PHOTOS: METRA 16TH ST CROSSING

Known as 16th St Junction or 16th St Crossing, the complex flat junction just south of Chicago's famous loop is the survivor of what used to be a dynamic duo of towers that shepherded some of the nation's flagship passenger trains in and out of downtown Chicago from points easth. Working opposite 16TH ST was the far better known 21ST ST (aka Alton Junction) and its 20 diamonds, but both towers were of such importance that both towers ended up with profile pages on signalbox.org.

16TH ST was located at the crossing of the Chicago and Alton route to Saint Louis and the southwest, the Saint Charles Air Line (jointly owned by the Illinois Central and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy) which provided cross-town freight service with the parallel north south Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific and New York Central (Lakeshore and Michigan Southern) main lines into the iconic LaSalle Street Station. Less than a mile to the west was 21ST ST owned and operated by NYC arch enemy Pennsylvania Railroad with smart brick structure with a Union Switch and Signal interlocked pneumatic plant. If back in the day one had asked which tower would still be up and functioning in 2011 one would have surely assumed the PRR plant, as it was nearly 40 years 16th St's junior and made of more durable materials. However not only was 21St ST closed in 2005, it was completely demolished(!) a few years later leaving 16TH ST to soldier on alone.

Today 16TH ST junction is much reduced from its heyday, but it is still complicated enough to protect the tower from any sort of hasty re-signaling scheme. The Chicago commuter rail authority, Metra, owns and operates the tower as part of its Rock Island division. The parallel NYC main was removed in the early 1970s when Amtrak shifted all passenger operations to Union Station. The former Alton route was merged into the GM&O before that merged with the Illinios Central and was eventually absorbed into Canadian National. The Saint Charles Air Line is now owned jointly by UP, BNSF and CNIC and used for various through-routings as well as Amtrak trains accessing the former IC Main Line to downstate Illinois and eventually New Orleans. A diagram of 16TH ST as it appeared in 1931 can be seen here.

16TH ST interlocking is not trivially accessible as it is in the middle of a large brownfield area next to the Chicago river, fenced off from the public. The best way to photograph it outside of riding the Railfan Window equipped METRA Gallery Cars is from the adjacent Orange Line that runs between Midway airport and The Loop. Even then you're going to need a good zoom.

Before we begin I would like to mention that the large format photos are not mine and were provided by one of my sources for this and other explanatory essays. Also the full set of non-captioned photos can be viewed here.

Here we see 16Th St from the southeast showing off the plain black on white lettered nameplate and the operator's parking lot. In the background we can see Roosevelt Ave which provides a popular photo location at the mouth of Chicago Union Station across the river.

As the Orange Line crosses the Rock Island division tracks we see the 68/69 trailing crossover and the 56 switch which forms a wye connection to the Air Line. That connection contains one of the interlocking's more unique features in the form of a diamond crossing over track 2 due to the originally constrained space creating too tight an angle for the track to connect in the usual fashion.

Here we see the tower end on with the CTA Red Line emerging from the downtown tunnel just past the former Alton tracks.

Finally we have a nice high res closeup of the east side of the tower and yeah...its a handyman's dream. Compared with the 1958 pics on Signalbox.org you can see that the siding dates from at least that time. The tower has developed a bit of a sag and half the windows are boarded up internally. Just about the only thing that isn't patched and falling apart is the roof, which was clearly replaced recently. The ladder is some sort of fire code thing, although I don't see how anyone could ever access it. I would not expect this tower to be preserved or to live on much past its eventual closure. It is too small to make a useful C&S/MoW base and its structural integrity probably leaves much to be desired. Also in urban environments towers like these tend to catch fire after being closed although this one standard a good chance of going up even before then.

Here is a diagram of how the interlocking appeared in 1931 with the combined New York Central/Rock Island 4-track trunk line crossing the St. Charles Air Line and Illinois Central lines with assorted connecting tracks.  The GRS model 2 machine was far less advanced than the US&S equivalents, which relied more on electric logic. As such points are not worked in pairs so a crossover requires two lever slots (although one lever is a phantom internally slaved to the first). Furthermore signal head gets its own lever and combined with traffic levers for the diamond crossings and lock levers for who knows what one can see why the machine has over 150 total levers.

Here is a photo of the well worn model board as it appears today. Put in the perspective of something made 110 years ago this fully electric display board must had the same impact large LCD screen does today as many GRS/Taylor plants still relied on static diagrams and individual tracks circuit indicators. A great many of the removed lines have been painted over and many of the original labels have been replaced by stick-on labels or new painted ones. Today there are surprisingly few turnouts, but the nexus of different ownerships have maintained the status quo.

The diagram is fairly self-explanatory, but in case you are having trouble to the left and right we have the Metra Rock Island tracks. To the north are the two tracks of the CNIC Chicago Sub. To the bottom right we have the CNIC Freeport Sub and to the bottom left we have the Air Line.

Part of the interlocking was re-signaled probably in the 1980s creating a logically separate "North End" where the two main tracks split into 3 for the final mile into LaSalle St Station. The North End represents where the majority of routing decisions have to be made for METRA trains, although the 68/69 switch is used to get trains between track 1 north and track 2 south. The panel is a fairly basic NX push button unit with a fairly minimal display. Like police radios the panel has attracted a number of Banana stickers and, hopefully, a Kitchen Aid logo. The panel makes use of US&S style signaling numbering with L and R suffixes. 

