(10k Sub Special) Railroad Crossings of the ATN Birmingham Subdivision

Since I had recorded every crossings from Birmingham to Glenco on the ATN recently, I decided to make a compilation of all of the crossings on the part of the line originally built by the SAL for my 10,000 sub special. As what's now the ATN was built by three different railroads, I've decided to divide the ATN up into three parts for these videos. As stated earlier, this first part covers the section built by the SAL, which runs from Birmingham to Wellington. The second part will cover the part built by the L&N, which runs from Wellington to Attalla, and the final part will cover the section built by the NC&StL, which runs from Attalla to Guntersville.
This part of the line was originally built by the Seaboard Air Line (reporting mark: SAL) as part of their mainline from Birmingham, AL to Atlanta, GA. However, as traffic along the line declined over the years and the SAL was merged into the SCL, SBD, and later CSX, the need for the line dropped over time. Eventually, either the SBD or CSX, decided that keeping the line open wasn't worth it, and abandoned and tore out the section between Wellington, AL and Smyrna, GA, tying the eastern end of this line out of Birmingham into a remaining section of the L&N's Mineral Loop through Gadsden (which was also tied into the NC&StL line to Guntersville at the northern end), calling this piecemeal line the CSX Mineral Subdivision. In 2004, CSX leased the line to Omnitrax, who created the Alabama & Tennessee River Railway across the entire Mineral Sub.
This part of the ATN is still mostly original from when the CSX operated the line, as the ATN hasn't done many upgrades to this section of it. As such it features a wide variety of SAL, SCL, SBD, and older (as well as slightly newer) CSX installs and equipment along it, with many old US&S signals and 8 inch lights remaining. So far, only one crossing has been replaced entirely (with videos of it both pre and post upgrades being included), while only one other has had the lights at it upgraded at all. Most of the changes the ATN seems to have done here has primarily been replacing the occasional dead bell with a newer electronic bell. Most of the changes that had been done along this part of the line were done by CSX, though it appears to have primarily been knock-down replacements and having gone through and replaced most of the original bells back in the 1980s, it seems like. This section also features a rather notable crossing, which has the last working US&S Teardrop bell in Alabama (in addition to the last SAL split-mast signal in the state)!

[@trashrabbit69]

Man, this may be my favorite shortline of them all. Old units, faded paint, near-original crossing equipment, it's like stepping into a time machine. I wonder how much of this might be old Conrail stuff that got passed down.

[@freebrickproductions]

Conrail as in locomotives? As far as I'm aware, none of it (the red ex-HCLX might be, for all I know, but that would be about it). The crossing equipment on this section is former SAL/SCL/CSX for the most part, though sadly, the old SAL signal in Odenville was replaced earlier this year with a brand new signal.

[@trashrabbit69]

@@freebrickproductions Wow, so this line is more bona fide than I thought. Impressive! WSOR has been doing similar work this past year with removing and replacing old signals. It's sad to see, but at least they've done good on keeping the rest in healthy condition.

[@q.t.shelli3585]

Hello, I just want to say this is a fantastic idea of filming real train's. My son, who is 3, loves watching your videos of real trains. Be safe out there! 👍👍😁

[@draxionow3271]

I always wanted to see this line in action!

[@freebrickproductions]

They usually run Monday through Friday. Z390 is typically the best one to get, as it gets on duty in Ragland at 7 AM and heads to Birmingham. Y102/Y201 will also bring cars down to Ragland (and take cars back up to Guntersville) at least twice a week (during the day, this is usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays).

[@fatcatkcfan]

Hey brick i love you videos there so cool and fun to watch people think im weird for liking your videos but i dont care about i just wanted to say ty for making these videos

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@CoastalOCRailfan]

Great Video and congrats on 10k subscribers!!!!!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@littlewishy6432]

Congrats on getting to 10K! Have you ever railfanned at Chattanooga, TN yet?

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks! Yea, a couple of years back I did. Need to get back up there again.

[@RXMattCARailfan]

Awesome! 10k Subs! Keep on going! Im counting on you!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@lickmyballs8267]

you rock +freebrickproductions!!! and congrats on the 10K !!!!!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@lickmyballs8267]

@@freebrickproductions Do you have instagram ?

[@freebrickproductions]

@@lickmyballs8267 No.

[@RXMattCARailfan]

Freebrickproductions I’m happy to tell you that I’ll start railfanning in a few months on a fresh start.

[@leviwright6231]

You made it to 10k bro congratulations!! One day you should come to South Texas and see some crossings here

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@BNSFBishop]

Congratulations on 10K my guy. I’m about to hit 1K myself!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@AmtrakProductions]

Awesome congratulations man! You know I’ve been with your channel since before 1K. Anyways I hope to hit 1K soon. It’s my goal but I probably won’t.

