A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 2:31 pm
So I was chatting in my Discord server, when MtrayChan sent me a link to this crossing, asking if the line was abandoned:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0755548 ... 312!8i6656
And well, given the condition of the equipment, especially the orientation of the lights and crossbucks, I pretty much confirmed that it was at least out of service.
Then I noticed that the lights had a weird orientation, so I went back to older street view images to see how it used to look (if street view caught the line while it was still in service), and noticed something weird:
Back in 2007, the crossing had completely different signals! One of them had 12x20 inch lights while the other was still 8 inch, both only had two pairs of lights, and the bell was also different:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.075538, ... 328!8i1664
Then, by 2012, the 8 inch signal had been upgraded to 12x20 inch lights (re-using older Safetran 12 inch lights), and both signals were given a fresh coat of paint, but no changes otherwise:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0755426 ... 312!8i6656
This remained this way, until the signals had been replaced by 2016, with the current 8 inch signals!
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0755675 ... 312!8i6656
However, it doesn't end there. Wondering where the replacement signals could've come from, I started to notice that the signals, both the older and "newer" ones, look a bit familiar. So I logged onto the site, and...
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Virginia/Lynchburg/Garnet2/
Sure enough, my suspicions were mostly confirmed! The old signals had indeed come from that crossing! However, I knew that street view had gone through in August of 2015, shortly after Elliot had taken those pictures, and showed that the signals were replaced, with what appeared to have been re-used signals. After finding the crossing on Google Maps, I looked at it on Street View. Lo and behold...
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4065815 ... 312!8i6656
The old signals from the first crossing!
So yea, NS really did swap the signals at these two crossings for some reason, despite the fact that, according to Google, the quickest route between them is a 2 hour, 115 mile drive!
So yea, that's easily one of the weirdest things I've ever seen NS, or any railroad for that matter, do. If anyone has any idea as to why they would do it, feel free to let me know.
My best guess is that NS wanted to upgrade the crossing in Lynchburg, VA to 12 inch lights, but didn't have any 12 inch lights onhand to do it with. Meanwhile, they had just taken a line in Greensboro, NC, out of service, so they decided to grab some equipment from there. However, they didn't want to downgrade the crossing from active protection, so decided to swap the signals at both crossings, orienting the 8 inch signals at their new crossing to face away from the road, and called it a day.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0755548 ... 312!8i6656
And well, given the condition of the equipment, especially the orientation of the lights and crossbucks, I pretty much confirmed that it was at least out of service.
Then I noticed that the lights had a weird orientation, so I went back to older street view images to see how it used to look (if street view caught the line while it was still in service), and noticed something weird:
Back in 2007, the crossing had completely different signals! One of them had 12x20 inch lights while the other was still 8 inch, both only had two pairs of lights, and the bell was also different:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.075538, ... 328!8i1664
Then, by 2012, the 8 inch signal had been upgraded to 12x20 inch lights (re-using older Safetran 12 inch lights), and both signals were given a fresh coat of paint, but no changes otherwise:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0755426 ... 312!8i6656
This remained this way, until the signals had been replaced by 2016, with the current 8 inch signals!
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0755675 ... 312!8i6656
However, it doesn't end there. Wondering where the replacement signals could've come from, I started to notice that the signals, both the older and "newer" ones, look a bit familiar. So I logged onto the site, and...
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Virginia/Lynchburg/Garnet2/
Sure enough, my suspicions were mostly confirmed! The old signals had indeed come from that crossing! However, I knew that street view had gone through in August of 2015, shortly after Elliot had taken those pictures, and showed that the signals were replaced, with what appeared to have been re-used signals. After finding the crossing on Google Maps, I looked at it on Street View. Lo and behold...
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4065815 ... 312!8i6656
The old signals from the first crossing!
So yea, NS really did swap the signals at these two crossings for some reason, despite the fact that, according to Google, the quickest route between them is a 2 hour, 115 mile drive!
So yea, that's easily one of the weirdest things I've ever seen NS, or any railroad for that matter, do. If anyone has any idea as to why they would do it, feel free to let me know.
My best guess is that NS wanted to upgrade the crossing in Lynchburg, VA to 12 inch lights, but didn't have any 12 inch lights onhand to do it with. Meanwhile, they had just taken a line in Greensboro, NC, out of service, so they decided to grab some equipment from there. However, they didn't want to downgrade the crossing from active protection, so decided to swap the signals at both crossings, orienting the 8 inch signals at their new crossing to face away from the road, and called it a day.
