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Railroad Crossings of the NS Memphis District East End Part 2 (Decatur AL to Fackler AL)

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See Part 1 (Sheffield, AL to Decatur, AL) here:    • Railroad Crossings of the NS Memphis ...  

Continuing east from the Tennessee River Bridge, we have the next part of the Memphis District East End all the way to its end in Stevenson, AL, though there aren't any signalized crossings owned by NS between Fackler and Stevenson. This part of the railroad was built by the Memphis & Charleston Railroad in 1857, with plans for the line to originally continue on its own trackage east of Stevenson to Chattanooga, but those plans were never realized, and the railroad has to use the NC&StL line (now CSX Chattanooga Sub) to get to Chattanooga, TN, a situation that still exists today. IIRC, a few remnants of the construction that was started for the portion of the line to Chattanooga can still be seen today near Stevenson, if you look hard enough.

This portion of the line has a lot more crossings along it, with a total of 44 public crossings along the main line, and a lot greater variety in the crossing equipment, with a lot more mechanical bells, quite a few gateless crossings, 8 inch lights, and even gateless crossings with 8 inch lights and mechanical bells! This portion of the line also has the only remaining gated 8 inch crossing along the line, along with the only remaining Modern Industries lights and General Signals Type 1 ebells along the line. NS is exceptionally lazy along this part though, as two of the three crossings with mechanical bells have one of the bells dead or dying, including the only RACO mechanical bell left along the line. Also, out of the 44 crossings along this part of the line:
3 crossings have LEDs
15 crossings have mechanical bells
5 have 8 inch lights

There is also a total of 64 signalized crossings along the NS Memphis District East End's main line, but the number goes up to 75 when you include the branch lines and spur lines.

posted by avodate5