Vintage Operational Railroad Crossing Signals on Abandoned Line in Action

Coordinates: 40.804539, -74.198816
Activation: 2:03
What The Crossing Sounded Like in 2002: • Benson Street Station ...
Follow Up Video Taken in 2023: • 2023 Update: Benson St...
Follow Up Video Taken in 2022: • 2022 Follow Up: Benson...
Follow Up Video Taken in 2021: • Follow Up Of The Benso...
After 16 years since New Jersey Transit abandoned the former Erie-Lackawanna
What the crossing sounded like 20+ years ago: • Benson Street Station ...
Greenwood Lake/Lower Boonton Line for good, these 60+ year old signals still stand to this very day awaiting for a train.
As I arrived at the former Benson Street station in Glen Ridge, a friendly Norfolk Southern signal operator (who was replacing a gate) kindly turned the signal on so I could take pictures for future needs.
This crossing is also equipped with WRRS Model 10 gate mechanisms, rusty but trusty cast iron WRRS 8-inch lights, and two Union Switch and Signal Model 15-A Mechanical Bells (aka "Teardrop Bells" from their distinctive shape).

[@postlund27]

Update 8/2020 - From what I understand, Norfolk Southern, Essex, Bergen, and Hudson counties are negotiating to convert the entire rail line from Glen Ridge to Hoboken into a bicycle route. Update: 11/12/2020 - It’s official, Norfolk Southern confirmed to convert this line into a bike trail in the foreseeable future. Update: 7/26/2021 - Follow up Video of the signals kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5quqoCro9J1oMk Update: 7/14/2022 - Follow up video of the signals kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2ipkIyfoNd0a5o Update: 12/29/2022 - The Benson Street Railroad Crossing is NO MORE. I will try to make a follow up video of the site in the next couple of months. Update: 7/27/2023 - As promised, here's another follow up video, and possibly for the very last time of this former crossing kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJ_RZWmZepqVoqs Links are in the description

[@Ferromexfan4081]

aostlund27 boo!

[@kansasstatealerting717]

:(((( somebody needs to save the signals

[@Ih8kone]

@@JujuRailProductions Maybe they'll end up in a museum

[@TexasRailfan2008]

Sirens And Trains Of Kansas agreed, and the relays from the relay cases

[@WestCoastRailroadProductions]

Maybe when you activated the Crossing you should’ve activated the gates so they could go down

[@daltondick5223]

Very nice that he activated these classic signals for you.

[@MobileRailSpotterRxR]

Awesome Video! Pretty cool the old signals still mostly work. Lots of rare equipment also on them.

[@postlund27]

Yeah, I agree. When I arrived at the place, I assumed they were vulnerable and inoperable considering the condition of the relays and mechanisms.

[@RaisedLetter]

That is probably the best opportunity you could have with any of those signals.

[@postlund27]

Oh without a doubt! It was honestly unexpected to say the least.

[@robfassi3297]

Very nice of the maintainer to ring those bells for you, I believe the line has been out of service since 2002

[@Ih8kone]

Correct, there are plans to convert it to a rail trail.

[@oskitrainspotter]

@@Ih8kone I despise railtrails. The enemy of heritage & railbike lines around the world.

[@Ih8kone]

@@oskitrainspotter Why?! Do you not understand that this right of way is no longer needed?!

[@oskitrainspotter]

@@Ih8kone it can still be used for railbikes.

[@Ih8kone]

@@oskitrainspotter Try to be positive, please.

[@austinmiller3497]

It's pretty cool that the train crew men activated the signals for you I would like to see trains run across this Crossing someday but probably aint going to happen anytime Soon it's better as a bike trail hopefully they can preserve these gated Crossing signals and put them into a railroad museum

[@rhurley1012]

i know its been theree years but they removed the crossings and there nothing left besides a warning sign on the st and i dont think they preserved them. there is a video if you search benson st railroad crossing of it today

[@swedishlevelcrossingchanne2745]

Would love to have those old teardrop bells at home!!

