You Gotta Be Kidding me - Chicago Lake St Tower Demolished

Saw this heartwrenching photo last week of a backhoe ripping down the 80+ year old Lake Street tower at the north end of the Chicago Union Station complex. Lake St was in service until 2005 with both a big US&S Model 14 interlocking machine for the local interlocking and a large panel for the entire southern end of the Union Station complex.  While disused since then Lake Street was in amazing shape and in a very secure area.

Well so much for all that.  Perhaps it was attracting too many railfan photographers or perhaps Chicago is following through with some old pipe dream plans to cover the tracks in this area with either a park or parking lot.  Whatever the reason the City of Chicago has lost an important historic artifact that could have been preserved as a museum at the tri-point of the Chicago river.

Hopefully the interlocking machine and model boards were preserved before the tower was ripped down.  Fortunately the tower at the other end of the Union Station complex, Jackson Street, is immune from demolition as the new Post Office building was literally built around it in the 1990's.  Unfortunately its view of the city is now severely limited.

B&O CPLs: Gotta Catch 'Em All

This past year saw the destruction of my beloved Huntington Ave interlocking by CSX C&S forces as they needlessly re-signaled a 261/CTC line without pole lines just to spite the memory of the B&O in its home city.  However I was provided with over 6 months of lead time to get out and get all the photos and videos and since I needed to make a proper tribute to the signals that have given me so many years of enjoyment. I felt it fitting to show off the eastbound CPL dwarf's full range of emotion.

Rule 291: Stop

Rule 290: Restricted Proceed

Rule 286: Medium Approach

Rule 285: Approach

Rule 283-A: Medium Approach Medium

Rule 282: Approach Medium

Rule 281: Clear

The most difficult indication to capture was naturally Medium Approach Medium which I only managed to snag with a cell phone camera a week before the signal was retired.  Farewell old chum, your approach lit light show never failed to brighten my day.

PHOTOS: METRA TOWER A-5 (Pacific Junction)

While I have now covered most of the major METRA operated interlocking towers in the Chicago Area in my ongoing web series there are still a few left in the bag and one of these is the partner in crime to the recently covered METRA Tower A-2 at Western Ave. Pacific Junction is a 4-legged junction on the old Milwaukee Road passenger network as it approached Chicago's Union Station. Logically it is composed of the Milwaukee Road main line to Milwaukee running North-South and the main line across Illinois splitting off to the west with a small freight spur heading west to the Chicago River industrial district. In practice the junction looks like a 90 degree crossing with connector tracks cutting each of the corners. Today the Chicago commuter railroad provider METRA owns both the interlocking plant itself and the tracks south to Chicago Union Station. All other lines feeding the interlocking are owned by Canadian Pacific which was previously handled through its SOO Line subsidiary. Today the line to Milwaukee comprises the CP C&M Subdivision while the line to the west is the Elgin Sub and together they host the METRA Milwaukee North and Milwaukee West commuter services.

On the ground Tower A-5 has a very interesting layout with a three track main line running north to west via a sweeping 90 degree curve and another two track main line splitting from the 3 track line to run north. The eastern two-track freight spur used to split from the western route of the 3-track line, crossing the north-south line via a diamond crossing, but the diamond has since been removed leaving access to the freight spur and wye track via the curved connections to the north-south line. Here in a photo from the Railroad Signal Collections site we see the A-5 interlocking plant from the west with the tower visible far in the background. While technically two of the three Elgin line tracks diverge into the C&M line, the weak route signaling used on the line offers each of the two rightmost tracks (tracks 2 and 3) a "Straight" route through the plant. In the photo the track #2 signal is displaying a lunar white Restricting indication due to another train running ahead in the same block. Previously the former Milwaukee Road lines utilized "bottom yellow" Restricting, which is derived from the older practice of having a subsidiary signal for "call-on" indications. This is why the track #3 signal has the gap between the lower and upper heads to differentiate R/Y Diverging Approach and R/*/Y Restricting. Use of Lunar White in place of bottom yellow removes this potential conflict. A 4th siding track also used to join the junction from the right, but this has been removed although its signal on the gantry has only been partly so.



