Looking for crossing gates, NSWGR, circa 1950s

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Back in 'the day' (i.e., when I was a kid!) most of the rural level crossings in one-horse towns (such as Kendall) had manually-swung gates, centre-opening, two per side.
They were white pipe, with a sort of Z or V reinforcing arrangement in the centre, and we used to get into trouble from the (lady - Mrs. Davis) gate-keeper for hanging off them to watch the Down North Coast Daylight Express steam past as we were on our way home from school. :)

Anyway....as I'm now starting to get into modelling the line between Wingham and Wauchope and setting it in the 1950s - early 1960s (steam phasing into diesel - best of both worlds) I really need a set of these gates but am blowed if I can find them on the DLS.

Does anyone out there in Trainzland know if such an asset is available or am I searching for the non-existent?

Thank you.
Bruce
 
stagecoach said:
Not sure about NSWGR but you can get gated crossings or ATLS gates for crossings which are UK type on the DLS.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately they look nothing like the standard type of crossing-gate used throughout NSW rural areas in the period I'm modelling.

Even the gates used on Queensland crossings are different (and closer to the UK style).

Never mind - looks like a compromise will be required. :(

Bruce
 
Well, the memory plays tricks on us and sometimes what we think was, actually wasn't!

After a lot of Googling this morning I have learned that what I thought were metal gates were not; they were wooden affairs the same as those in this video taken at the Thirlmere railway museum, near Sydney.
So the compromise using the QR gates may not be so terrible after all. :)


Bruce
 
I've just finished making half-a-dozen 'occupation' or 'user-operated' gates based on UK practice. As these are used on very minor roads or farm tracks, only opened on demand by vehicle drivers and are normally kept closed, they would (I hope) never be seen open to road traffic by train drivers or passengers, so I have set them up as scenic items ie. non-operating. They are similar to your illustration above so may be of interest when tested and uploaded to the DLS, although of course they could not be used as conventional level crossings with opening gates. Also being prepared are warning signs with which to 'decorate' these crossings.

Ray

Here's a screenshot of one of these crossings - there will be three for single track and three for double track.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 
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ray_whiley said:
I've just finished making half-a-dozen 'occupation' or 'user-operated' gates based on UK practice. As these are used on very minor roads or farm tracks, only opened on demand by vehicle drivers and are normally kept closed, they would (I hope) never be seen open to road traffic by train drivers or passengers, so I have set them up as scenic items ie. non-operating. They are similar to your illustration above so may be of interest when tested and uploaded to the DLS, although of course they could not be used as conventional level crossings with opening gates. Also being prepared are warning signs with which to 'decorate' these crossings.
Click to expand...
Ray, they will be a great compromise, as I do not need them to be animated; most of my train operations are done from either the cab or within close proximity if in external view.
So by the time that the train nears a crossing, the gates would be closed.

What user name should I look for on the DLS, Ray?

Bruce
 
Bruce - when I have finished testing them and tweaking the last few problems, I will upload them using the following names:

DDD occupation crossing 01 1T
DDD occupation crossing 02 1T
DDD occupation crossing 03 1T
DDD occupation crossing 04 2T
DDD occupation crossing 05 2T
DDD occupation crossing 06 2T

But it may take a few days before they are ready as I'm having to correct some problems with backdrops already uploaded and my hobby time is limited. When they are available, I will start a new thread in the Freeware section with KUIDs and screenshots.

It probably wouldn't take too much time a make a double-gate, wider version with the taller hinge post and supporting bar, but that wasn't part of the initial project which was for a series of gates for very minor roads and farm tracks. I may have a go!

However, I can not offer working versions as animation is still something I am not proficient in.

Ray
 
ray_whiley said:
Bruce - when I have finished testing them and tweaking the last few problems, I will upload them using the following names:.......

But it may take a few days before they are ready .....

It probably wouldn't take too much time a make a double-gate, wider version with the taller hinge post and supporting bar, ......
However, I can not offer working versions as animation is still something I am not proficient in.

Ray
Click to expand...
Ray,
Fabulous! I'll keep an eye out for them.
No rush.....I'm no longer operating to a timetable - gave that up when I retired last year! :D

And if you ever get the desire to create one like that in the video then I will be one of your first customers. :)
Animation is not a requirement for me.

All the best,
Bruce
 
Azervich said:
They look close to Victorian Railway gates which lasted into the early 1990s....
Click to expand...
Aaron, thanks for the link.

They appear similar but I only need single-track gates and the occasional double-track item.
Those in the thread appear to be for multi-track arrangements.

With regard to the gates that I recall from my childhood,whilst I may have a cloudy memory of the structure, I do know that they definitely opened away from the line and were centre bi-parting (i.e., two panels on each side of the track).
They never, ever sat across the railway line but were opened outwards, away from the track.
We kids used to help the gate-keeper lady open and close them if we were around when they needed to be operated. :)

Regards,
Bruce
 
Bruce - final tests completed this morning and all six crossings just uploaded (mid-afternoon here, of course). If all goes as it has recently, they will probably be ready for download in a couple of days or so. I will post when they are available in the Freeware forum, with screenshots.

It should be quite easy to clone the gates and make a crossing with two gates each side of the track, keeping the hinges on the road side although I don't think that was ever done for that kind of crossing (ie. for a wider road) in the UK. The normal procedure then was for them to be opened by a crossing keeper, by a signalman (sometimes using a large wheel in the signal box, more often doing it by hand as in the video), or even by the train guard.

Perhaps a set of components would be useful - left- and right hand gates with posts, and a spline for the crossing boards?

Ray
 
Bruce - the first six are now available and announced in the Freeware forum - see thread 'Ocupation Crossings'.

Glad you like the new one - I'm just going to upload.

Ray
 
ray_whiley said:
Bruce - the first six are now available and announced in the Freeware forum - see thread 'Ocupation Crossings'.

Glad you like the new one - I'm just going to upload.

Ray
Click to expand...
Great stuff, Ray!
I'll head off to the thread now.

Regards,
Bruce
 
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