Harbor Park---testing of new crossing signals!!!

[MNsportsnut]

Is there anything in the crossing control box that allows the bells to be changed to a different code? It's strange here in Minnesota on a CP Rail line, 1 crossing has the bells stop after the gates are down but the next crossing has the bells ringing until the gates go back up.

[Audinos]

Why would they replace a signal mast that is only ten years old? Some in my home town date from the 1930's and have only had light heads and crossing arms replaced over the years.

[CSX2665]

Nice crossing bell.

[YankeePat94]

NS needs to realize that LEDs take up less energy and don't require much maitenence

[TommyBNSF]

Nice, do you have a video of the signals that were here before?

[tipdrip215]

i like it better when the bells shut off once the gates are down.

[nsgevo89]

Me too! It's annoying when the bell rings the whole time. One time back when our line was active, I went to this gateless crossing behind a Circuit City, and the train set off the signals when it was way down the tracks, and I had to listen to a horrible Safetran mechanical bell that sounded like a kid banging a single note on a xylophone! It was awful! And then the signals went off again when the end of the train tripped the relay on the other end of the tracks! I was like, "AARRGHH!"

[tipdrip215]

im glad i live in NC and not on the west coast. regulations over there say they have to have continously ringing bells at every crossing, gates or not.

[Sniper12890]

In Arizona, Bell need to ring the whole time

[tipdrip215]

yep. and thats out west.

[theup3985]

RE tipdrip:

I also prefer setups where the bell(s) shuts off after the gates have lowered. I don't really care if it rings when the gates go back up (though I don't understand why it should ring when the gates are going up). But having it ring the whole time is just annoying and unnecessary.

[quickman55]

The version I like best is bells that ring when the arms are down & stop ringing when the arms go up.

[tipdrip215]

if they dont stop, you cant hear the train's horn as good.

[nsgevo89]

That's very true. That's a good point.

[tipdrip215]

yeah, ive always liked to get the full spectrum of sounds when watching trains.

[mulatto321]

@tipdrip215 It depends on the bell...electric bells suck!

[itsmememe]

......

[itsmememe]

The "flashers" are located inside the signal case, the lightheads are what emits the lights. On another note, NS does not use LED's like some other Railroads. They tried them out at a few crossings, and decided to continue incandescant lights, by the way.

[nsgevo89]

I think they should start using them, you know why they don't? It's because NS is stubborn and cheap. I wish they would get rid of those stupid automatic block signaling on the Norfolk District and replace it with bidirectional CTC and L.E.D. lights.

[DRG1939]

Norfolk Terminal does not have "automatic block" signals. The signals are "controlled" by the operator at Bridge #5. There used to be an operator at #7 but they did away with that and combined the two areas of NT to #5. We come on duty....call the bridge with what were doing and where we need to go and he keeps the crews lined up. Then...if changes need to be made you simply call the bridge operator and converse on what needs to be done. Theres more to it than this box will hold.

[DRG1939]

Item number two.....we do have bidirectional use on our tracks. Just because the signals are not back to back doesnt mean anything. We can run east on the west and vice versa. Also...there are several places that have no signals and is single track so......you gotta run both ways.

[DRG1939]

Of which I need to add...Norfolk Terminal is "Traffic Control" territory. ABS runs bewteen Canal Drive and Suffolk...TC thru Suffolk...then ABS picks up again just west of Suffolk. Used to work that way anywho.....I haven't been west a Bridge 7 probably 5-6 times since they quit working Vepco by rail. It's coming bakc though...but in the form of unit road trains, not yard jobs

[JeepGuy80]

I like :) 5 stars

[nsgevo89]

Thanks! It's a really nice system.

[nsgevo89]

Thanks for the positive comment! Ironically, I didn't expect this one to be a hit, but I figured some people may like it, so I put it on.