Following on from my previous video at Cordeaux Heights, this crossing is also on the private branch line which runs from the Port Kembla Steelworks to the Dendrobium Coal mine. This is a private crossing at Marley Place, Unanderra NSW, Australia. This crossing and the one at Cordeaux Heights are the only two crossings on the line to have signals.
Originally this crossing had gates, but was downgraded to lights only in the early 1990's. The crossing still retains one of the original 5 inch masts and the large relay case, leftovers from the old gated signals. The crossing previously had a pair of teardrop bells, but sadly they have been replaced by Safetran type 3 e-bells. All of the lights are Alstom LED's, mounted on a mixture of WRRS and McKenzie & Holland brackets. One of the lights has a sawn-off visor, while the one next to it has a WCH visor and background! The 5 inch mast has a McKenzie & Holland base, as does one of the 4 inch masts.
This crossing has a red beacon light as well as traffic lights to let the train crew know when the crossing has activated. Normally the traffic lights display a red indication, then once the crossing has been activated for about 20 seconds the lights change to green. When the crossing shuts off the lights change back to red, you can see this happen in the scene with the second train.
Another odd thing is when the crossing first activates, all of the lights come on together and then go out again before they start to flash normally.
Very interesting, especially how the lights flash when it first activates. I also noticed the red beacon light just about flashes in sync with the bell.
The second train (where you showed how the red and green lights work) was moving pretty good. Can't imagine he would have been able to stop in time had he came around the corner and the light was still red.
Re: Private Crossing, Unanderra, Australia.
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 1:49 pm
by freebrickproductions
cabman701 wrote:Very interesting, especially how the lights flash when it first activates. I also noticed the red beacon light just about flashes in sync with the bell.
The second train (where you showed how the red and green lights work) was moving pretty good. Can't imagine he would have been able to stop in time had he came around the corner and the light was still red.
How the lights flash at first reminds me of how British crossings operate. Wonder if it uses the same or a similar relay?
Re: Private Crossing, Unanderra, Australia.
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:45 pm
by ZachL
freebrickproductions wrote:
cabman701 wrote:Very interesting, especially how the lights flash when it first activates. I also noticed the red beacon light just about flashes in sync with the bell.
The second train (where you showed how the red and green lights work) was moving pretty good. Can't imagine he would have been able to stop in time had he came around the corner and the light was still red.
How the lights flash at first reminds me of how British crossings operate. Wonder if it uses the same or a similar relay?
Something tells me that the flashers might actually be stuck and just need a little "oomph" (activation) to work.
Re: Private Crossing, Unanderra, Australia.
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 3:59 pm
by TrickyMario7654
ZachL wrote:
freebrickproductions wrote:
cabman701 wrote:Very interesting, especially how the lights flash when it first activates. I also noticed the red beacon light just about flashes in sync with the bell.
The second train (where you showed how the red and green lights work) was moving pretty good. Can't imagine he would have been able to stop in time had he came around the corner and the light was still red.
How the lights flash at first reminds me of how British crossings operate. Wonder if it uses the same or a similar relay?
Something tells me that the flashers might actually be stuck and just need a little "oomph" (activation) to work.
I've once saw crossing lights play up at the Clayton Road level crossing back in 2014. It's was similar to what happened to the crossing at 6:32 in this video...
Re: Private Crossing, Unanderra, Australia.
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 5:35 pm
by ZachL
TrickyMario7654 wrote:
ZachL wrote:
freebrickproductions wrote:
cabman701 wrote:Very interesting, especially how the lights flash when it first activates. I also noticed the red beacon light just about flashes in sync with the bell.
The second train (where you showed how the red and green lights work) was moving pretty good. Can't imagine he would have been able to stop in time had he came around the corner and the light was still red.
How the lights flash at first reminds me of how British crossings operate. Wonder if it uses the same or a similar relay?
Something tells me that the flashers might actually be stuck and just need a little "oomph" (activation) to work.
I've once saw crossing lights play up at the Clayton Road level crossing back in 2014. It's was similar to what happened to the crossing at 6:32 in this video...
I'd say that right there is also a stuck relay, with the possibility that both sides have different relays (which there are some crossings in the US like that).
Re: Private Crossing, Unanderra, Australia.
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:42 pm
by McK&H.Aust
ZachL wrote:
freebrickproductions wrote:
cabman701 wrote:Very interesting, especially how the lights flash when it first activates. I also noticed the red beacon light just about flashes in sync with the bell.
The second train (where you showed how the red and green lights work) was moving pretty good. Can't imagine he would have been able to stop in time had he came around the corner and the light was still red.
How the lights flash at first reminds me of how British crossings operate. Wonder if it uses the same or a similar relay?
Something tells me that the flashers might actually be stuck and just need a little "oomph" (activation) to work.
It's hard to tell for sure, but you are probably right about the flasher relay taking a while to get going properly. The signals look like they were made up from leftover parts, it's a private crossing and doesn't see much traffic so it would be a low priority which is probably one of the reasons they removed the gates. Looking at the GSV image from 2007 you can see that there were no red/green lights back then https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.452 ... 328!8i1664 The thing that doesn't make sense to me is if the owners were trying to cheap it out then why spend the money for the traffic lights, and why use one of the most expensive e-bells?
Re: Private Crossing, Unanderra, Australia.
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:40 pm
by McK&H.Aust
TrickyMario7654 wrote:
I've once saw crossing lights play up at the Clayton Road level crossing back in 2014. It's was similar to what happened to the crossing at 6:32 in this video...
I noticed in the video at 7:50 it happens again just before the lights shut off.
Re: Private Crossing, Unanderra, Australia.
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:49 pm
by McK&H.Aust
cabman701 wrote:Very interesting, especially how the lights flash when it first activates. I also noticed the red beacon light just about flashes in sync with the bell.
The second train (where you showed how the red and green lights work) was moving pretty good. Can't imagine he would have been able to stop in time had he came around the corner and the light was still red.
Yes it would have been interesting to watch him try to stop in time. I think it would have been better to have those lights positioned on the opposite side of the track, it would give a little more sighting distance coming around the corner.
Re: Private Crossing, Unanderra, Australia.
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 4:06 pm
by cabman701
McK&H.Aust wrote:
TrickyMario7654 wrote:
I've once saw crossing lights play up at the Clayton Road level crossing back in 2014. It's was similar to what happened to the crossing at 6:32 in this video...
I noticed in the video at 7:50 it happens again just before the lights shut off.
I've seen that happen on a crossing here in the US. And just like in this video, the lights act weird whenever the gate is fully up. Notice they turn "normal" as the gate starts going down. Definitely confirms some sort of relay issue.