Here we see the rear of the northbound home signal gantry for Tower A-5. A three headed signal is provided for each track as all three are provided with diverging routes. The right of way clearly had provision for 4 tracks, but as the model board no longer shows any indication of a 4th track I cannot comment on the original layout of the tower as I do not have an original diagram. Both home signal on the three-track route are provided with absolute exit signals controlled from tower A-5. The use of exit signals is an easy way to implement bi-directional operation with simple relay based interlockings as it simplifies a lot of the logic by not having to check traffic flow status when setting up a route through the plant.  Also note the 72L signal for track #2 which lacks a middle "diverging" head despite protecting the 63 switch which can send trains either north or west.  This indicates either that both routes are signaled for the same speed and thus do not need to be differentiated or that a diverging move would need to be made under a Restricting indication.

End of the Main Line

It appears that NS wasn't finished when it applied to the FRA to remove the wayside block signals on the Port Road between PERRY and STELL as in a slightly more recent filing they are looking to remove all the wayside automatic signals from the PRR Main Line proper as well all the way from CP-HARRIS to CP-BLOOM/EAST PITT.  While the Port Road had been largely ruined with re-signaling work with only a handful of position light automatics remaining I was cautiously looking forward to the 'C' boards to spruce up the monotonous Darth Vader signals, but 562 on the Main Line proper would be a devastating turn of events, dumping the last of the major east-west main lines into the bucket of crap signals (not counting the Erie).

Like with the Port Road we are presented with the same questions with a few different twists.  First, as with the Port Road why is NS going ahead with this after a decade of wayside signal replacement and the precedent of no freight railroad installing new 562 trackage since Conrail's work on the Cleveland Line in 1999?.  Second, is this going to simply comprise a bagging of the intermediates and installation of 'C' boards at the existing interlockings without any other work or will this be the end result of a complete end to end re-signaling effort that will put the position lights out of service at even the 1980's and 1990's re-signaled interlockings? 

I suspect the answer, at least to the second question, would be along the lines of a complete re-signaling rather than a quickie effort to save on light bulbs.  Despite all the new intermediate signals that NS and Conrail have put up to replace the failing PRR signal bridges starting about 1990, a closer looks reveals that almost all of them have been plugged into the existing hardware.  East of Altoona this would date from the mid-1980's re-signaling, but between Altoona and SO and CONPIT JCT and Pittsburgh the signaling there dates from around 1980 if not earlier.  So when you see shiny new signals, remember there is a lot of old school relays hiding under the surface.

The other problem is that even a lot of the "new" 1986 signaling east of Altoona doesn't use the what might be considered modern solid state equipment as is evidenced by this video taken at the famous Fostoria intermediate signal bridge which reveals the presence of electro-mechanical pulse code generators.  Even if the components were entirely "modern" that doesn't mean that would be any less likely to be replaced as the old relay systems so often derided as being unreliable, are actually able to last about twice as long in service as a solid state component.  It's the old tradeoff between maintenance and replacement.  Big old relays can be repaired and adjusted.  Integrated circuits and printed circuit boards with individual components can only be replaced.  Seeing old school position lights on shiny new aluminum signal bridges may have only given us a false sense of security as the rusty cantilevers and brackets with their supporting pole lines on the B&O and C&O mains were all ripped down.

The good news about a complete re-signaling is that it will give those who are interested in classic signaling several years to get out and catch things before they are changed.  If this is just someone's bright idea to save money then bagging the autos out of service could be accomplished within a few months.  Another reason to suspect re-signaling is the remaining section of Rule 251+261 mixed trackage between Altoona and CP-SO has been standing out like a sore thumb since NS installed three track 261 between SO and C.  This would parallel the section of 251 on the Port Road that also had to be dealt with at some point.  When you factor in any sort of PTC upgrades, even thought Amtrak is showing how well PTC systems can get along with both 1980's and 1930's signaling, it wouldn't surprise me if whatever consultants NS brought on for the project simply went with all new signaling and no waysides. Still, NS is not known, at least no recently, for end to end re-signaling projects.