[@piktureit]

I love that they’re bringing the crossing back to life

[@brandongaming_ad2169]

piktureit they actually planned on taking out the tracks putting a walkway there. They said that 5 years ago and still say it but have yet to do so. I think it would be such a pretty thing, but they should leave the tracks in as a memory.

[@piktureit]

:(

[@ILOVETHEWHAMMY]

@@brandongaming_ad2169, I live in a midwestern town. About 15 years ago, the railroad took out a line that ran right in town. My city turned it into a biking/walking trail and connected it to the local college. One end is at the college and the other end of the trail is past the east side of town!

[@Ih8kone]

@@piktureit What are you so upset about? Rail trails are good!

[@TexasRailfan2008]

@@Ih8kone no they aren’t! They completely destroy history, like signals and crossings and the fact that there is a track there, if someone wants to be “fit” just go find a different train and let the tracks be.

[@chrishinnant3924]

Those old bells are music to my ears.

[@CaptianNamco]

I like mechanical bells better that's y I try to find a crossing with mechanical bell ebells don't even sound like a normal bell to me it sounds like dinger in a car when u open the door or leave headlight on

[@MonkeyFilmProductions]

@@CaptianNamco Teardrop bells (us&s A-15s) Are mechanical bells!

[@CaptianNamco]

@@MonkeyFilmProductions thank you

[@aperfectspongebobpopsicle2221]

It's nice to see it in operation while you still could!

[@postlund27]

For sure

[@LibertyRailfan]

cool video A.Ostlund.27, I live near the old Boonton Line right by the old Arlington station unfortunately, all the crossing signals have been totally cannibalized here at Arlington. Also the washouts from Hurricane Sandy in the meadows of south Kearny would have to be fixed. One more thing too I was told by Kearny PD that the bridge going over the Passaic River is no longer sound for rail traffic since Sandy so I guess the railroad would have some fixing up to do before trains could use this portion of the line again.

[@kansasstatealerting717]

I love the sound of those bells.

[@brandongaming_ad2169]

I have walked these tracks once in both directions. I biked it with two friends up towards Montclair and walked it once towards Bloomfield with a friend. The bridges in Bloomfield are in such poor condition and need major work done to them.

[@epic5651]

The crossing has came back to life!! 2:07

[@royaljames8595]

The best crossing bell I've ever heard!!!!!

[@plingerson]

Teardrops are cool

[@robfassi3297]

The crossbucks used to have the cat eye reflectors until a few years ago according to google maps

[@ronbelnap8370]

A company does not spend the time and money to maintain signals on an abandoned line. It might be out of service, but out of service is not abandoned. If it were abandoned the crossing signals would be removed and the dot crossing ID plate would be gone

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

exactly abandoned means it will not be used again the federal ID number is gone the tracks are no longer used at all.. out of service means they could if they need to do a little work on it reactivated if they have to...now for some reason some business came in and there was some need for it like you see the small Genesee & Wyoming and all the other small Short Line railroads all over they could buy the line from the Norfolk Southern if they wanted to.. but you are correct that's where a lot of people make the mistake between abandoned and out of service..if they needed to use it at still can be used you may have to have a mole crew come out you may have to lay a little bit of track and places where it was removed but none the less the line could still be used in an emergency...

[@Brendon_up1995]

Not necessarily, there’s a crossing near me that still stands and still works, but the rails are completely disconnected from the main line and the switch to said mainline is ripped out. The RR probably just hasn’t gotten around to removing the tracks and grade crossing

[@zostrelling_]

not necessarily, sometimes railroads are too lazy to remove them lol

[@Live2ride2live54321]

It’s a bike trail now. It was indeed abandoned

[@robertolopessoares3128]

Hello! Very Nice vídeo! I like trains! I like railroad' crossing! Thanks!

[@thedenverrailfan1985]

Now thats a railroad crossing

[@VincentTrainsAndGaming]

Wow 😮 teardrop bells!? Nice

[@LemonHobart]

Fun fact: this line still has around 15 more teardrop bells on it

[@TexasRailfan2008]

Noice

[@OtterMan310]

The teardrop bell on a side mount is rare

[@POON3345]

Nice to find these early automated crossings still in place at some locations.

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Always amazed at how couples these controls are for the crossing signals

[@Lorsterthe34st]

This man deserves my will

[@postlund27]

???

[@Thatoneguy86214]

Dual Us&s teardrop bells with 8 in lights you can’t beat it

[@TheRailroadCrossingChannel]

Amazing crossing!

[@tomharris8263]

Beautiful sounding bell.

[@BBT609]

Amazed to see how many mechanical relays there are in the signal cabinet. These signals have to be 70 years old or better and shows how older stuff still works and is built to last!!

[@postlund27]

That’s true, but unfortunately this crossing is nothing more than history at this point, or lack thereof. It’s now being converted into a rail trail and there’s absolutely no trace left. Everything’s cannibalized

[@BBT609]

@@postlund27 absolutely sad 😞

[@TheBCRailfan]

Awesome!!!!!

[@CrazyKaboose]

What’s gonna happen to the line. And I swear if rails to trails comes

[@postlund27]

That's a very good question, and to be quite frank, I have no clue what's going to happen with the line. This line hasn't seen a train in almost a decade, some of the tracks have been paved over miles away in Newark, NJ and the town of Glen Ridge and Norfolk Southern are fighting over the trail in a debating lawsuit. It's interesting to see what's going to happen in a few years and it's unlikely that another train would come.

[@CrazyKaboose]

A.Ostlund.27 I hope it reopens and thanks for the info

[@TexasRailfan2008]

Or at least the bells.

[@Ih8kone]

I believe it is being converted to a rail trail

[@MK06563]

So cool!

[@Brian_rock_railfan]

Great video 👍😀😎

[@Ferromexfan4081]

2:06 what u came for

[@TexasRailfan2008]

0:51 is what I came for

[@Ferromexfan4081]

TxMeterBoy J It’s always cool to see the inside of a relay case

[@TexasRailfan2008]

Ferromex fan 4081 yeah, I have one and I always try to make it as real as possible, this vid helped a lot

[@trainchaserelliot]

Subscribed!

[@LotusbandicootRR]

There's just something about the sound of two teardrop bells with clashing pitches and rhythms

[@user-rm3gf8xi6f]

2:02 it starts

[@gradymcclintock3766]

I'm suprised they still have power to these

[@ExplodoShooter]

There's actually a railroad crossing with LEX-C Lights with a safetran hybrid bell down on this line

[@Fa_UTG]

Google maps location?

[@jeo7347]

I love that bell

[@raymondleggs5508]

ding ding ding ding a ding ding ding ding ding ding ding a din a ding ding y ding dingy dingy ding ding!!!!

[@TexasRailfan2008]

That about sums it up

[@mariolee64]

Nice. I wonder why they are still replacing the gate even though the line isn't used anymore.

[@postlund27]

Mario Lee The signal maintainer from NS told me that if there was ever another hurricane hitting the state of New Jersey, they would have to use the line to transport products all the way to Newark, NJ. While the line hasn’t seen a train in almost 7 years, this line is considered “active”.

[@postlund27]

I find it kinda absurd tbh.

[@therandomvideokids9223]

Its more out of service than abandoned

[@angelbenjamincastillo6398]

@@postlund27 I'm from Texas and where I live is a short track at the back end of the line it's used for storage but hasn't seen trains fully go through it. Its considered active even though its not busy.

[@Ih8kone]

Update: this line is now a rail trail.

[@user-rm3gf8xi6f]

Wow don't let anyone get rid of that

[@Ih8kone]

This abandoned right of way is being converted to a rail trail.

[@user-rm3gf8xi6f]

@@Ih8kone what does this mean

[@Ih8kone]

@@user-rm3gf8xi6f It means these signals will be either repurposed or scrapped.

[@nssteampunk4865]

US&S Teardrop mechanical bell

[@lesashiminski690]

Love the tear drops wish they still made them and love old style flasher any one knows if they will reopen line?

[@unionfossilautomatic8935]

Hey I found you bro!🙂

[@CaptianNamco]

Awesome video I have never heard a US& S tear drop mechanical Bell sound ring before is this Bell dieing or is it how it sounds

[@RicardoSantos-il3ee]

The bell is dying, because since the line is out of service there’s no point in really maintaining it. Plus it’s been clogged up with years of debris from weather and stuff.

[@CaptianNamco]

@@RicardoSantos-il3ee i agree with you I just never seen a us&s tear drop mechanical Bell work there is a tear drop mechanical Bell in altamont illinois and it's either dead or disconnected

[@wildtraingamer3146]

I like the tear drop bells

[@halifaxcnrailfanner]

The Bells are mounted in a holder

[@lucaspinheironogueirabisch9030]

Because he didn't lower it When it was on ??

[@Jonahthe_railfanner]

Lil Timmy in class explaining he was born in 1900💀

[@postlund27]

Ok????

[@SPTunnelMotor]

How can a rail line leading straight towards manhattan fail?

[@dustinhall5425]

Since I'm the only one here that's going to ask this question... Why after 16 years is he there replacing a gate on an abandoned crossing?

[@willpower3544]

yeah same I thought that.

[@RicardoSantos-il3ee]

To meet FRA standards, it doesn’t matter if the crossing is abandoned, it has to meet the certain standards no matter what. Plus the line isn’t completely abandoned, it’s more out of service.

[@microbusss]

I'd love to take a Speeder on this line! With permission & waiver signed

[@chrishinnant3924]

Better yet rail bikes or real go-karts.

[@Ih8kone]

This line is being converted to a rail trail.

[@microbusss]

@@Ih8kone boooo

[@Ih8kone]

@@microbusss Jesus Christ why is everybody against rail trails

[@microbusss]

@@Ih8kone cause trails WITH rails more fun!

[@csxtrainfan319]

Is that abandoned line back in service with that crossing

[@postlund27]

No

[@Ih8kone]

No. It is being converted to a rail trail.

[@csxtrainfan319]

That’s too bad. At least you got to here the teardrop bell

[@Ih8kone]

@@csxtrainfan319 Well, in a way, that's actually a good thing.

[@oskitrainspotter]

It’s happening :(( the tracks are now being torn up.

[@Ih8kone]

Look at the bright side. It's being converted to a rail trail.

[@iancarter3029]

OMG!

[@bnsfbandit9807]

That a Erie set up? It looks like one

[@postlund27]

Yeah, it's an Erie setup. They installed a few years before the Erie and the Lackawanna railroads merged.

[@ghostface3302]

Are they’re any trains come buy the rails when signals active?

[@TexasRailfan2008]

Sad to know they were ripped out and thrown away a few weeks ago

[@postlund27]

True. However, I am recieving one bell from that line from a neighboring crossing that's about a mile and a half away that one of my friends is currently restoring for me.

[@TexasRailfan2008]

@@postlund27 cool! Be sure to make a video on it!

[@upking9080]

4 of the bells were saved by a friend I know.

[@TexasRailfan2008]

@@upking9080 good!

[@spclanghorne4494]

When do you think these were installed?

[@SignalMan9292]

Watch in 5 or 10 years they will want passenger service again

[@RailsOfTheMidwest]

Does anyone know why the signal maintainer was working on the crossing? The description says “replacing a gate” but why on a crossing thats on an abandoned line?

[@RicardoSantos-il3ee]

It’s to meet FRA standards. This is so if the line were to ever be reactivated for any reason, they can have the equipment ready for use.

[@emmanuelchavis7824]

It sounds like the bells are dying

[@railfanlynx]

can I use the audio for a project?

[@postlund27]

Sure!

[@breadplayz1]

Unless they save the signals and use them as bike crossing singals

[@wildtraingamer3146]

Why did the gate not go down? Was it broken or it’s programmed to test the bell and lights

[@Anthonyemo4life]

Are they even gonna remove them along with the intersection

[@Ih8kone]

Yes as this line is being converted to a rail trail.

[@ebtmikado]

I do not believe the line is abandoned. If it were, there would be no need to maintain the signals. It is dormant, which is very different.

[@Ih8kone]

It's being converted to a rail trail.

[@deleteddeleted172]

Why did they replace the gate if it is abandoned?

[@postlund27]

To meet FRA standards

[@scottn940]

"Abandoned" is an official legal term. In this case, the subject rail line was out-of-service and not yet officially abandoned, hence the blue ID tag on the signals and in many cases, routine inspections / maintenance have to continue despite the line's inactive status.

[@thomasnativo6491]

Sounds like Sparta's crossing in Sparta NJ owned by NYS&W

[@dougowens6180]

Should have kept the rr in place

[@Ih8kone]

The line was rerouted.

[@vondumozze738]

NJT & NS are not going to reopen this line for railfans' sake. There are no goods to be moved by NS, and there is little in NJTs budget to restore service, which would mean the entire stretch. IMO the funds would be better spent on the Lackawanna cutoff.

[@Ih8kone]

That's what I have been saying. This old ROW is no longer needed because of the Montclair Connection.

[@Drewchronister]

If it’s vintage it needs a wigwag but eh close to a wigwag

[@RiPp3LfX]

Its alive

[@jerseyrailbuff4147]

Why did they activate the old Arlington crossings?

[@postlund27]

This is in Glen Ridge, not Arlington.

[@jerseyrailbuff4147]

@@postlund27 ah, I forgot, do they still have the old EL signals? I saw em on Google maps at a couple places

[@postlund27]

@@jerseyrailbuff4147 They do, but it’s in worse shape after this was filmed

[@RailPreserver2K]

Should have asked him if you could take the Bells

[@postlund27]

I did, he said no

[@Ih8kone]

@@postlund27 That sucks.

[@dumdum7786]

Will they ever return the line to normal operation?

[@postlund27]

It's very unlikely that a train would pass here again. Some of the rails have already been paved over and some are in very poor condition.

[@Ih8kone]

No. This line is being converted to a rail trail.

[@Thewarman-gt8kj]

Why was he replacing the gate are they rebooting the line?

[@postlund27]

It's really unlikely that they're going to "reboot" the line into regular operation. Some of the tracks have been paved over and Essex county is debating whether or not to put a bicycle trail over the existing line. As for the gates the operator told me that if another hurricane hits Jersey they have to use the line to transport it to Newark.

[@willpower3544]

if it is abandoned, why were they fixing a gate?

[@RicardoSantos-il3ee]

To meet FRA standards.

[@willpower3544]

@@RicardoSantos-il3ee if its abandoned they usually remove the gates or chain them up.

[@RicardoSantos-il3ee]

WillPower In this case the line isn’t abandoned, just out of service. They might use the line again in the near future only if they have to.

[@willpower3544]

is yhe line going to be reopned?

[@Ih8kone]

Nope. It is being converted to a rail trail.

[@ethand5221]

Is it an abandoned railroad crossing?

[@ngacocreation]

Google map id pls

[@caseyroberts4612]

why is it functioning still?

[@robfassi3297]

Casey Roberts the line is abandoned/out of service

[@secondarymainlineproductio3033]

Any updates on this line being used again?

[@postlund27]

They’re unfortunately planning to convert this line into a bike path. Norfolk Southern confirmed this.

[@Ih8kone]

Nope, it's no longer needed with the construction of the Montclair Connection in 2002.

[@David-wx1eb]

počkat ono to funguje?!?