Jersey Pike #1, Chattanooga, TN

[freebrickproductions]

*originally recorded on 5-9-26*

Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 3 electronic bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, RECO LED gate lights, and an NEG LED gate light.
Signal on the right: 4 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO LED gate lights.

After I finished my chase of the TVRM's Summerville "Steam" Special, I decided to head over to this crossing to see if I could catch anything else before it got too dark. As I pulled-up to this crossing, I saw this westbound hot-shot arriving so I immediately hopped-out of my car and was just barely able to get my camera thrown down before the signals activated. Here we see my second train of the day: a westbound intermodal train with an ES44AC leading an AC44C6M for power.
After I caught that westbound hotshot, I decided to stick around and try for a better video of this crossing. Thankfully, after a little while of waiting, I was able to catch my fourth train of the day: an eastbound high priority intermodal with an AC44C6M leading a Dash-9 and an ET44AC for power.

This crossing is a pretty decent one, featuring a pretty well modernized SOU install at it. The signals here appear to have originally been installed by the SOU in the early-to-mid-1970s, though, in the mid-90s, NS replaced all of the lights here with the current Safetran 12x20s. Then, in the late-90s or early-2000s, NS replaced both gate mechs here with the current Safetran ones. At about the same time, the bell here was replaced by a GS e-bell. Next, sometime between 2007 and 2011, NS replaced the bell here again with a Safetran Type 3 e-bell. After that, sometime between 2014 and when I first visited this crossing back in 2016, the gate mast on the far signal had its base replaced with a newer Safetran one that seems to have been reused from somewhere (not sure where though). Finally, sometime between 2019 and when RaisedLetter first visited here in 2021, NS replaced the bell here once again, this time with the current GS Type 3 e-bell. Thankfully, despite the upgrades here, both of the original cantilever signals and their gate masts here still survive! That being said, only the closer gate mast still retains its original base, but it's still great to see regardless. Hopefully they remain here for many more years to come, but, either way, I'm glad I was finally able to record this crossing when I did, seeing as I first documented it for the site all the way back in 2016!
The bell here is also set to ring until the gates rise, which is pretty neat to see.

https://www.rxrsignals.com/Tennessee/A- ... a/Jersey1/