Beechtree Trail, Kittrell, NC

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 8-1-24*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of WABCO 12x20 inch lights with Dialight Ball LEDs, a WABCO mechanical bell, a WABCO Model 75 gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 1.5 pairs of WABCO 12x20 inch lights with Dialight Ball LEDs, 1 WCH 12x24 inch light with a Dialight Ball LED, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a WABCO Model 75 gate mechanism, NEG LED gate lights, and a RECO gate light.

After catching L617 in Franklinton, I continued chasing the train north towards Henderson, beating them to this crossing with a few minutes to spare. Here we see CSX L617 for the fifth time on this day.

This crossing is another great one, featuring another late-SCL install from the early-80s. Later on in the 1980s, it seems, the front-right light on the closer signal was replaced by the SBD with the current WCH 12x24. Then, in the mid-2000s or so, the crossing was given an LED upgrade and the closer signal had its bell replaced by the current GS Type 2 e-bell. Thankfully, since then, no further changes appear to have occurred to this crossing, with the far signal even still retaining its original WABCO mechanical bell. That bell still sounds nice and healthy, which is great to see, so hopefully it'll be around here for many more years to come. Another nice touch with this crossing, of course, is the RECO incandescent gate light on the closer signal, still in use as the tip gate light on it, which is also nice to see.
This crossing is another one that still shows evidence from when there was a lot more traffic on this part of the S Line. The far signal is rather far back from the crossing, to make room for a second track that used to be here, though the closer signal isn't exactly super close either for some reason. The crossing is also very much still set for the speeds that the Amtrak Silver Star used to run through here at, as the crossing activated over a minute before the train reached it.