Willow Street (AL 35), Scottsboro, AL

[freebrickproductions]

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 8 inch lights, 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, and a WCH mechanical bell.
Signal on the right: 1 pair of RACO 8 inch lights and two pairs of RACO 12x20 inch lights!

I heard that NS A81 was going up to work the branch line in Scottsboro today, so I knew I had to go up and try to catch it at this crossing. They were already switching the remaining customer on the branch line when I got here, so I waited for them to get up here. As you can see, they ended up sneaking up on me, probably because I was distracted by the horn from NS 201, which had a bit of a surprise on it as you'll see in the next video. I'll just put this on my "re-video at a later date" list.

Also, the signals here briefly shut off for a split second before the train arrives, likely due to a bad connecting wire across a joint. This crossing also has two pairs of the elusive RACO 12x20 inch lights. In fact, this is the only crossing in the state of Alabama that I know of with these lights!

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Scottsboro/Willow/

[ZachL]

Amazing, motorists stopping at the signal on both sides!

Also, notice how the crossing very briefly deactivated at the 0:23 mark in the video.

[freebrickproductions]

Also, notice how the crossing very briefly deactivated at the 0:23 mark in the video.

I noticed that as well. I think some of the wiring along the rails at one of the joints may have gone bad.

[freebrickproductions]

Managed to catch the start-up of the crossing this time around:


After catching NS A81 at Winniger Road, they had to stop and get the engines run around the train before continuing on down the branch line. Eventually, he came trundling down this dilapidated branch line.

I decided to go back here and get a recording facing into the sun, as it was already the afternoon by the time the train came down the line. The reason why I got a recording facing into the sun was that I wanted to record the side with the RACO 12x20 inch lights again. As you can see, the signals have trouble staying active as the train approaches. They shut off several times before the train reaches the crossing. It also did a tail-ring malfunction after the train had passed, but I had already shut off my camera so it wasn't recorded. The WCH mechanical bell here sounds rather flat.

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 7-28-23*

Signal on the left: 1 pair of RACO 8 inch lights and 2 pairs of RACO 12x20 inch lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 8 inch lights, 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, and a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell.

After NS 73Z came through, NS A81 pulled into Scottsboro to run around their train before going around the Revere Lead. After seeing them pulling into the storage/run-around track next to Old Larkinsville Road, I went over here and got set-up, and, after a little bit of waiting, NS A81 came trundling down the branch with an ex-Con SD40-2 for power.

As you can see, this crossing has changed a little since I last filmed it back in 2017. Sometime between then and 2020, the flat WCH mechanical bell here was replaced with the current GS Type 3 e-bell, I guess as a result of of the old bell finally dying. It appears that NS has done a bit of work on the track circuit here as well, as the crossing no longer shuts-off repeatedly while the train approaches, though it does still do a tail-ring malfunction after the train has passed. Thankfully, no other changes have occurred to the crossing here since I last filmed it, and still retains the classic SOU equipment here. I will admit, it was certainly nice being able to film all three remaining crossings along the Memphis East that still have 8 inch lights at them.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/R-Z/S ... ro/Willow/

[freebrickproductions]

No changes here as of 8-25-25: