Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

@freebrickproductions: Thanks! I'll be on the lookout for more nice stuff.

Some more finds...

A crossing which has a pair of lights on a lamp post!: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.760 ... 312!8i6656

A crossing which in 2007 had newer-style gates but an older mechanical bell, but in 2014, had instead older wishbone gates and E-Bells!:
2007: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.681 ... 328!8i1664
2014: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.681 ... 312!8i6656

Another crossing further up the line which previously had newer style gates, but a few years later, they had been replaced with wishbone gates!:
2008: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.663 ... 328!8i1664
2014: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.663 ... 312!8i6656

Weird looking piece of crossing equipment: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.929 ... 312!8i6656

Really tall mast (located at the former Springvale Road Level crossing): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.949 ... 312!8i6656

Probably the most confusing grade crossing in the world! (It's a crossing located in a spaghetti intersection with several roads intersecting at it!):
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.716 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.715 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.715 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.714 ... 312!8i6656

The bell on this crossing is located on the mast that holds the gate rather than the mast with the actual crossing: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.967 ... 312!8i6656

A mast which contain three sets of lights!: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.130 ... 312!8i6656

Looking at a street view of the Ripponlea crossing (as seen in the video on page 1) in 2007 shows that one side (the one with the Safetran bell) still had a black striped boom gate! (Sadly, it was repainted sometime after this was taken. To add further insult to injury, the Safetran bell has now been replaced with an E-Bell earlier this month!): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.876 ... 328!8i1664

Another crossing were one of the barriers have black stripes (I've actually seen this crossing in action when I was on the farewell Hitachi Train tour): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.766 ... 312!8i6656

...And another: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.749 ... 312!8i6656

Bit of an unusual combo of bells. One side has a McK&H Teardrop bell, while the other has an unknown mechanical bell (Not too sure what type it is). Sadly, they were replaced with E-Bells when they added the second track at this section : https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.672 ... 312!8i6656

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Bit of an unusual combo of bells. One side has a McK&H Teardrop bell, while the other has an unknown mechanical bell (Not too sure what type it is). Sadly, they were replaced with E-Bells when they added the second track at this section : https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.672 ... 312!8i6656

That appears to be a Safetran.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.672 ... 312!8i6656

Bit of an unusual setup at this crossing: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.843 ... 312!8i6656

Does anybody know what this light thing is behind the bell at this crossing? I pass over this one quite a bit: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.081 ... 312!8i6656

Masts look pretty rusty on this crossing (Wikipedia says that Lights, bells, and barriers replaced interlocking gates at this crossing in 1979. This crossing will also be eliminated in a few years time as part of the government's plan to remove every level crossing between Caulfield and Dandenong): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.889 ... 312!8i6656

The masts at the former Middleborough Road level crossing were painted green for some reason (this crossing was grade separated back in 2007): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D-NSqOZABw

The crossing at New Street in Brighton was the last crossing in Melbourne to still use handgates. It was closed in 2007 after an incident were a train slammed into the gates when they were opened.
Here's the crossing in 2010: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.931 ... 312!8i6656
The crossing was later reopened with automatic boom gates in late-2013 (The signal hut and the wooden gates have been preserved at this location): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.931 ... 312!8i6656

Really odd crossing here. One of the tracks is grade separated is runs under the road. The other, runs level with the road. It also has a mechanical bell on one side, and an E-Bell on the other: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.144 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.144 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.144 ... 328!8i1664

Grade Separation process at the Springvale Road crossing in Nunawading...
Before the works began in mid-2009: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.820 ... 328!8i1664
During the works (Nov 2009, note the temporary equipment): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.820 ... 312!8i6656
Shortly after completion (Jan 2010): https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.820 ... 312!8i6656

I've never seen the sign indicating how many tracks there are arranged like this: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.238 ... 312!8i6656

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Does anybody know what this light thing is behind the bell at this crossing? I pass over this one quite a bit: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.081 ... 312!8i6656

Welcome, it's nice to have another Aussie on the forum. I think that light behind the bell is some kind of strobe light or beacon to let the train crew know when the crossing is operating.

TrickyMario7654 wrote:I've never seen the sign indicating how many tracks there are arranged like this: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.238 ... 312!8i6656

I have seen one somewhere in NSW but can't remember where. It was also on a crossing with those new style crossbucks (they are going crazy and installing them everywhere in NSW).


You have found some great crossings around Melbourne, I specially like the old black & white gates and incandescent lights.

