Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

As most of you know, UP has been installing the bells on their signals in between the lights. However, today I saw a brand new UP install with the bells on the top of the signal! What is even more interesting is that the bells on these signals used to be mounted between the lights, but were moved when the signals got gates. I'll post before and after photos later.

Before:


After:

Weird. I guess they decided that bells work better on top of the masts than on the sides. Maybe they went back to putting them on the tops of the masts so they don't have to drill holes in the sides of the masts for the bells?

freebrickproductions wrote:Weird. I guess they decided that bells work better on top of the masts than on the sides. Maybe they went back to putting them on the tops of the masts so they don't have to drill holes in the sides of the masts for the bells?

Either that, or they figured CSX was copying them in terms of installations and equipment

(here's what I mean btw: https://www.google.com/maps/@28.033052, ... WC0YSQ!2e0)

ZachL wrote:

freebrickproductions wrote:Weird. I guess they decided that bells work better on top of the masts than on the sides. Maybe they went back to putting them on the tops of the masts so they don't have to drill holes in the sides of the masts for the bells?

Either that, or they figured CSX was copying them in terms of installations and equipment

(here's what I mean btw: https://www.google.com/maps/@28.033052, ... WC0YSQ!2e0)

Well have seen many side bell installs On CSX Crossings around the Tampa Hillsborough area. Maybe eventually Norfolk Southern will comply on the same practice.

I have a feeling that up is installing the bell this way on all signals now. I saw some brand new signals on piper dr in Milpitas with the bell mounted on top. I also noticed that the use of wind guards have returned, though not in the form of the WCH type.