Aetna Hill Road, Whiteside, TN

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 1-24-25*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, an NEG electronic bell, a Safetran-branded Siemens gate mechanism, and NEG LED gate lights.
Signal on the right 2 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, an NEG electronic bell, a Safetran-branded Siemens gate mechanism, dead NEG LED gate lights, and a RECO LED gate light.

After catching 12T at Wauhatchie Pike #3, it was held back from Wauhatchie Pike #2 for a bit while a 73Z met (I believe) 288. However, as 73Z was heading for the Chattanooga Sub, I decided to head west over to this crossing in Whiteside, as it was the last crossing on the Chatt Sub I needed to film between Chattanooga and Cowan. After a bit of waiting, I was able to catch my fifth train of the day here: NS 73Z with a pair of BNSF SD70ACes pulling on the head-end, and an H2 BNSF AC44CW working as the train's DPU.

This crossing is a decent one, though it definitely ain't the most interesting one I recorded, especially on this day. The signals here are a pretty modern CSX install from about 2017-2018, most likely replacing a pair of crossbucks. It appears they haven't changed too much from when they were installed, with really only the closer signal having its tip gate light replaced with a RECO LED at some point. Strangely, neither of the two remaining NEG LED gate lights on the closer signal work anymore, I suspect they're both just dead rather than it being a fault with the wiring given the fact that the RECO LED on the same arm still works. I suspect the Safetran 12x24s on the far signal here were reused from somewhere else, though I ain't sure where they would've come from. The bell on that signal is also mounted to the bracket for the side lights, rather than the main lights like normal, which looks a bit weird. With this video, however, I have now recorded every crossing on the CSX Chattanooga Subdivision between Chattanooga and Cowan, TN!
I will say, this crossing has a great view looking to the south across the valley I-24 runs through here. Unfortunately, not only did the sun prevent me from setting-up on that side on this day, the steepness of the hill and the grade of the crossing itself basically block-out that view entirely when set-up to record the crossing on that side of it. As expected, the road leading up to this crossing is a somewhat steep, one-lane road that makes a sharp curve right next to the crossing to cross the CSX Chattanooga Sub. I will admit it was a bit unnerving trying to cross the tracks here, as having to make something of a "leap of faith", blindly steering in what I hoped was the correct direction of the road when I was heading back towards the highway through Whiteside as I was leaving here, due to my car's hood completely obscuring where I was supposed to be going. Thankfully, I was able to make it to my next spot down in Georgia without issue.

https://www.rxrsignals.com/Tennessee/R- ... etna_Hill/