure 1980's but the bell is from the mid to late 60's or early 70's: