Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Posted: **Tue Aug 15, 2017 1:41 pm**

ZachL wrote:
freebrickproductions wrote:(such as one on a CSX line painted black)
Gee, I wonder which CSX line that is?

It was one in Kentucky, actually, IIRC.

Posted: **Wed Aug 16, 2017 11:45 pm**

Found this out of service crossing in Dennington, VIC. It has a dedicated signal pointing towards an adjecent road and a Safetran m-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656

The image is from 2010, and the chances of this crossing still being intact are relatively low. You never know though!

Posted: **Thu Aug 17, 2017 1:17 am**

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Found this out of service crossing in Dennington, VIC. It has a dedicated signal pointing towards an adjecent road and a Safetran m-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656

The image is from 2010, and the chances of this crossing still being intact are relatively low. You never know though!

Unfortunately it's gone, I visited Warrnambool last year and passed over this crossing. All of the signals and relay cases have been completely removed.

Posted: **Thu Aug 17, 2017 1:32 am**

chris96 wrote:
TrickyMario7654 wrote:Found this out of service crossing in Dennington, VIC. It has a dedicated signal pointing towards an adjecent road and a Safetran m-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.356 ... 312!8i6656

The image is from 2010, and the chances of this crossing still being intact are relatively low. You never know though!

Unfortunately it's gone, I visited Warrnambool last year and passed over this crossing. All of the signals and relay cases have been completely removed.

I'm not too surprised about that, honestly.

It's a shame that there are very few places you can find old crossing equipment, even on abandoned crossings.

Posted: **Sun Aug 20, 2017 5:53 am**

TrickyMario7654 wrote:
It's a shame that there are very few places you can find old crossing equipment, even on abandoned crossings.

Speaking of abandoned crossings, I thought I'd share with you guys something.

In June I travelled to Western Victoria to pick up a teardrop bell I bought on EBay, and visited a number of places along the way. First and foremost, I filmed all the crossings on the Avoca railway line, which are all still there. I made a video of them all, which I've uploaded to YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6g35Ssi_Pw

They've cleaned up the line a lot since Chris96 visited the place

I've also got footage of the Donald Lion's train park, which I'll upload soon. Unfortunately, the signals on display are inactive and don't work, but it's still a rather nice sight

I also looked at the crossing on Racecourse Rd (the spur line) in Donald, and it still has it's Wabco bell! But I unfortunately wasn't there long and had no idea when the trains run, so I couldn't film it in action

Finally, I went to St Arnaud. The Howitt st level crossing does have 2 Safetran bells... just Safetran type-3 e-bells unfortunately, as do all the other crossings in St Arnaud (but I didn't check Melbourne Rd, which had the teardrop bell in 2014... silly me)

Thank you TrickyMario7654 and Chris96 for pointing these all out. It's quite a find!

Posted: **Sun Aug 20, 2017 8:27 pm**

StuartHunt101 wrote:
TrickyMario7654 wrote:
It's a shame that there are very few places you can find old crossing equipment, even on abandoned crossings.
Speaking of abandoned crossings, I thought I'd share with you guys something.

In June I travelled to Western Victoria to pick up a teardrop bell I bought on EBay, and visited a number of places along the way. First and foremost, I filmed all the crossings on the Avoca railway line, which are all still there. I made a video of them all, which I've uploaded to YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6g35Ssi_Pw

They've cleaned up the line a lot since Chris96 visited the place

I've also got footage of the Donald Lion's train park, which I'll upload soon. Unfortunately, the signals on display are inactive and don't work, but it's still a rather nice sight

I also looked at the crossing on Racecourse Rd (the spur line) in Donald, and it still has it's Wabco bell! But I unfortunately wasn't there long and had no idea when the trains run, so I couldn't film it in action

Finally, I went to St Arnaud. The Howitt st level crossing does have 2 Safetran bells... just Safetran type-3 e-bells unfortunately, as do all the other crossings in St Arnaud (but I didn't check Melbourne Rd, which had the teardrop bell in 2014... silly me)

Thank you TrickyMario7654 and Chris96 for pointing these all out. It's quite a find!

Nice video. It's very sad to see these old signals further deteriorated since Streetview last went through the area in 2010 (seriously Google, update your images).

Thanks for the update on the Howitt Street and Racecourse Road crossings. I'm willing to bet the Teardrop at Melborune Road is gone too as the whole of the Yelta line seems to be full of e-bells now, expect for this one crossing in Irymple (near Mildura) which has a hybrid bell and Safetran Type 3.

Posted: **Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:09 pm**

Found this pretty scenic crossing in Bulliac, NSW.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664

The bell appears to be either a WCH or WRRS m-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664

A another nice looking gateless crossing in Forbesdale, NSW.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.058 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.058 ... 312!8i6656

There's also this random crossbuck nearby with a hazard triangle.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.058 ... 312!8i6656

I noticed there was a lot of cars parked at this nearby house. I'm guessing there was party going on at the time!

Posted: **Thu Aug 24, 2017 2:08 am**

I have something interesting to share. The entire Geelong line has had Safetran Type 3's on every crossing since late 2015, when they were all "upgraded" at once. But out of nowhere, a Hybrid bell has suddenly re-appeared on the line!

It is located on Peak School Rd between Lara and Little River on the Melbourne side of the crossing. I guess the E-bell that was there must have died? Here are some images I took today:

DSC00798 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00801 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00793 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00795 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00796 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00797 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00802 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00803 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00805 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

DSC00807 by Christian Nolan, on Flickr

Here's the signal in 2014 with the E-bell installed:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.986 ... 312!8i6656

Back in 2010 it had a WCH M-bell:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.986 ... 312!8i6656

Here is a video of the crossing in action when both E-bells where still in place:

I must say, it's really refreshing to see Vline actually recycling old equipment for once!

Posted: **Thu Aug 24, 2017 2:38 am**

chris96 wrote:I have something interesting to share. The entire Geelong line has had Safetran Type 3's on every crossing since late 2015, when they were all "upgraded" at once. But out of nowhere, a Hybrid bell has suddenly re-appeared on the line! It is located on Peak School Rd between Lara and Little River on the Melbourne side of the crossing. I guess the E-bell that was there must have died? Here are some images I took today.

Here's the signal in 2014 with the E-bell installed:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.986 ... 312!8i6656

Back in 2010 it had a WCH M-bell:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.986 ... 312!8i6656

Here is a video of the crossing in action when both E-bells where still in place:

I must say, it's really refreshing to see Vline actually recycling old equipment for once!

That's amazing! Never would I thought that a m-bell would replace an e-bell at a Victorian level crossing!

However there's still one question I need to ask, how long will it last? Chances are, it might be a temporary replacement and they're waiting on their next shipment of e-bells. Still, if a Teardrop replaces an e-bell, I would think it's the end of the world!

Posted: **Sun Aug 27, 2017 12:06 am**

Are there any American made Mechanical bells left around Melbourne? i know that there's a crossing on Dock Link Road in West Melbourne that has two WCH M bells: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.808 ... 312!8i6656
In fact, i think this may be the last gated-crossing in Victoria with American Mechanical bells, seeing that both Metro and V/Line both have an obsession with E-bells...

There also this gateless crossing in West Melbourne that has both a WCH Mechanical bell and a Westinghouse Hybrid: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.815 ... 312!8i6656

I also know of the crossings at Carribean Markets and Gardens which has a dead Wabco bell and a Safetran Mechanical bell.
If this is it for American Mechanical bells in Melbourne, i'm tipping that it wont be long until they all become extinct from Melbourne... I'm really hoping that there's more of them around that I've missed.

BTW i found this video that shows Peak School Road's E-Bell dying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnX_vpK_X4I

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