Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Signal on the left: 4 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 6 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a dead Safetran Type-3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

Interestingly enough, the Safetran Type-3 here is dead, despite being a newer one (has the shorter base). The bell here also apparently rings when the gates rise apparently, but I wasn't able to confirm it on this trip. The crossing also used to have 8 inch mast lights, but as you can see, they were removed sometime last year.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/Cherokee/Main/

The dead bell has been replaced, though it doesn't ring when the gates rise either:


*originally recorded on 3-21-18*

Signal on the left: 4 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 6 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

When I was last out at this crossing, it had a dead Safetran Type 3 electronic bell at it. However, since then, NS has replaced it with this re-used GS Type 2. A GS Type 3 would've been nice, but beggars can't be choosers. Other than that though, no changes have occurred here, though there's now a bit of a delay between both gates beginning to lower for some reason. You can also hear North Pike's RACO bell before this crossing starts.

http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/Cherokee/Main/

No major changes here as of 6-24-23:

*originally recorded on 8-6-25*

Signal on the left: 6 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a Siemens gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 4 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with GE Uniform Look LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

As I was heading to document the upgrade at Parkway Street #2, I happened to see a 16A heading east through Corinth. As such, after documenting the upgrade there, I hopped on the road and chased it east over to Cherokee. Thankfully, I was able to beat it here with a few minutes to spare, and here we get to see my first train of the evening: NS 16A with an ET44AC leading an ES44AC for power.

Since I last recorded this crossing, NS sadly replaced the gate mast on the far signal here with a new one, replacing the early-70s Safetran gate mech here with a new Siemens one in the process. Thankfully, nothing else has changed to this crossing, and both of the early-70s Safetran cantilevers here still retain their original overhead light heads, while the closer signal still retains a 1980s Safetran gate mech. I think this is also the first time I've filmed this side of Main Street in action, TBH.

https://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/A-F/Cherokee/Main/