Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[McK&H.Aust]

The next crossing down the line (at Tynong), has a lantern gate light & two General Signal lights on one signal.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.084 ... 6656?hl=en

Similar thing at Bunyip, but with two lantern lights & one General Signal's light.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.098 ... 6656?hl=en

That's an interesting find, I've never seen a lantern gate light used on a newer style gate before. I wonder if the original light was damaged and they didn't have anything else to replace it with.

Found another crossing that uses an old teardrop bell mount for a newer bell, this one is at High St, Seymour.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.018 ... 312!8i6656

The gate mast seems to be a newer installation and the bell mount must have been taken off an older mast. It's also interesting how the lights are mounted away from the crossing due to the bend in the road.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.018 ... 312!8i6656

This could be one of the original signals, as it has an old style junction box.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.018 ... 312!8i6656

Seems like more crossings on the north-east line will be upgraded with gates according to this media release
http://www.jaclynsymes.com.au/media-rel ... now-safer/
Sadly, two of the crossings on the list are Old Barnawartha Rd, Wodonga and Old Hume Hwy, Barnawartha. I guess that will mean the end of the Safetran bells at those crossings

[TrickyMario7654]

Seems like more crossings on the north-east line will be upgraded with gates according to this media release
http://www.jaclynsymes.com.au/media-rel ... now-safer/
Sadly, two of the crossings on the list are Old Barnawartha Rd, Wodonga and Old Hume Hwy, Barnawartha. I guess that will mean the end of the Safetran bells at those crossings

That's it. Daniel Andrews must have something against us, he must of encountered this site, and noticed how many crossings on the north-east line still had M-bells and thought, "Hey, Let's upgrade those crossings so we can annoy the users on the site!". Calling them 'relics of the past' is one thing, but trying to be an :Censored:hole is another. Same with Metro, they must of noticed this site and realized that there's a really rare Teardrop bell at Ivanhoe. They thought, "Hey! Let's get rid of it so we can make them even harder to find!"

Anyways, I found this Weston Langford picture of Nar Nar Goon crossing from 2004. Turns out, it used to have a Safetran bell prior to being upgraded with gates!

[McK&H.Aust]

Seems like more crossings on the north-east line will be upgraded with gates according to this media release
http://www.jaclynsymes.com.au/media-rel ... now-safer/
Sadly, two of the crossings on the list are Old Barnawartha Rd, Wodonga and Old Hume Hwy, Barnawartha. I guess that will mean the end of the Safetran bells at those crossings

That's it. Daniel Andrews must have something against us, he must of encountered this site, and noticed how many crossings on the north-east line still had M-bells and thought, "Hey, Let's upgrade those crossings so we can annoy the users on the site!". Calling them 'relics of the past' is one thing, but trying to be an :Censored:hole is another. Same with Metro, they must of noticed this site and realized that there's a really rare Teardrop bell at Ivanhoe. They thought, "Hey! Let's get rid of it so we can make them even harder to find!"

Anyways, I found this Weston Langford picture of Nar Nar Goon crossing from 2004. Turns out, it used to have a Safetran bell prior to being upgraded with gates!

Somebody out there in politician land obviously thinks that level crossing upgrades are good vote winners, but just in case they are watching the site we could try using some reverse psychology by saying how much we love e-bells, then see what happens!

I wonder if the north-east line runs through some marginal electorates, or maybe labor are targeting votes in the federal seat of Indi, which includes much of the line. I know that current independent member Cathy McGowan has been very vocal in her criticism of the condition of the track and the constant late running and cancellations of passenger trains between Wodonga and Melbourne. I noticed that the latest media release was double dipping by including some crossings which were announced last time.

That's enough about politics from me (probably too much lol). What a nice photo from Nar Nar Goon, it's actually quite historical when you think about it, a Freight Australia engine going past a "lights only" crossing with a mechanical bell near Melbourne.

[TrickyMario7654]

Somebody out there in politician land obviously thinks that level crossing upgrades are good vote winners, but just in case they are watching the site we could try using some reverse psychology by saying how much we love e-bells, then see what happens!

I wonder if the north-east line runs through some marginal electorates, or maybe labor are targeting votes in the federal seat of Indi, which includes much of the line. I know that current independent member Cathy McGowan has been very vocal in her criticism of the condition of the track and the constant late running and cancellations of passenger trains between Wodonga and Melbourne. I noticed that the latest media release was double dipping by including some crossings which were announced last time.

That's enough about politics from me (probably too much lol). What a nice photo from Nar Nar Goon, it's actually quite historical when you think about it, a Freight Australia engine going past a "lights only" crossing with a mechanical bell near Melbourne.

Lol. As if reverse psychology will do anything!

I imagine that the line 'does' run through some marginal electorates, just like the 'sandbelt' section of the Frankston line. They also double dip with announcing level crossing removals that most people should be well aware of.

