Indianapolis IU Tower Faces Demolition

The former Indianapolis Union Railway IU (Indianapolis Union) tower that sits directly to the east of Indianapolis Union Station is being prepped for demolition by CSX.  This tower and interlocking was special in many ways.  built as part of the Indianapolis Union Station modernization project in the 1930's, the tower contained a ~130-lever US&S Model 14 interlocking machine that controlled a massive field of slow speed double-slip switches and dwarf signals.  Unlike the similar passenger terminal in Cincinnati, Indianapolis Union was also a junction for through trains from the PRR, NYC, B&O and Monon railroads.  

Unified under the Penn Central and later Conrail, "IU INT" was drastically simplified, but still retained it's dwarf signals and pneumatic switches.  While the tower was technically closed around 1990, it became what I calla "zombie tower" in that it still housed the active logic for the interlocking plant, under remote control, in addition to the air plant for the switches.  The general layout included the two main tracks of the Indianapolis Line, a central wye junction with the Louisville Secondary and an east end junction with the ex-Monon line to Cincinnati. Two additional station tracks ran out to the north of the tower and entered into a strange 3 track middle segment with a number of parallel turnouts and routes that required most through trains to diverge at slow speed.  

While the air plant would be moved out of the tower in the early 2000's, the interlocking remained un-resignaled for nearly 20 years into the CSX era.  In 2018 a general re-signaling and rationalization was carried out.  Dwarf signals were replaced by Seaboard rule Darth Vadar cantilevers and masts, pneumatic points were replaced by electric and the plant was changed to two through tracks with the wye, station tracks and Cincinatti branch feeding in before a central crossover.  The current Google Earth view shows the reconfigured interlocking.

With the building no longer needed and located in the center of a wye junction in a major city it appears that CSX sees no avenue for re-use or preservation.  Asbestos and window removal is now underway.  It has been reported that historic equipment in the upper floor is being preserved. While I was not expecting the tower to be demolished, I am not surprised by the re-signaling.  IU had lasted far longer than it had any right up under a railroad that is outright hostile to just leaving things the way they are.