Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Hello, This is my first actual post on this site. I grew up with the F.E.C. Railway and I remain a fan to this day. Recently I came across a website containing archived newsreels from Miami-Dade County, Florida. Many of these contain footage from reports on the F.E.C., Seaboard, CSX, and SFRTA/Tri-Rail Companies dating back as far as the 1950s. In this Topic Thread, I will be posting clips, screenshots and links to videos relating to South Florida's Railroads. Feel free to share any information you may have in relation to this topic, Enjoy!

This video is from the early-mid 1960's. At the time the FEC was going though a large and deadly worker's strike. Many acts of sabotage, including bombings and intentional derailing of trains, were committed during this terrible time. As a result, the FEC halted all passenger operations for about two years until 1968, when all passenger operations were discontinued. http://www.wolfsonarchives.info/view/?i ... C04862.mp4 At the near beginning of the video, there are several shots of the Railroad Crossings within the immediate vicinity of the Miami Station. WRRS Motor Bells and "Semaphore" Gate Mechanisms can be seen in operation at several points. These were very common on the FEC back in the day.

Any particular timestamps in the video?

This Clip is from a report on an accident that occurred in 1978, when a FEC train struck a vehicle at 186th Street in North Miami. The Timestamp is 31:15-32:00. http://www.wolfsonarchives.info/view/?i ... id=132.mp4 The Crossing since has been upgraded with 4-Quadrant Gates and Cantilevers, here is the Crossing today: https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475203 ... 312!8i6656 The Median Gates are from the WABCO Company. https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475626 ... 312!8i6656 The Cantilevers are possibly from WRRS or Modern Industries. https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475853 ... 312!8i6656 The Pedestrian Signals had GRS Gate Mechanisms https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475729 ... 312!8i6656 But those have since been upgraded https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475442 ... 312!8i6656

Still had 8 inch lights in 1978!

Later on in the video I posted above, there was a report of a similar accident occurred on the Seaboard Coast Line. The timestamp is at 46:30. No signals are shown in the clip, but a US&S Teardrop Bell can be heard in the background. http://www.wolfsonarchives.info/view/?i ... id=132.mp4

MapsSurfer wrote:This Clip is from a report on an accident that occurred in 1978, when a FEC train struck a vehicle at 186th Street in North Miami. The Timestamp is 31:15-32:00. http://www.wolfsonarchives.info/view/?i ... id=132.mp4 The Crossing since has been upgraded with 4-Quadrant Gates and Cantilevers, here is the Crossing today: https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475203 ... 312!8i6656 The Median Gates are from the WABCO Company. https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475626 ... 312!8i6656 The Cantilevers are possibly from WRRS or Modern Industries. https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475853 ... 312!8i6656 The Pedestrian Signals had GRS Gate Mechanisms https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475729 ... 312!8i6656 But those have since been upgraded https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9475442 ... 312!8i6656

Those are not quad gates. Quad gates are when all sides of the crossing are gated off in both directions.

I am sad to report some news about the N Royal Poinciana Boulevard Crossing. The Crossing has been rebuilt and replaced entirely. This includes the old Harmon Cantilevers that have been in place since the 80's. Here is the most recent Google Maps view taken in 2017: https://www.google.com/maps/@25.8398837 ... 312!8i6656 As sad as it is to see this oldie go, it comes as no surprise since the crossing has been operating with a dead WCH Mechanical Bell for past few months-or-so.

MapsSurfer wrote:I am sad to report some news about the N Royal Poinciana Boulevard Crossing. The Crossing has been rebuilt and replaced entirely. This includes the old Harmon Cantilevers that have been in place since the 80's. Here is the most recent Google Maps view taken in 2017: https://www.google.com/maps/@25.8398837 ... 312!8i6656 As sad as it is to see this oldie go, it comes as no surprise since the crossing has been operating with a dead WCH Mechanical Bell for past few months-or-so.

T'was a nice crossing, I bet, but that was a weird set-up on one side:
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.8395739 ... 312!8i6656
Why do they need four pairs of mast lights?

freebrickproductions wrote:

MapsSurfer wrote:I am sad to report some news about the N Royal Poinciana Boulevard Crossing. The Crossing has been rebuilt and replaced entirely. This includes the old Harmon Cantilevers that have been in place since the 80's. Here is the most recent Google Maps view taken in 2017: https://www.google.com/maps/@25.8398837 ... 312!8i6656 As sad as it is to see this oldie go, it comes as no surprise since the crossing has been operating with a dead WCH Mechanical Bell for past few months-or-so.

T'was a nice crossing, I bet, but that was a weird set-up on one side:
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.8395739 ... 312!8i6656
Why do they need four pairs of mast lights?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Interesting Question, I think this crossing may have had one of those gate mechanisms that attached to the Cantilever at one point. This may be evidence to my theory: https://www.google.com/maps/@25.8396349 ... 312!8i6656