Moving away from politics, here's an old home video of the Rosedale - Longford Road level crossing outside of Rosedale shot in the 1990's. This is also quite historical (just like that 2004 picture of Nar Nar Goon). A V/line passenger train in the old Orange & Grey colors, a gateless crossing with a Teardrop bell in which the the rail line runs parallel to the road and curves to cross the road.


The GSV image hasn't been updated since 2008, but the Teardrop had been replaced with an E-Bell at that point. (The crossing has also been upgraded with gates in recent years.)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.154 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.154 ... 328!8i1664

Also found this picture from 1984 of the Koo Wee Rup crossing on Weston Langford's site. This is of course that abandoned crossing with the GRS XB/XD lights that we drove through several times before they ripped out the signals..


Here's the crossing before the said action occurred.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.199 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.199 ... 312!8i6656

An earlier view with the track intact.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.199 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.199 ... 312!8i6656

[McK&H.Aust]

Recently discovered a project which is currently under construction at Bomen, NSW (just north of Wagga Wagga). It will see this level crossing closed and replaced by an underpass further to the north. The GSV image is a little out of date, as the crossing now has one Westinghouse hybrid bell and one WCH m-bell. https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.071 ... 328!8i1664

Some information about the project http://www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/city-of-wag ... ep-forward

[TrickyMario7654]

Recently discovered a project which is currently under construction at Bomen, NSW (just north of Wagga Wagga). It will see this level crossing closed and replaced by an underpass further to the north. The GSV image is a little out of date, as the crossing now has one Westinghouse hybrid bell and one WCH m-bell. https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.071 ... 328!8i1664

Some information about the project http://www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/city-of-wag ... ep-forward

Interesting. Also, I just returned home from Brighton Beach a few hours ago and on the way back, I payed a visit to the crossing at North Brighton station.


This crossing still retains the original signal bases.


It also has the original crossing lights (some of which are quite dim).


But there's a catch! This crossing has E-Bells. The one pictured replaced a Teardrop bell a few years ago...


The Safetran Gate Mechanisms are also not original, replacing WRRS gate mechanisms between 2013-2015.


An action shot showing the trailing carriage of a 6-car Comeng set departing North Brighton station.


In case you haven't noticed, one of the lights is dangling of it's own wire!


Here's the crossing active in Street view, this image from 2009 shows the crossing with the original gate mechs, plus a Teardrop bell & Safetran M-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.905 ... 312!8i6656

Another action shot from 2011, the Teardrop bell was still intact at the time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.905 ... 312!8i6656

They caught it active again in 2013, this time, the crossing had E-Bells but the WRRS gate mechs remained at the time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.905 ... 312!8i6656

It just goes to show that you can't win anywhere. The next crossing down the line (Church Street) had WRRS gate mechs & hybrid bells in 2009.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.915 ... 312!8i6656

By 2011, the gate mechs had been replaced, but the hybrid bells remained. Nothing had changed by 2013.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.915 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.915 ... 312!8i6656

By the time GSV came back to the crossing in 2015, both bells had been replaced with E-Bells.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.915 ... 312!8i6656

[McK&H.Aust]

Interesting. Also, I just returned home from Brighton Beach a few hours ago and on the way back, I payed a visit to the crossing at North Brighton station.


This crossing still retains the original signal bases.


It also has the original crossing lights (some of which are quite dim).


But there's a catch! This crossing has E-Bells. The one pictured replaced a Teardrop bell a few years ago...


The Safetran Gate Mechanisms are also not original, replacing WRRS gate mechanisms between 2013-2015.


An action shot showing the trailing carriage of a 6-car Comeng set departing North Brighton station.


In case you haven't noticed, one of the lights is dangling of it's own wire!


Here's the crossing active in Street view, this image from 2009 shows the crossing with the original gate mechs, plus a Teardrop bell & Safetran M-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.905 ... 312!8i6656

Another action shot from 2011, the Teardrop bell was still intact at the time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.905 ... 312!8i6656

They caught it active again in 2013, this time, the crossing had E-Bells but the WRRS gate mechs remained at the time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.905 ... 312!8i6656

Nice pictures. I actually like this crossing, and I don't mind the new gate mechs because the original lights and wishbone gates still give the crossing a classic look. I don't mind the shape of the Safetran mechs, throw a coat of paint on them and it makes them look a bit older, but the one thing that really looks out of place is the e-bells

It actually reminds me of the crossing at Junee with the picket fences, except this one has been ruined by crappy e-bells. Why can't they leave things alone

[Swedish Crossings]

I wonder how a Westinghouse hybrid would sound with a WCH e-bell

[McK&H.Aust]

I wonder how a Westinghouse hybrid would sound with a WCH e-bell

I don't know of any crossings with that bell combination, but I think it would sound OK.

Nice to have you on the forum

[freebrickproductions]

By the time GSV came back to the crossing in 2015, both bells had been replaced with E-Bells.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.915 ... 312!8i6656

Those bells don't look quite like standard General Signals e-bells, they're much too blue. Maybe they're from NEG?