Does anyone know if CSX is moving away from e-bells and back to mechanical bells?
I'm curious because, according to a railfan in Cullman, AL, this crossing has had the General Signals e-bell replaced with a WCH mechanical bell (that's painted black with a gold gong, interestingly enough). He also sent me this photo of the signal for proof:
Photo by Noah Chappell.
This isn't the first time I've seen CSX do this either. This crossing down in Pascagoula, MS used to have a Safetran Type-2 e-bell at it when Mike Kight took pictures of it for the site (though the page for it hasn't been transferred yet), but as you can see, the bell has since been replaced with this WCH m-bell: https://www.google.com/maps/@30.3678058 ... 6656?hl=en
It also makes a bit of sense as to why CSX would choose to do this though, as the e-bells that they've been using lately have been Safetran Type-2/NEG e-bells, which aren't very loud at all.
Re: CSX going back to m-bells?
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 6:53 pm
by Trainzmandude2012
But of all bells to go in its place though
Re: CSX going back to m-bells?
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 6:56 pm
by freebrickproductions
Trainzmandude2012 wrote:But of all bells to go in its place though
Yea, it's pretty nice. Just one more reason for me to get (back) down there.
Also, as someone on Facebook suggested, CSX could just be refurbishing some of these WCH m-bells that were removed when they were still in working condition to save some money. CSX did use them up until the early 2000s before they started installing e-bells, I believe.
Re: CSX going back to m-bells?
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:23 pm
by ZachL
I know a few crossings in Tampa/Hillsborough County have had their m-bells re-painted between 2011 and 2013, but that's about it. The black painting is reminiscent of the SCL days, too. A lot of older m-bells were black back then, like this:
ZachL wrote:I know a few crossings in Tampa/Hillsborough County have had their m-bells re-painted between 2011 and 2013, but that's about it. The black painting is reminiscent of the SCL days, too. A lot of older m-bells were black back then, like this:
Yea, some of the mechanical bells here in my area on the old L&N lines are also painted black. Moulton Street in Decatur, AL and Holmes Avenue #2 here in Huntsville, AL are good examples of this. The ATN and TSRR both have black m-bells on their lines too.
Re: CSX going back to m-bells?
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 10:24 pm
by brett nc railfanner
Here are some M-bells painted black. Near where i used to live.
Maybe they are finding out that e-bells are more hassle than what it's worth? It's kind of like automobiles. All that new technology they have now (back up camera's, crash avoidance systems, etc) once the warranty runs out and that stuff starts malfunctioning, people aren't going to want to shell out big bucks to fix them. Sometimes better isn't always better.
Re: CSX going back to m-bells?
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 3:21 pm
by freebrickproductions
cabman701 wrote:I could get used to that black and gold...
It's certainly an interesting paint scheme, that's for sure.
cabman701 wrote:
Maybe they are finding out that e-bells are more hassle than what it's worth? It's kind of like automobiles. All that new technology they have now (back up camera's, crash avoidance systems, etc) once the warranty runs out and that stuff starts malfunctioning, people aren't going to want to shell out big bucks to fix them. Sometimes better isn't always better.
That's what I'm thinking.
Also, something to note, Noah Chappell talked with someone who works with the city, and according to them, CSX put this one up due to its proximity to the historical district and the fact that it's by the old L&N depot there in Cullman. So this might've been a case of CSX deciding to do it to help "preserve" the historical atmosphere (like with those wig wags in that town in California on the BNSF), or CSX could be swapping over to m-bells. I know NS installed a batch of WCH mechanical bells back in the late 2000s here on the NS Memphis District to replace some older Safetran ones.
Someone ought to get in touch with CSX and see if they are going to mechanical bells. That'd probably help a lot.
I have seen CSX do this before, but only once. They replaced a Safetran Type 3 with a Safetran M-Bell somewhere on the Lakeshore Sub, but if it is still there I dont know. Also, about that M-bell in Pascagoula,I do have a video of how it sounds right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKntI9x7ma4 although I had no idea that there was a GS Type 2 here
