Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Crossings along the closed South Gippsland rail line (Last passenger train ran in 1993, last freight train ran in 1998. There's been a push recently to have the line re-opened. Some of these have already been shared on this site, some haven't):

The first one on the out of service portion of the line: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.100720 ... 6656?hl=en

Further down the line: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.106060 ... 6656?hl=en

Check out the bell position on this one: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.116331 ... 6656?hl=en

Crossing only partly intact: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.127348 ... 6656?hl=en

Partly intact crossbuck crossing: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.169399 ... 1664?hl=en

And another one: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.181883 ... 1664?hl=en

Not much left of this crossing: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.189954 ... 1664?hl=en

This one is special to me as this particular crossing led me to discover about how the whole line had been abandoned and started up my goal of getting the line running again: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.199690 ... 6656?hl=en
The signals were still left alone for a while even though the trail had been put in place: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.199842 ... 6656?hl=en
The platform is still intact at Koo Wee Rup, albeit without the station building: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.198182 ... 6656?hl=en
Picture of the station when the line was still in use: http://www.stationspast.net/wp-content/ ... p/kw01.jpg

Not much left of this one: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.220419 ... 1664?hl=en

Same with this one: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.244153 ... 1664?hl=en

Look at the weird lights set up on this one (You can also see an old-style track signal too): https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.264140 ... 6656?hl=en
Platform remains at Lang Lang station: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.264106 ... 6656?hl=en
When trains still ran: http://www.stationspast.net/wp-content/ ... g/lg01.jpg

These signals have taken quite a beating: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.274304 ... 1664?hl=en

Sadly, a lot the signals on this line have since been removed (however, most of the track is still intact, say for a section at Koo Wee Rup which has been converted to a trail, though the right-of-way is still intact and owned by VicTrack for future passenger and/or freight use along this line, even though it's been closed for a while now...) The section between Nyora and Leongatha has been operated as a tourist railway for many years, but the group who ran it collapsed earlier this year.

TrickyMario7654 wrote:This one is special to me as this particular crossing led me to discover about how the whole line had been abandoned and started up my goal of getting the line running again: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.199690 ... 6656?hl=en
The signals were still left alone for a while even though the trail had been put in place: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.199842 ... 6656?hl=en

GRS XB Lights! Amazing find there! Shame the signals aren't in use.

freebrickproductions wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:This one is special to me as this particular crossing led me to discover about how the whole line had been abandoned and started up my goal of getting the line running again: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.199690 ... 6656?hl=en
The signals were still left alone for a while even though the trail had been put in place: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.199842 ... 6656?hl=en

GRS XB Lights! Amazing find there! Shame the signals aren't in use.

Woah! I wasn't even aware of that. The signals are no longer there sadly.

On the other hand, here's this crossing were the road is closed shortly after the crossing (and has been since 2005). For some reason, the signals are still there more than a decade after the crossing closed! It's even got E-Bells and operates every time a train comes through. (BTW, this is located on the active portion of the South Gippsland line were suburban rail services run up to Cranbourne): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.073 ... 312!8i6656

Speaking of crossings that are on a road to nowhere, there was this one in my local township on Ryan Road in which the crossing was closed to allow the construction of the bypass in order to route traffic out of the town. But for some reason, no one removed the signals at the crossing! 7 News made a report on how the crossing still operates despite the road being closed at that point (one of my father's friends appear in it too!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAFN83MZ6G8

Since then, the signals have been removed: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.084 ... 312!8i6656

But still, it's pretty funny on how mistakes like these could be made.

TrickyMario7654 wrote: Speaking of crossings that are on a road to nowhere, there was this one in my local township on Ryan Road in which the crossing was closed to allow the construction of the bypass in order to route traffic out of the town. But for some reason, no one removed the signals at the crossing! 7 News made a report on how the crossing still operates despite the road being closed at that point (one of my father's friends appear in it too!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAFN83MZ6G8

Since then, the signals have been removed: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.084 ... 312!8i6656

But still, it's pretty funny on how mistakes like these could be made.

Heh, reminds me of Monroe Street in Courtland, AL before the signals were removed:

freebrickproductions wrote:However, since the relay case is still hooked-up, the signals still activate for trains:

Closed Monroe Street Crossing in Courtland, AL by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
NS A12 by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

(Original Post can be found here.)

I may end up splitting this into another thread if this discussion continues, to keep this thread on track.

TrickyMario7654 wrote:On the other hand, here's this crossing were the road is closed shortly after the crossing (and has been since 2005). For some reason, the signals are still there more than a decade after the crossing closed! It's even got E-Bells and operates every time a train comes through. (BTW, this is located on the active portion of the South Gippsland line were suburban rail services run up to Cranbourne): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.073 ... 312!8i6656

That reminds me of a crossing I saw in Adelaide when I visited a couple of years ago. It is near Kilkenny station and must have been a private crossing but is now fenced off and the road been torn up, however the signals still remain. The most recent image from 2013 also shows the crossing active https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.887 ... 312!8i6656

Another view from 2009 https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.887 ... 312!8i6656

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Check out the bell position on this one: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.116331 ... 6656?hl=en

That looks like it could be a super rare Westinghouse teardrop bell. If you zoom right in you can just make out the round Westinghouse logo https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.116331 ... 6656?hl=en

Those are (or were) some really nice old crossings along that line, it's a shame they are gone. I guess if they do re-open the line they would probably replace them with new signals anyway. I just hope some of that old equipment (specially those XB lights and teardrop bells) went to a good home and not in the scrap bin.

McK&H.Aust wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Check out the bell position on this one: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.116331 ... 6656?hl=en

That looks like it could be a super rare Westinghouse teardrop bell. If you zoom right in you can just make out the round Westinghouse logo https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.116331 ... 6656?hl=en

Those are (or were) some really nice old crossings along that line, it's a shame they are gone. I guess if they do re-open the line they would probably replace them with new signals anyway. I just hope some of that old equipment (specially those XB lights and teardrop bells) went to a good home and not in the scrap bin.

If I remember correctly, someone told me that they knew someone that had the crossing signals from the Koo Wee Rup crossing in their backyard.

BTW, on my version of the re-opened line, the crossings have a mix of old and new equipment.

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.3042375 ... 328!8i1664 I don't know if this was posted before.

brett nc railfanner wrote:https://www.google.com/maps/@44.3042375 ... 328!8i1664 I don't know if this was posted before.

I think I posted it once before, but I can't remember if I did. I know it's featured on the AbandonedRails website (which is finally active again!).

There's a whole bunch of abandoned crossings on the former Tasrail line to Hobart. Only the bells (Mostly WCH E-Bells) remain in place today. Here are some examples:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-42.853 ... 56!6m1!1e1
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-42.839 ... 56!6m1!1e1
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-42.835 ... 56!6m1!1e1
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Ho ... 49!6m1!1e1

This crossing doesn't have any active equipment left:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-42.800 ... 56!6m1!1e1

The one crossing on the line with a WRRS mechanical bell leftover:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-42.792 ... 56!6m1!1e1

This crossing is still yet to have its signals removed:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-42.748 ... 56!6m1!1e1