Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

freebrickproductions wrote:

ToledoRailfan wrote:Very short signal!

That's due to an airport being right over here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.9746601 ... 6656?hl=en

I never understood why they do that. It isn't often that a plane would be low a enough to hit something like that outside of the airport. And if having a signal that low can work for the railroad, why don't they just do that for most signals.

ToledoRailfan wrote:

freebrickproductions wrote:

ToledoRailfan wrote:Very short signal!

That's due to an airport being right over here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.9746601 ... 6656?hl=en

I never understood why they do that. It isn't often that a plane would be low a enough to hit something like that outside of the airport. And if having a signal that low can work for the railroad, why don't they just do that for most signals.

Visibility reasons. Easier to see signals that are as high as the cab if not higher.

freebrickproductions wrote:

ToledoRailfan wrote:

freebrickproductions wrote:

ToledoRailfan wrote:Very short signal!

That's due to an airport being right over here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.9746601 ... 6656?hl=en

I never understood why they do that. It isn't often that a plane would be low a enough to hit something like that outside of the airport. And if having a signal that low can work for the railroad, why don't they just do that for most signals.

Visibility reasons. Easier to see signals that are as high as the cab if not higher.

I guess this was a "close enough" situation.

I wonder why the word "WABASH" is written on this bridge.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0710692 ... 6656?hl=en

NathanFromEngland wrote:I wonder why the word "WABASH" is written on this bridge.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0710692 ... 6656?hl=en

Probably because it was installed by the Wabash Railroad.

ToledoRailfan wrote:

NathanFromEngland wrote:I wonder why the word "WABASH" is written on this bridge.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0710692 ... 6656?hl=en

Probably because it was installed by the Wabash Railroad.

That's most likely the case. Railroads that built/owned the bridges over roads would usually put their name on the sides of them years ago. A few examples that I'm aware of:
Faded SCL emblems on a bridge along the ATN in Attalla:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0184691 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0187362 ... 312!8i6656

Also note that there's actually two bridges there, despite there only being one track. That's because it used to be an NC&StL (later L&N) main line.

Hard to tell, but it looks like the NS bridge right up the street in Attalla may have said "Southern" on it once upon a time, though it's very hard to tell:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0212686 ... 312!8i6656

An Amtrak logo on this bridge in Birmingham, likely due to the proximity to the old and new Amtrak stations there:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5122343 ... 312!8i6656

Some kind of faded logo on this bridge in Birmingham, but the L&N's logo can still be seen:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4983191 ... 312!8i6656
The one on the other side hasn't held up as well:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4985957 ... 312!8i6656

And this bridge in Irondale (also along the ATN) has some old SAL emblems on it:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5369281 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5371709 ... 312!8i6656

Over in Atlanta, GA, the Atlanta & Westpoint Railroad's marking is still very much legible on this bridge:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.719742, ... 312!8i6656
The same can't be said for the other side however, sadly:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7193081 ... 312!8i6656

This one hasn't fared well either:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7205745 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7203037 ... 312!8i6656

And then along the section of the line near Downtown Atlanta, you've got this pair of SCL emblems along a remaining bridge:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7642444 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7642492 ... 312!8i6656

There was something written on this CSX bridge in Nashville, TN:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1697107 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1700071 ... 312!8i6656

Also in Nashville, "Georgia RR"?
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1393774 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1396444 ... 312!8i6656

And finally, "CSX Transportation" in Nashville:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0884937 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0887009 ... 312!8i6656

Sometimes you can find old railroad names on equipment, too. Not sure if SCL always did this, but a lot of equipment on the Port Tampa spur still has SCL markings on them:
https://www.google.com/maps/@27.9191797 ... 312!8i6656

What the heck is this?
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4470455 ... 312!8i6656

"Low Rat" at this motel along the Parkway here in Huntsville:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.7452173 ... 312!8i6656
Just the one rat though.

freebrickproductions wrote: Just the one rat though.

*For each room.

They're complementary!