Still, it is fairly clear that this decision, if one has even been made yet, has come about quite recently as there was absolutely no indication during the ALTO replacement that this sort of thing would be going on.  Furthermore, you never know exactly what the final product will look like.  NS can currently run non-CSS equipped trains off the Buffalo Line to the Harrisburg Line, so removing the 107 automatic would upset that arrangement.  Likewise would NS want to be vulnerable to CSS failure on a major mountain grade choke point where crews might rely in signals ahead on how they handle their trains. Remember the Fort Wayne and Cleveland lines are much flatter than the Pittsburgh Line.

While some recent 562 projects have come with surprised likefixed distant signals or, in the case of NJT, the retention of of single direction wayside signals on bi-directional 562 track, we can't assume that all the autos on the Pittsburgh Line wont be gone within the next 12 months.  While a qualified positive on the Port Road, this will doom the former PRR Main Line as a railfan friendly route to either ride or watch trackside.

Signaling News Update

Well its time again for some signaling updates and like usual its all bad news.  First of all at CARROLL interlocking the only complete B&O CPL anywhere in the world was removed and replaced by a cantilever with a pair of full CSX Darth Vader heads so the world is officially a less interesting and diverse place.

Up on the Chicago Line the CSX resignaling has reached the railfan hotspot at CP-215 in Little Falls, NY.

And lastly, on the former D&H main line the re-signaling there has hit the Tunnel Hill area between Albany and Binghampton with the expectation being that bland LED Darth Vaders will replace the classic D&H searchlights.  Where said searchlights have already been refreshed the outcome remains to be seen.

Coming to the Port Road: Rule 562 Operation

At the end of October Norfolk Southern filed a motion with the FRA to remove the wayside automatic block signals on the entirety of the Port Road and Enola Branches.  The line is already equipped with cab signals and this would simply result in the removal of said automatic signals and the installation of those Clear to Next Interlocking 'C' boards for trains with failed cab signals.  While I have not covered it much here, the Port Road has seen a lot of changes in the last 5 years, going from one of those PRR museums where nothing had been changed since about 1940, to having large sections populated with Darth Vaders and nothing much else to set it apart.  This newest change isn't necessarily the disaster that the average fan of interesting signaling might assume and might actually be beneficial.  The only thing known for certain is that this is the first expansion of PRR style cab signals on a major freight railroad since the Conrail era and might indicate future moves for NS in its northeast territory.

To those of your unfamiliar with the history, starting in 2007 NS began to re-signal the 1930's era CTC installation running from CP-CRESS to SHOCKS and centered around COLA.  Later they removed the 100Hz, 6.9 PRR vintage signal power line running the length of the Port Road i favor of utility power.  As the re-signaling around COLA wrapped up, NS extended its resignaling efforts south past the restricted speed siding at Safe Harbor and all the way to the double track segment between CP-McCALLS and CP-MIDWAY.  After the resignaling was completed NS went about removing most of the old PRR catenary poles and as part of that effort the formerly 4-track signal bridges on the north end of the Enola Branch between CP-WAGO and CP-STELL, which also resulted in all gantry mounted block signals being replaced with single Darth masts, although without any change in vital hardware.

Below CP-MIDWAY NS didn't just leave the old hardware alone, they actually went about refurbishing it with a fresh coat of paint, new signal cables, new position light fittings and even replacing some of the old signal logic with newer components.  So the question becomes, what else will NS do besides eliminate the 2 surviving position light automatics on the Enola Branch and 5 surviving position light automatics on the Port Road.

One obvious conclusion is despite the new coat of paint on the southern PL's, NS will implement this change as part of their ongoing Port Road resignaling efforts, replacing all remaining position lit interlockings at CP-PILOT, WEST PILOT, WEST ROCK, TOME, QUARRY, WAGO and STELL with brand new plants.  One especially juicy target is the stretch of Rule 251/CSS operation between SHOCKS and STELL.  They could also choose to re-signal only he 251 section of the Enola Branch and keep the southern Port Road the way it is or some other combination thereof.  Either way I wouldn't bet on any of the cool stuff remaining so if you want photos get them now.

