Thank you! Access to the cantilever is blocked on these signals. There are ladder guards covering the first 6-8 feet of rungs. They have to be unlocked and removed before you can climb up.
Yes. The road here is wider than usual, having a parking lane on each side and a bike lane, so a cantilever is used to place a set of lights over the vehicular traffic lane in addition to the lights on the mast. It's also common for these to be used on multi-lane highways or roadways where a hill may obstruct a view of the crossing until you're very close to it. Sometimes additional "Railroad Crossing" crossbucks are attached to the cantilever as well.
I'm pretty sure they're Safetran, like the gate mechs. The bells are mounted (strangely) on a short arm just below the lights on the gate signals. Look just below the right light on the signal closest to the camera and you'll see it. UP did this on all their Safetran installs for some reason. It's the same on my video I shot at 9th Street. When they use Hayes equipment, the bells are mounted normally.
Thanks for clarifying this, Brenton! I thought that there was something like this but I wanted you to confirm this and you did. I watch your videos quite often and never get tired of them.....just like my love of trains is still as strong now at 59 years of age like it was as a kid. I always look forward to your new train videos, too, and I really appreciate you shooting the videos with a tripod which is MUCH better for viewing than the other people who film trains but shake the camera alot!
Funny you should mention that. I was watching this about a week ago and thinking the same thing. I remember when they rebuilt this crossing with Old Spring Street and Highway C. I was a little surprised that much time has passed since then.
Not too long before work started on all that, a hopper on a southbound train derailed just past Highway K. They drug it over Gittings Road, Highway C, Old Spring Street, 12th Street and the switch at J-Wax. It also nailed the 63.2 detector. I was waiting at the 12th Street crossing and saw it go past. There was fire coming off the derailed trucks and it was throwing ballast everywhere. When it hit the roadway at the crossing, that end of the car went airborne for a second and came down on the pavement, which literally exploded into chunks. I thought the whole train was going to pile up under the bridge. The damaged detector was spouting off all kinds of defect messages by that point and they stopped down by Waxdale. Spring Street and Old Spring were reopened pretty quickly, but Gittings Road and 12th Street were damaged so badly, they were impassable and ended up being closed for a while while temporary repairs were made with wood planking. Gittings Road was eventually rebuilt correctly but 12th Street had the temporary repair in place until the whole road was widened. I still have some pictures of the damage and the car that derailed (CAGX 95216) on my computer.
Awesome Video Brent! Nice looking crossing! I'm not a big fan of Electronic bells, but if I had to pick my favorite it would be the Safetran Type 2 e-bell!
Another GREAT video, Brent! I was wondering, though, if the access to climb the ladder on the mast is blocked from anyone other than the railroad personnel? The ladder seems to go down to the ground level.
+train gamer Probably 10-12 a day. I live about a mile away from it so I hear the trains all day. It can be quiet for a while and then you'll get a bunch of traffic. Your best bet is to listen to a scanner so you can hear the dispatcher giving warrants.
Thank you! Access to the cantilever is blocked on these signals. There are ladder guards covering the first 6-8 feet of rungs. They have to be unlocked and removed before you can climb up.
Yes. The road here is wider than usual, having a parking lane on each side and a bike lane, so a cantilever is used to place a set of lights over the vehicular traffic lane in addition to the lights on the mast. It's also common for these to be used on multi-lane highways or roadways where a hill may obstruct a view of the crossing until you're very close to it. Sometimes additional "Railroad Crossing" crossbucks are attached to the cantilever as well.
Thanks!
I'm pretty sure they're Safetran, like the gate mechs. The bells are mounted (strangely) on a short arm just below the lights on the gate signals. Look just below the right light on the signal closest to the camera and you'll see it. UP did this on all their Safetran installs for some reason. It's the same on my video I shot at 9th Street. When they use Hayes equipment, the bells are mounted normally.
The bell from the old set up wasn't reused on this install.
I just LIKE the horn on the lead unit!!
Great video. line of grain cars are cool.
Great video, I like that SD70mac as the leader
Thanks for clarifying this, Brenton! I thought that there was something like this but I wanted you to confirm this and you did. I watch your videos quite often and never get tired of them.....just like my love of trains is still as strong now at 59 years of age like it was as a kid. I always look forward to your new train videos, too, and I really appreciate you shooting the videos with a tripod which is MUCH better for viewing than the other people who film trains but shake the camera alot!
cool catch!
Yeah. There's two of them. Same as my 9th Street video.
Was one of the lead unit's Ditchlights burned out?
Hard to believe this was 5 years ago, I remember when this first came out
Funny you should mention that. I was watching this about a week ago and thinking the same thing. I remember when they rebuilt this crossing with Old Spring Street and Highway C. I was a little surprised that much time has passed since then.
I was only 3 when they rebuilt it, the Frontage Road crossing was right with them.
Not too long before work started on all that, a hopper on a southbound train derailed just past Highway K. They drug it over Gittings Road, Highway C, Old Spring Street, 12th Street and the switch at J-Wax. It also nailed the 63.2 detector. I was waiting at the 12th Street crossing and saw it go past. There was fire coming off the derailed trucks and it was throwing ballast everywhere. When it hit the roadway at the crossing, that end of the car went airborne for a second and came down on the pavement, which literally exploded into chunks. I thought the whole train was going to pile up under the bridge. The damaged detector was spouting off all kinds of defect messages by that point and they stopped down by Waxdale. Spring Street and Old Spring were reopened pretty quickly, but Gittings Road and 12th Street were damaged so badly, they were impassable and ended up being closed for a while while temporary repairs were made with wood planking. Gittings Road was eventually rebuilt correctly but 12th Street had the temporary repair in place until the whole road was widened. I still have some pictures of the damage and the car that derailed (CAGX 95216) on my computer.
I'm surprised that the engineer didn't know about it when the car derailed
The car stayed coupled and the air hose didn't separate, so there was really no way of knowing.
Awesome Video Brent! Nice looking crossing!
I'm not a big fan of Electronic bells, but if I had to pick my favorite it would be the Safetran Type 2 e-bell!
That crossing looks like a CSX set-up.
CSX and UP used very similar equipment for a while.
I like that horn is it a K5LA horn
Pardon me bringing up this old comment, but I think it might be a K3LA.
Another GREAT video, Brent! I was wondering, though, if the access to climb the ladder on the mast is blocked from anyone other than the railroad personnel? The ladder seems to go down to the ground level.
Do you think the e-bell got recycled, as the previous signals had one?
Looking good
How frequent are trains on this line?
+train gamer Probably 10-12 a day. I live about a mile away from it so I hear the trains all day. It can be quiet for a while and then you'll get a bunch of traffic. Your best bet is to listen to a scanner so you can hear the dispatcher giving warrants.
Brenton81
But I don't have a scanner.
+train gamer You really should get one. It makes things a lot easier when you're trying to catch trains.
Brenton81
My mom wouldn't really let me get one. They're too expensive.
+train gamer You can pick one up for under $50.00 on ebay.
Nope. No electric trains. Just freight, like this one. :-)