CSX and Atlantic Coast Line searchlight signals

[CraigZ]

Along the old Atlantic Coast Line route thru the coastal plain of eastern North Carolina CSX is moving toward satellite and cellular signal operation for positive train control. As part of the this they're taking down the ACL's signature searchlight signals and replacing them with the modern (dull) deep snowshield hooded signals. The ACL signals are decades old but I understand a more significant issue is that the steel signal bridges and supports are rusting out.

 

My friend Anthony Randall went down there on Tuesday and spent the day shooting video to capture the searchlights and some trains. The first capture of a train actually knocking down a signal is at about 8:30, taken on the curve at Contentnea, NC - yes those signal are mounted at a significant angle so that they're visible across the curve. As the signal changes from green to red you'll see it flicker - typical of the searchlights as the colored lenses inside the head move in front of the lamp. Often you'll see a color bounce too.

 

http://www.youtube.c...ed/POlW5bhbZWQ

[clark33]

Excellent, quite inspiring, even the bleak leafless deciduous trees. Are the cantilever ACL signals we saw in the 1990s still standing?

 

Phil Clark, Catarman, Philippines.

[CraigZ]

Excellent, quite inspiring, even the bleak leafless deciduous trees. Are the cantilever ACL signals we saw in the 1990s still standing?

 

Phil Clark, Catarman, Philippines.

 

Quite a few are left but are not long for the world...rumor is that they'll be gone next year sometime. Your photo of ACL 325 was taken at Selma, NC by the way. There were three cantilevers at Selma; only one remains. The two north of the diamond came down in late 1999/early 2000, victims of rust.

 

By the way, in the past few years that decrepit looking station has been nicely restored by the state of North Carolina...