Private Crossing, Glen, MS
Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:54 am
*originally recorded on 7-29-20*
Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
After catching NS 23N in Barton, AL, I decided to chase them on out to this crossing on the west side of Glen, MS, as I wanted to get a video of this one. The GEs were certainly making quite a nice racket while rolling through here.
It appears this crossing was installed by NS in the early 1990s, likely when this driveway was built. As a result, this crossing features the oldest signals along the NS Memphis District West End in Mississippi, which have also (thankfully) remained mostly original. Sadly, it appears that at some point in the 2000s, though I'm guessing in the early 2000s alongside the corridor upgrade this line received in Mississippi, the original Safetran mechanical bell here was replaced with the current GS Type 2. Thankfully, no other major changes have ever occured here, outside of the far signal's gate lights getting an LED upgrade at some point. Said gate lights are also miswired, with the two flashing ones flashing together. The closer signal also still features a nice full set of older RECO gate lights, which is quite nice to see.
Apparently, when I first went out to this part of the line in early 2019, I somehow missed documenting this crossing. Even when I swung back by this part of it later that same year to get two other crossings I missed, I still missed documenting this one. Didn't even know it was here until someone on Facebook posted a video of a train taken at this crossing after my previous trips out here. Thankfully, I was able to go out here and get the crossing documented on July 19th, and, after seeing what equipment it had, I decided to return back out here yesterday for a video of it.
All in all, this is a pretty nice little crossing, and I'm glad I got a video of it.