The other question involves if NS will actually implement 562 all the way to the Amtrak division post at PERRY, as implied by their regulatory filing, or will they cut things a bit short at CP-TOME.  The reason I wonder is that there is only a single automatic between TOME and PERRY (at the former interlocking known as MINNICK) and if that were to be eliminated 'C' boards would need to be installed on the 22L and 18L signals Amtrak's PERRY interlocking and Amtrak given a way to display them into NS territory.  If NS doesn't want to deal with Amtrak's signaling department they could simply install a single 'C' board at TOME and be good to go.

Anyway, I have always been of the opinion that no automatic signals are better than Darth Vaders and 'C' boards on Darth interlocking signals are at least somewhat interesting so this move by NS is sort of a copper liming even in the worst case scenario.  It also hints that, at least on the Port Road, NS could be gearing up to install ACSES as its PTC solution as all Port Road trains will have it installed anyway due to running on Amtrak and it is integrated with the cab signal system. How much this spreads to other NS lines, such as the PRR main from Harrisburg to Cleveland remains to be seen, but a cab signal based PTC is far more reliable than that wireless bullshit and might serve as a Plan B when the fancy stuff fails.

CSX Resignaling Accelerates

I have two new CSX re-signaling alerts and the first has some potentially unfortunate implications for the River Line, but that remains to be seen.  First up on the hit list is CP-90 in Kingston, NY which is the north end of a non-signaled controlled siding on the former Conrail River Line.

 Now I am not sure if this is technically a full on re-signaling as the vital hardware went in in the late 80's or 90's and is probably some solid state system like Microlock and does not to be up for replacement at this time, but to convert the siding from restricted speed to signaled the Michigan Central style small target searchlights are getting the toss. 

However all of you who prefer to have the South keep their culture on the other side of the Mason Dixon line are going to be in for some disappointment.  Yup, you see that Lunar White lamp?  That's the hallmark of the Seaboard style of signal aspects.  No more R/Y Restricting  because why use three lamps when you can you four instead!  Does this mark a full conversion of the River Line to Seaboard signal rules as has happened on the Selkirk branch and parks of the Chicago Line instead of the 'CR' prefix rules?  I don't know, but the CP-90 will certainly be ready for them.  The Lunar lamp is a valid in NORAC for Restricting and the new three head signal would need a bottom head green to support R/Y/G Medium Approach Medium  Even on the 4-lamp unit off the siding isn't indicative of a conversion to Seaboard rules as the Yellow could still be set to flash for Medium Approach. 

This could just be a simple upgrade of a controlled siding to a signaled siding, or it could be more evidence of that creating southern culture into the North.  It will only be possible to tell if CSX is going Seaboard on the River Line if we start seeing that lower green on the tri head flash or crews start calling Limited Approach off the siding.  Until now CSX had been good about keeping the River Line in the NORAC sphere, but thee might be a total changeover in the works.

Anyway the second bit of news comes to us from Cleveland where the former location of Quaker (QD) Tower is now about to get the kill of banality from CSX.  Quaker is a massive interlocking complex at the west end of the former NYC Collingwood Yard where the Cleveland Short Line jioned the straight through Chicago Line.  Today with CSX and NS handing off ownership of the Chicago Line at Cleveland almost nothing uses the section between Quaker and Drawbridge except the daily Amtrak Train 48/49,  QD was an active tower well into the 1990's, but despite looking like the nearby BEREA (BE) tower, it was fitted with a modern NX panel, instead of its original GRS Model 5 pistol grip machine.   From the generally non-modern layout of the interlocking plant I have to assume that the interlocking was remote controlled instead of being re-signaled.  Well, it looks like CSX is out to remedy that little oversight as you can pick up on here.

Yup, new relay huts, new signal masts and cantilevers.  Just about the only interesting part left will be the use of Unilens dwarfs in place of the searchlight dwarfs.  Once again the real question is if we will continue to see NORAC signal indications, especially with all those dwarfs, or is it time to get ready for Lunar restricting and Approach Slow that needs three signal heads.

Oh yeah, they're dicking around elsewhere on the Chicago Line as well.  It's times like these when I really wish I could get pictures out the back of the Lakeshore.