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@DPTrains]

Congrats!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@adamghimenti6988]

Congrats with your 10k subscribe on KZbin way to go

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@MobileRailSpotterRxR]

Great video and congratulations on the 10K Subs!!!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@TheRailroadCrossingChannel]

Awesome video!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@jacktherailwayenthusiast3343]

Level Crossing Trivia Question 1: Do you prefer mechanical bells or ebells? Question 2: What is your favourite mechanical bell? Question 3: What is your favourite ebell? Question 4: Do you prefer wishbone gates or flat gates? Question 5: Do you prefer incandescent or LED lights? Question 6: What sign do you like at a passive crossing? A. Yield B. Stop Question 7: What is you favourite boom gate mechanism? Question 8: What are your favourite lights? (It is not incandescent or LED) Question 9: What is your favourite level crossing ahead sign? Question 10: What is your favourite level crossing?

[@freebrickproductions]

The formatting for your comment seems to be a bit messed-up, so you might want to fix it, lol.

[@jacktherailwayenthusiast3343]

It's fine you can still answer the questions.

[@freebrickproductions]

It's next to impossible to read on my computer due to the formatting, and I don't like to write long comments on my phone.

[@TheSwiftieTTPD]

22:52 my favorite bell

[@KaciCooperations]

They should fix these gates

[@ElliottWolcott]

Nice catches.

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@ElliottWolcott]

freebrickproductions Your welcome.

[@ACs_Trains]

Nice Video!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@Northeast_PA_Trucks_And_Trains]

That bell at 32:01. Love it!!!!! Old crossing with a matching bell!! Why did the gate take so long to go down and raise supper slow and almost stop about half way up?

[@freebrickproductions]

The WRRS gate mech seems to be aging, and is likely in need of replacement or some TLC.

[@Northeast_PA_Trucks_And_Trains]

freebrickproductions As long as it doesn’t get scraped, I’m fine with repairs. Sadly Strasburg RailRoad had to take out the RACO signals next to the caboose motel because they became to costly to keep fixing. I was told they are preserved and work in the museum next door. I think you have to push a button and they go off.

[@freebrickproductions]

@@Northeast_PA_Trucks_And_Trains I heard about that, glad to hear they were preserved though, not may RACO Hydraulics left.

[@Northeast_PA_Trucks_And_Trains]

freebrickproductions I do think the RACO signals are still at Cherry Hill!! The last time I saw the ones by the motel the gates got stuck down for a half hour until the next excursion went through. After that they were replaced. But yeah, Strasburg told me via Instagram that they are in the museum next door and they have them so they work. The museum also has an old Pennsylvania railroad signal that you can use with buttons to see how to read them.

[@freebrickproductions]

@@Northeast_PA_Trucks_And_Trains I know they were starting to have problems with the RACO Hydraulics staying up at Paradise Lane when I recorded it back in 2013, honestly quite glad I got to see that when I went up there at the time.

[@mineshaftxx2221]

0:01 Did anybody notice that the shape of the sign above the 2 tracks sign looks slightly different?

[@freebrickproductions]

I think it was put together just slightly off.

[@TrickyMario7654]

Hey, rxrsignals has been down for several days now. Can you explain why?

[@freebrickproductions]

Something with the forum, not entirely sure yet. The site itself still works fine, but based on the error message, it's probably something wrong with the forum's database.

[@trainman758]

Any updates as to when it may come back online?

[@freebrickproductions]

@@trainman758 Not yet. May look into fixing it myself if Gillson's too busy.

[@CWproductions2288]

9401 is a cool loco

[@norhashimahmdsaid579]

Freebrickproductions in Malaysia all railroad crossing has been remove and replaced with bridges or underground crossing

[@RXMattCARailfan]

Johnson Street Alton, Alabama Sounds like the Mcfadden ave crossing because those are slow WCH Type 1.5s

[@freebrickproductions]

It's actually a WCH Type 4.

[@RXMattCARailfan]

Ik it’s WCH 4 1.5

[@freebrickproductions]

@@RXMattCARailfan What?

[@RXMattCARailfan]

@@freebrickproductions sorry My spelling is bad. I mean I like WCH type 4s!

[@jdoggez2083]

23:03 that gate tho???????

[@freebrickproductions]

Yea, it was messed-up. Since fixed though.

[@zach_light7816]

What is with the sick wch e bells

[@freebrickproductions]

They ain't sick.

[@Guzj828]

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