Tag Archives: #General Railway Signal

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Grade Signal at Farley

Kris and I arrived at the famous East Deerfield Yard just as Norfolk Southern/Pan Am Southern’s Chicago-Ayer, Mass., intermodal train was rolling though.

We drove east to Farley, location of some Boston & Maine era General Railway Signal searchlight style signals. Once common on many railroads , the searchlight has been out of favor for more than 30 years and today relatively few remain. These are note worthy because they feature ‘G’ plates (for grade), which changes how the most restictive aspect should be interpreted.

When we arrived, the roar of the eastward train filled the valley.

I quickly set up my 3Pod tripod with Nikon Z7-II and made a series of time exposures as the train passed the signals and road crossing.

Soon the NS intermodal train will be routed over CSX’s former Boston & Albany line via Palmer and Worcester. I wonder how much longer the old signals will last?

Tracking the Light Posts Every Day!

Uncategorized

Pan Am Southern and Searchlights

On Saturday afternoon, a Pan Am Southern freight departed East Deerfield yard eastbound for Ayer, Massachusetts.

Kris Sabbatino and I drove to Lake Pleasant crossing in Montague to intercept the train.

I opted for an unorthodox framing to feature the General Railway Signal searchlight signals that survive at this location.

Once standard on the Boston & Maine, these now antique signals are become increasingly rare and well-worthy of photographing.

Images exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm lens. Nikon NEF RAW file processed using Adobe Lightroom.

Below the cab, NS has stenciled ‘ACSES PTC’ to indicated the types of advanced signaling that this locomotive is equipped to work with. Installation of these modern signaling systems have largely coincided with the replacement of legacy signaling, including traditional searchlights such as those pictured here.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!