[New Gate Barrier] NCTD 5001 Coaster Train 679 North, Sassafras St. Railroad Crossing, San Diego CA

[New Gate Barrier] NCTD 5001 Coaster Train 679 North, Sassafras St. Railroad Crossing, San Diego CA

May 25, 2025
Decided to film this crossing after all as trains were very close together later in the day here with three trains being in the area. I ended up catching two of them but missed another and couldn’t get Taylor St’s new LEDs which disappointed me as now I’ll have to come back out here just to get that crossing when I’d rather be filming the updates in Carlsbad & Oceanside but the track work prevented me from doing that anytime soon. I was waiting on a southbound Amtrak which got delayed so I ended up catching this northbound NCTD Coaster instead here with yet another new gate after a car destroyed the median signal’s gate recently making my last video here of the meet outdated unfortunately. BNSF also synced up their side of the crossing to activate at the same time as MTS’s side. Note that the left gateless signals lights aren’t actually flickering it’s just the way it appears on camera.

North County Transit District Coaster Passenger Train passes through the Sassafras Street Railroad Crossing on the BNSF San Diego Subdivision main line in San Diego, California. This crossing is a mixed jointly owned install with the close median signal and right shoulder signal being an MTS early 2020s install and the gateless signal an MTS early 2000s install with changes to the bell and lights. The far signals are a BNSF early 2020s install with changes to both gates.

North County Transit District – Coaster Train #679 Northbound
NCTC 5001 Siemens Charger SC-44

Right Shoulder Signal (MTS)
Bell: General Signals Type 3 Electronic Bell
Lights: Two pairs of 12 inch Garmon Fading LEDs
Light Heads: Two pairs of 12×24 inch Safetran Lights
Brackets: Safetran
Junction Box: Safetran
Gate Lights: RECO LEDs
Counterweight Arms: US&S
Mechanism: US&S Modal 95
Base: Safetran

Median Signal (MTS)
Lights: One pair of 12 inch Garmon Fading LEDs
Light Heads: One pair of 12×24 inch Safetran Lights
Brackets: Safetran
Junction Box: Safetran
Gate Lights: RECO LEDs
Counterweight Arms: US&S
Mechanism: US&S Modal 95
Base: Safetran

Left Gateless Signal (MTS)
Bell: General Signals Type 2 Electronic Bell
Lights: Front – One pair of 12 inch GE Dotted/Pixelated LEDs, Rear – One pair of 12 inch Harmon Fading LEDs
Light Jeads: Two pairs of 12×24 inch Safetran Lights
Brackets: WRRS
Junction Bixes: WRRS
Base: Safetran

Left Shoulder Signal (BNSF)
Bell: General Signals Type 3 Electronic Bell
Lights: Two pairs of 12 inch Harmon Fading LEDs
Light Heads: Two pairs of 12×24 inch Safetran Lights
Brackets: Safetran
Junction Box: Safetran
Gate Lights: RECO LEDs
Counterweight Arms: Safetran
Mechanism: Safetran
Base: Safetran

Median Signal Far (BNSF)
Lights: One pair of 12 inch Harmon Fading LEDs
Light Heads: One pair of 12×24 inch Safetran Lights
Brackets: Safetran
Junction Box: Safetran
Gate Lights: NEG Clear LEDs *New*
Counterweight Arms: Safetran
Mechanism: Safetran
Base: Safetran

Right Gateless Signal (BNSF)
Bell: General Signals Type 3 Electronic Bell
Lights: Two pairs of 12 inch Harmon Fading LEDs
Light Heads: Two pairs of 12×24 inch Safetran Lights
Brackets: Safetran
Junction Box: Safetran
Base: Safetran

Crossing also has two X Flasher lights in Safetran Frames and one has a Safetran base.

Camera/Equipment
iPhone 13 Pro
ANGLIFY Phone Tripod
Uniden BC125AT Scanner