Re: [VIC] New Level crossing bells

["Darren Hodges" <@vic.australis.com.au>]

I noticed some information on the Westinghouse signals - Australia website a
while ago. ( http://www.westsig.com.au ) There is an information sheet on
their solid state crossing bell. Apparently it sounds the same as the
mechanical bell but doesn't require maintenance.
I was at Jeparit road crossing, Dimboola a few months ago watching an NR
approach the crossing there. The bell was not working at all.
Some months ago, a customer presented a Westinghouse bell in my shop. It was
in next to new condition but did not work and so had been taken off its
pole. I connected it to 12 volts. It was dead (as expected). I then moved a
wire and the device came to life. It merely had a loose wire on its terminal
block. One wonders about the competance of those who probably replaced it
with another bell.

Darren Hodges,
Hobbies Plus,
Stratford.


"B." <gunzel412@dingoblue.gunzel.net.au> wrote in message
39eabddc$0$11628$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:39eabddc$0$11628$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
> William Pearce <ben_issacs@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
> 39ea73ce$0$11607$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:39ea73ce$0$11607$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
>
> > Of course, they are useless as a warning to motorists, as most car
> > drivers have all their windows shut and the car radio at full
> > bore, the only thing that they would hear would be a stick of
> > dynamite exploding under their seat!
>
> Indeed, I believe the purpose of Bells at Level Crossings is nominally
> for pedestrians, and not for motorists.
>
> IIRC there aren't any bells in Queensland.  Is my recollection right?

Mine is similar. Although I seem to recall a few crossings with bells in
Qld, but not on EVERY crossing like we are used to south of the border.