Vine Street Railroad Crossing #1, Decatur, AL

originally recorded on 3-19-23
Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with Leotek EV Series LEDs, 1 pair of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, a WCH mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
Signal on the right: 1.5 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights with WCH 2nd Generation LEDs, 1 Safetran 12x20 inch light with a Leotek EV Series LED, a Safetran mechanical bell, a Safetran gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights.
After catching I141, I saw that I025 was also already lined through Decatur, so I decided to head-up to downtown Decatur and see about recording Moulton Street. Unfortunately, once I got there, L848 had just finished-up in Oakworth Yard and was pulling-up through Moulton Street (to pull-up to Vine Street and wait for I025 to pass) before I got a chance to get out of my car and get set-up, and I knew that it wasn't going to clear that crossing before I025 passed, so I continued up to Vine Street to wait on it. I025 was already crossing the river when I got here, so I quickly got set-up and shortly after, I was able to get my twelfth train of the day: CSX I025 with an ES44AH leading an AC44CW on the head-end and another ES44AH working as the mid-train DPU.
As you can see, nothing major has changed to this crossing since I last recorded it. Thankfully, since then as well, NS has given the Safetran mechanical bell here another tune-up, and it sounds much better now than it had been back in 2018 - 2021. It doesn't really struggle ringing at all now, outside of slowing down a little bit when the gates lower, but otherwise it sounds about like how it did back in 2017 and before, which is quite nice to see. Hopefully this means it'll be around here for many more years to come as a result.
www.rxrsignals....
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[@CoastalOCRailfan]

Great crossing and video! I'm very happy that the Safetran bell sounds back in shape!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@JayyT664]

The crossing setup is very nice!

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@TheBCRailfan]

Great video! Glad the Safetran bell sounds better now.

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks!

[@jaydentherailfanonroblox]

Great catch! The Safetran is finally sounding better now! I thought NS has replaced it with a GS Type 3.

[@freebrickproductions]

Thanks! They hadn't replaced it, lol.

[@jaydentherailfanonroblox]

Oh

[@MtrayPlays]

This makes me think of the Webster grove crossing bell combo it had before the bells were replaced

[@eastonrobertson538]

I love railfanning in Decatur alabama❤

[@TravelingRailfan501]

that is one long train