Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

*originally recorded on 2-24-22*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, 2 pairs of RACO 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, 1 Federal Signal 12x20 inch light with a Leotek EV Series LED, 1 WABCO 12x20 inch light with a Leotek EV Series LED, 2 pairs of RACO 12x20 inch lights, an NEG electronic bell, a WCH gate mechanism, NEG LED gate lights, and a RECO LED gate light.

After catching Q424 up around Effingham, I went back down to Lake City to grab some lunch and wait for my next train. Not too long after I got here, I heard a train call a signal near me, so I got out of my car to check the tracks, thinking it was a northbound. Instead, I found a southbound that almost snuck up on me! Thankfully, I was just barely able to get set-up in time, and just a few seconds later, the crossing activated for this southbound mixed freight with a YN3b ET44AH leading a YN2 AC44CW on the head-end, and a YN3b ES44AH working as the mid-train DPU.

This crossing is a rather nice one, especially given that it has four pairs of incandescent RACO 12x20 inch lights on it, but it does have a bit of a complex history, so I'll try to give it the best shot that I can. This was also the only crossing I recorded on this day without any 8 inch lights.
It appears that, originally, there was an older pair of gated cantilevers here (either from the ACL or SCL), upon which the RACO 12x20s were installed on by the SCL in the late-1960s. Then, in about 1976/1977, both cantilevers here were replaced entirely with the current FS-branded Walpar ones, with the RACO 12x20s being re-used onto the newer cantilevers, and I believe the gate masts may have also been retained around this time. I believe the one Federal Signal 12x20 here also would've been installed around this time. In the 1980s, it appears that at least one of the mast lights here got replaced with the WABCO 12x20 inch light here by the late-SCL, and later, at least the gate mech on the closer signal was replaced with a WCH one by either the SBD or CSX.
Then, in the early 2000s, it appears that CSX went through and replaced both gate masts with newer Safetran ones (giving the far signal a Safetran gate mech in the process), the bell (which became a General Signals e-bell), and all of the masts lights with Safetran 12x24 inch lights. However, on the closer signal, the WCH gate mech was retained, and the rear mast lights were also re-used, though I don't know if that was the original spot for those lights or not. Then, sometime between 2008 and 2012, the far signal had one of its pairs of side lights removed, and the General Signals e-bell here was replaced with a closed-bottom NEG e-bell. Then, sometime between 2012 and 2014, the bell here was replaced again, this time with I believe the current NEG e-bell. Finally, sometime between 2019 and 2021, CSX upgraded all of the mast lights here to LED, but left the overhead ones incandescent.
Thankfully, despite all of these changes and upgrades over the years, the RACO 12x20 inch lights were kept in service here and are still fully incandescent. Believe these are the only incandescent RACO 12 inch lights along the Charleston Sub as well. Hopefully no further major changes occur to these signals for several more years to come, but either way, I'm certainly glad I was able to record this crossing.