Re: [VIC] New Level crossing bells

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

"Spare" <grimegrime@hotmail.com> wrote in message
39eb69a5@dnews.tpgi.com.au">news:39eb69a5@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Was it the type that was all steel and needed a fork lift to get it
through
> the door,or the big black alloy type,or was it the unpainted alloy back
type
> with the1/2 metal bell?

Definately the latter type. Although the person in question also had one of
the forklift types as well (as do I on top of the signal in the shop). The
older McKenzie & Holland bell was missing the switch mechanism which makes
the striker (?) move back and forward.

> The later type can be a real pain,in that they are prone to "stick up"
from
> being out in the weather and vibration from road/rail plays havoc with
> them.Sometimes they work sometimes they don't.You can go out to a xing
> having received a report its not working and yes it is, or shake the pole
> and it starts again.

I'm not too surprised to hear that. But this one didn't look as if it had
been in the open for very long.

> They where not liked much by maintenance staff,too delicate!
> If giving lots of trouble we usually whipped it of the pole and took it
back
> to the depot to play with,butttttttttttt.
> That's most likely why they are now installing the electronic types.
> Graeme

In Tassie in 1993 myself and a couple of Qld friends were parked beside a
crossing on the EBR waiting to get some night photos of the train passing
the boom gates there. We thought the bell on the crossing would give us
enough warning of the approaching train after setting our cameras up.
Fortunately we heard the train in plenty of time. The bell failed to work. A
shake of the post (gentle) brought down a shower of rust flakes.
I found it interesting that these booms and signals were protecting a
dead-end road to a hydro power station. Didn't notice booms at any other
crossing in Tasmania. Are there any others? I understand that there WAS at
least one other set.

Darren Hodges