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

THIS IS FOR ALL OF YOU SIGNALFANS OUT THERE!

Well, it finally happened. The 10+ year-old mast signals that once protected this line have officially reached the end of their life and are now a piece of history. This brand-new cantilever/mast signal set-up is being tested by NS signal maintainers.

Now, for these signals: the cantilever has Safetran 12x20 incandescent flashers with a Safetran Type 3 electronic bell. The mast signal has Safetran 12x20 incandescent flashers with a General Signals Type 2 electronic bell. I thought for sure the combo sound of these bells would be discordant and clashing, but it actually sounds quite good. :)

I apologize for the way my camera quality begins to go south. I used my Canon PowerShot A710IS still camera for these.

Recorded 3.5.2008

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• NS
• Harbor
• Park
• Bridge
• Norfolk
• VA
• crossing
• signal
• testing

[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!"

[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.

[quickman55]

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

[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.

[mulatto321]

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

[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?

[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

[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]

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.