Rice Avenue, Ripley, TN

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 4-8-26*

Signal on the left: 2 pairs of Safetran 8 inch lights with Safetran Non-fading LEDs, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.
Signal on the right: 1.5 pairs of Safetran 8 inch lights with Safetran Non-fading LEDs, 1.5 pairs of Safetran 8 inch lights with Safetran Fading LEDs, a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

After I caught this southbound mixed freight in Dyersburg, I knew I had to chase it south rather than hanging around for the TennKen, so I hopped on US 51 and raced on down to this crossing in Ripley to catch it again. Here we get to see this pair of deathstars for the second time on this day.

This crossing is a pretty nice one, featuring a pair of late-1970s ICG signals at it that have been modernized a bit over the years. It appears that sometime in the late-2000s/early-2010s, CN upgraded the lights here to LED. Then, sometime in the mid to late-2010s, CN replaced the bell here with the current Safetran Type 3 e-bell. Thankfully, since then, nothing else too major appears to have changed here. Interestingly, this crossing has a mix of 8 inch Safetran Fading LEDs and 8 inch Safetran Non-fading LEDs at it, which certainly gives it a bit of an unusual look. For whatever reason, these LEDs also feature two different design of lens on them. Per EthantheRailfanner's video here, the rear-left light on the closer signal also features a fading LED in it, meaning that the closer signal has a 50/50 split of fading and non-fading LEDs. Definitely a bit nice seeing more 8 inch Safetran non-fading LEDs on the CN Fulton Sub, however. Like with many other IC & ICG installs on the Fulton Sub, the backgrounds on the lights here also look pretty nicely faded, NGL.

https://www.rxrsignals.com/Tennessee/R-Z/Ripley/Rice/