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Railroad Crossings of the NS Atlanta North District

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The NS Atlanta North District is a former Southern Railway main line that runs from Chattanooga, TN, (well, technically just outside of it) to Atlanta, GA, (again, technically just outside of it, I believe). This line is quite busy, as it carries a lot of freight traffic between the southeastern and midwestern parts of the US. As such, it probably isn't too surprising that the line is both entirely gated and fairly well modernized, like the NS Atlanta South District on the other side of Atlanta is. However, even though it's fairly well modernized, it still retains quite a bit of older crossing equipment, from both the SOU and NS, though most doesn't appear to be much older than the early70s. Most of the older SOU signals along this line have also been fairly well modernized over the years, with newer 12 inch lights (mostly 12x24s, surprisingly) and ebells being installed on the signals. The line also parallels the CSX W&A Subdivision for a few miles (and about six crossings) going south out of downtown Dalton, GA, which also introduces some older and newer (and all somewhat modernized) L&N and CSX equipment along the line.

Despite how well modernized the line is, there are still seven mechanical bells along the line, all of which are from Safetran, though they are a mix of 1st and 2nd Generation ones. Sadly, one of the 1st Gen Safetrans is dead, though thankfully the others all still work, even if a few are starting to sound wornout these days. As far as ebells go, it seems the majority of the bells along the line are GS Type 2 ebells, though there are a good few GS Type 3s and some GS Type 1s mixed in, along with a good few older and newer Safetran Type 3 ebells. Thanks to the shared crossings with CSX in Dalton, you can also find three more working mechanical bells (two WCH and a WRRS, along with a dead WRRS at a fourth crossing) along the line, as well as two NEG ebells and a Safetran Type 2 ebell along this part of the line as well. All of the surviving mechanical bells along this line are featured in this video.

When it comes to gate mechanisms, there isn't too much variety in brands, but a good mix of older and newer can be found here. Most of the gate mechs along the line are Safetran, though there's a good mix of styles ranging from the mid70s to the 2000s, and a couple of crossings along the line also still retain a pair of the early70s Safetran gate mechs each, both of which are featured in this video as well. There are also a good few newer Invensys Rail and Siemens gate mechs mixed in as well, though Safetran still remains the most numerous. CSX's gate mechs are pretty much the same as well, with them largely being 2000s Safetrans or newer (save for an 80sstyle Safetran gate mech), but one of the crossings they partially maintain still features a classic GRS/WRRS Type D gate mech at it, which is quite nice to see.

As far as lights go, you'll be hardly surprised to hear that most of these are mostly 12 inch, with them largely being a good mix of 12x20s and 12x24s, like the NS Atlanta South District. However, unlike the Atlanta South, which only retains one crossing with 8 inch lights, this line still retains three different crossings with 8 inch lights, all of which are shown in this video. Most of these are from Safetan, though the one in Lindale still retains some RACO 8 inch lights. As far as 12 inch lights go, they are almost entirely from Safetran, though a good mix of ones from the 70s up through the modern day can still be found. There are actually quite a good few 70sstyle Safetran 12 inch lights, along with plenty of other older ones from the 80s and 90s. NS also has a few Modern Industries 12 inch lights (with them being a mix of 12x20s and 12x24s) and even some Harmon 12x24 inch lights along this line, all of which are also shown in this video. Thanks to the parallel CSX trackage in Dalton, you can also find some older and newer WCH 12x24 inch lights along this line, though all of CSX's lights are LED due to the fact that the W&A Subdivision received an LED upgrade in early2022.
Kinda surprisingly, for such a busy NS main in Georgia, the line is still mostly incandescent, like the Atlanta South is. However, there are a few LED crossings along the line, all of which use NS's standard GE Uniform Look LEDs. On the CSXmaintained signals along the line in Dalton, you can also find a mix of WCH 2nd Generation and Leotek EV Series LEDs in use.

Unsurprisingly for an exSOU NS line as well, most of the cantilevers along it are from Safetran, with them being a mix of older and newer ones. However, two of the crossings along the line still feature the classic RACOstyle ones installed in the early70s, both of which I was able to film.

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posted by avodate5