Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG gate lights.

Two new videos of this crossing today, thanks to a tie train stopping to pick up a couple of people next to the crossing:

No changes here as of 12-17-22:


http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/G-Q/Hillsboro/Main/

Got another video here yesterday:

Still the same as 11-1-23:

*originally recorded on 6-20-24*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, a Siemens gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG gate lights.

After filming some traffic lights in Cullman, I was heading up through Hillsboro when I saw that there was a new signal at this crossing. While I was here documenting it, I heard a westbound passing through Decatur, so I decided to set-up and wait. After a bit of waiting, I was able to catch this NS 733, which had a pair of BNSF SD70ACes pulling on the head-end, and another BNSF SD70ACe and a BNSF ES44AC working as the DPUs.

As you can see, since I was last here, there is now a rather tall mast signal on the far side of the crossing. Apparently a few weeks prior, a truck mowed-down the older signal here, and NS put-up the current one within a week or so. As a result, this crossing now has a mix of LED and incandescent lights at it, and I believe is the only NS crossing in on this line to feature such a mixture. This crossing now also has another Safetran/General Signals Type 3 combo at it, which is a bit neat. The pretty well smashed remains of the older signal here were still laying just west of the crossing as well.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/G-Q/Hillsboro/Main/

That's an interesting choice to mount the crossbuck way up there with the gate guard. Not something you see too often on those installs with the freakishly tall masts.

Admittedly, I did not notice that until you pointed it out. Definitely an odd choice there, I wonder why NS did that?

Got a video here on the side with the new, extra tall signal on 1-1-25: