Beltline Road (AL 67) Railroad Crossing, Decatur, AL
2,977 views · Published 14 March 2018 · 1:51 · Indexed 25 September 2026
Channel: freebrickproductions · 2018 · Science & Technology
*originally recorded on 3-12-18* Signal on the left: 3 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell, a Siemens gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights. Far median signal: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Siemens gate mechanism, and NEG gate lights. Near median signal: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, a Siemens gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights. Signal on the right: 2 pairs of Safetran 12x20 inch lights, 1 pair of Safetran 12x24 inch lights, a Safetran mechanical bell, a Siemens gate mechanism, and RECO gate lights. Went out yesterday to catch NS AD02 working the NS 3M-Amoco Lead (A Lead) in Decatur, AL, which came through this crossing shortly after the siren test with a GP38-3 leading an SD40-2, both long-hood forwards! This crossing was the first one I wanted to record out here, as it's the only crossing along this branch line with a mechanical bell, though the mechanical bell here sounds rather flat. The gate on the far side also doesn't lower all the way, so the e-bell on that side stays active until the gates rise. Another weird thing about this crossing is the fact that it has two (yes, TWO) relay cases at it, each one controlling one half of the crossing. As such, the lights on the far side aren't in sync with the lights on the near side. Prior to 2014, this crossing only had the two old SOU cantilever signals and was the last crossing in Decatur to have GRS Lex-C lights. In 2013, the road was widened from four lanes to six by adding two new lanes in the median, but they weren't opened and the median signals weren't installed until 2014, nor were any changes done to the cantilever signals other than new gate arms being installed. By the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015 (certainly by the time I made my first excursion out to Courtland in mid-January of that year), the lights on the cantilever signals were replaced with the current ones. Sometime more recently however, NS went through and replaced the original Safetran gate mechs on the cantilvers at this crossing with the Siemens gate mechs seen here. Both median signals also originally had NEG gate lights, but I'm guessing that the near one had its gate replaced as well as it now has RECO gate lights. http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Decatur/Beltline/
