Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

*originally recorded on 6-25-25*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with General Signals LEDs, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, and a US&S Model 95 gate mechanism.
Signal on the right: 2 pairs of WCH 12x24 inch lights with General Signals LEDs and a US&S Model 95 gate mechanism.
This crossing is located in a quiet zone. Trains do not usually blow their horns at this crossing.

After documenting the 3-way and 2-way signals just west of downtown Winter Park, I went back up to the station in Maitland to see about recording this neat little pedestrian crossing. After a little bit of waiting here, I was able to catch my fifth train of the day here: a northbound SunRail commuter train with an MP32PH-Q for power.

This crossing's a pretty nice one, and I'm glad I got to record it. The signals here were installed here by SunRail sometime between 2013 and 2014, when this station and crossing were originally built. The only change here since then was the replacement of the original GS e-bell (which I believe was a Type 2) with the current GS Type 3, which I believe occurred back in the latter-half of the 2010s based on its condition. Either way, I'm glad to have been able to record this neat little pedestrian crossing, especially with how the closer signal has its front lights mounted offset from the mast on a short extension so they can be easily seen around the 90° bend on this side of the crossing. The lights here also shut-off when the gates begin to rise, which is a bit neat and is something I don't believe I've ever seen in person before, at least not on a crossing here in the southeast.
It seems that the detection circuit here could use some work, however. For whatever reason, immediately upon activation with a northbound train, this crossing thinks there's a second train coming and starts playing the "another train coming" warnings. Once the train passes, however, the crossing remains active (though with the "another train coming" warning having shut-off) and does not shut-off until the train clears the island circuit for the pedestrian crossing on the other side of the station. And it only does this for northbounds, even more weirdly. I kinda have to wonder if the single track section immediately south of this crossing could be a factor into it...
Also a bit weirdly, the two "another train coming" warnings here are completely different. The one on this side of the crossing says "Danger! Another Train Coming" like most of the "another train coming" blank-out signs I've seen, though between the warning messages it plays what sounds like a low quality recording of a Safetran mechanical bell, similar to what TommyBNSF's shot on some newer pedestrian crossings up there on the South Shore in northwest Indiana. Meanwhile, over on the other side of the crossing, the "another train coming" warning says "Warning! Another Train Coming" like the other "another train coming" blank-out signs I saw down in Winter Park a bit earlier in the afternoon. However, the one here plays a warning bell/tone different from either the one on this side of the crossing or the ones down there in Winter Park, not sure what's up with that. RaisedLetter snagged a recording of the other side of the crossing, for those curious to hear how that'll sound, given how well it's drowned-out on this side of the crossing.