McK&H.Aust wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Does anybody know what this light thing is behind the bell at this crossing? I pass over this one quite a bit: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.081 ... 312!8i6656

Welcome, it's nice to have another Aussie on the forum. I think that light behind the bell is some kind of strobe light or beacon to let the train crew know when the crossing is operating.

TrickyMario7654 wrote:I've never seen the sign indicating how many tracks there are arranged like this: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.238 ... 312!8i6656

I have seen one somewhere in NSW but can't remember where. It was also on a crossing with those new style crossbucks (they are going crazy and installing them everywhere in NSW).


You have found some great crossings around Melbourne, I specially like the old black & white gates and incandescent lights.

Thanks! I've shown off some of Melbourne's weirdest and most interesting crossings (i.e. the Glenhuntly tramsquare, the crazy crossing in Reservoir, etc.) BTW, does anyone know why every single Melbourne metropolitan rail crossing still have wishbone gates?

Here are some more finds...

A crossing that's also a roadrunner too!: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.078 ... 312!8i6656

One side of this passive crossing has a stop sign: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.350 ... 312!8i6656
While the other has a Give Way sign: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.351 ... 312!8i6656

Now there just being lazy. They've lazily put a Give Way sign over the Stop sign on this crossing: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.292 ... 312!8i6656

How many warning signs do they need!?: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.852 ... 312!8i6656

Look's like they're in the process of installing boom gates: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.054 ... 312!8i6656

Ok, time for a bit of a video I found (shot in 2003). The video features the now retired Hitachi trains running services on the Sandringham Line in Melbourne. Out of interest sake, one or two of the crossings in the video (at the 0:23 & 2:50 mark) seems to have an American-sounding mechanical bell. Does anyone know who manufactured it? (My guess is Safetran, but I'm not 100% sure.) Here's the video if you want to see it and figure out my question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GslzUJTF2h4

Another crossing which has that light behind the bells, but this one has an E-Bell: https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.149901 ... 6656?hl=en

Found this old picture roll from Dec 1972 on PJV's website. Check out these pictures of a crossing with nine tracks which is protected by two crossings with barriers: http://pjv101.net/film_bw/pjv00225.htm

It seems that one of the crossings (the five track one) likely led to good sidings. Whereas the four track one would of been used by passenger trains (As seen in the picture of the Red Rattler/Tait EMU going through the crossing.)

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Found this old picture roll from Dec 1972 on PJV's website. Check out these pictures of a crossing with nine tracks which is protected by two crossings with barriers: http://pjv101.net/film_bw/pjv00225.htm

It seems that one of the crossings (the five track one) likely led to good sidings. Whereas the four track one would of been used by passenger trains (As seen in the picture of the Red Rattler/Tait EMU going through the crossing.)

What an interesting setup! Weird how they added an extra gate to cover the siding track instead of just moving the single gate forward. You don't often see a crossing with three gates and bells! Awesome find!!

chris96 wrote:

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Found this old picture roll from Dec 1972 on PJV's website. Check out these pictures of a crossing with nine tracks which is protected by two crossings with barriers: http://pjv101.net/film_bw/pjv00225.htm

It seems that one of the crossings (the five track one) likely led to good sidings. Whereas the four track one would of been used by passenger trains (As seen in the picture of the Red Rattler/Tait EMU going through the crossing.)

What an interesting setup! Weird how they added an extra gate to cover the siding track instead of just moving the single gate forward. You don't often see a crossing with three gates and bells! Awesome find!!

I also know that the Riverside Road tramway crossing in Melbourne was perviously a quad gate crossing too! It also had this weird yodaalarm...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SozQWsxJ2gg

Found this private branch line south of Wollongong, NSW. It serves the Wongawilli Coal Mine which recently re-opened, there are some interesting crossings on this line

The junction from the main line, the crossing here was recently upgraded with gates and e-bells (both WCH) https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.482 ... 312!8i6656

A private crossing on the line https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.480 ... 312!8i6656

Further along there are two private crossings with what appear to be rotating beacon lights and a SORS sign mounted on the relay case, there is also a blue light on top of the mast (probably for the train crew). https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656

The next crossing has a teardrop bell https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656 https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656

The last crossing includes a 3-way intersection, but for whatever reason it has no bells
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.479 ... 312!8i6656

Went for a quick drive along there a few days ago, all the crossings are still the same and the teardrop bell is still there. I might see if I can get some of these crossings in action over the next few weeks.