According to the Signalbox.org profile 16TH ST was built in 1901 with a 152 lever General Railway Signal Model 2 "pistol grip" interlocking machine. This was a very early example of this machine and used a beefed up version of the Taylor machine grip handle instead of the more iconic "pistol grip" that later became standard. This hybrid machine is the missing link that shows the direct lineage between the Taylor Model 2 (as seen in Willows Tower) and GRS Model 2. If this machine was actually built in 1901 that would indicate some overlap between the Taylor and GRS production runs and as you can see in the 1931 diagram even that is labeled Taylor so exactly how this machine was being branded and sold at the time is a bit uncertain.

Turning right from the model board to look along the GRS Model 2 power frame we can see that this tower is really a dump inside and the plastic sheeting over the windows is an indication of the heroic attempts by operators to keep Chicago's famous wind at bay.

Scooching down a bit to about lever 64 we can get a sense of the number of spare spaces that have developed on the main frame as the plant was rationalized over the tower's 11 decades of service. In the far right corner we can see the 48 lever GRS Model 5 machine that was installed sometime in the 20's or 30s to control a seperate logical section that contained some combination of crossovers with the New York Central, south of the main plant. While these have been completely removed, the old model board and interlocking machine have been remarkably preserved.

Also of interest in this photo are the 68 and 69 levers for the last remaining crossover in the interlocking plant. Because the high voltage current that ran the point machines were routed through contacts on the levers, the pistol grip style machine was limited to powering one set of points per lever due to the electric current limitations of these contacts. Crossovers thus had to use two lever spaces, but were worked in tandem from a single pistol grip with the second lever being omitted. These phantom levers for crossovers are marked with a (#) on the diagram.

Looking back in the opposite direction toward lever 1 from lever 145 we can see the placement of the model board, microwave over and other assorted debris. 

C&O In Trouble at Montgomery, WV

With CSX running roughshod on the old C&O multi track mainline west of Charleston and Huntington for years the eastern bulwark was the interlocking at Montgomery, WV with the eastbound mast signals equipped with Darth Vader types and the westbound cantilever of glorious C&O design.  Well just caught a pic of a new cantilever in place at west end of the interlocking.  If this is just a one off replacement or a sign of things to come over the New River Sub remains to be seen.  Looks like I might not be able to afford to wait a year for the dome to get back on the Cardinal in 2012.

NYC 5-Track Gantry to Fall at NASBY

The great 5-track New York Central signal gantry just west of Toledo at NASBY tower (currently known as CP-292 since the tower closed in 1998) is the latest victim of Norfolk Southerns pointless re-signaling plans.  Just 13 years ago that same gantry and its beefy steel lattice construction was perfectly fine when Conrail decided to leave it in place, but this time NS feels its better to spend the money to erect a completely new Darth Vader gantry than just re-wire the color light signals already in place.

Of course this isn't the first signal replacement at NASBY, the eastbound signals were replaced in the conrail era by a tubular cantilever, but the NJC G-head signals were re-mounted as there was nothing to be gained replacing one tri light with another.  This time around I wouldn't be surprised if NS doesn't resignal that end as well, even going as far to replace the modern style cantilever mast.

NASBY tower used to feature the diamond crossing of the Toledo Terminal RR and the Chicago Line.  The tower closed in 1998 when the TT had no more use for its trackage and abandoned the diamond crossing.  A brief history of the tower and of the more recent CP-292 can be found here.  A more detailed PDF presentation of the tower, its operations and closure complete with inside photos can be found here.  Like other NY Central towers it was a GRS plant controlled by a Model 2 wood paneled pistol grip machine.

PHOTOS: ALTO TOWER

Seeing as how my 2009 PRR Main Line Survey has reached the Golden City of the PRR I thought it appropriate to reach back into my archives and post some photos on the famous PRR interlocking tower that still routes trains around the large yard and shop complex 24/7 as it has for the past 100 years.  I am talking about ALTO tower, but unfortunately I had not been intending that this post serve as a memorial to an icon tower which now faces closure later this fall.  While efforts are being made to preserve the tower, even if it does somehow manage not to fall down or catch fire , this living tribute to the PRR will be at best mounted and stuffed, the tracks it oversaw sterilized of character and rendered completely generic.

About 5 years ago I took a little trip there when Amtrak still ran two train services on the main line and it was possible to get out and back in the same day. This trip turned out to be very special because I was able to not only take pictures of ALTO tower on the outside, but also inside ALTO tower and after a sufficient waiting period I am free to put them up for public consumption.

Before we begin I should mention that the full set of photos from this trip can be found here

ALTO tower was rebuilt to its current configuration in 1915 (and possibly existed in some form for many years prior to that) in the typical PRR style of all-wooden main line towers with the trademark bay windows. Over the years CTC control of the entire Altoona terminal area was transfered to ALTO and in the 1970's the interlocking was somewhat rebuilt by the Penn Central. Because of the CTC ALTO survived as an active interlocking tower far longer than almost all its brethren and currently controls ANTIS, HOMER, ROSE, WORKS and SLOPE interlockings.

So here is ALTO tower from the front. It had been last painted in Conrail colors in the 1980's and at this point is looking somewhat shabby. In 2009 NS came by and provided a nice re-paint job in an overall flat gray which gave the false impression that ALTO had a long life ahead of it.

ALTO from the side showing the side bay extension that was added because of the need for a longer interlocking machine inside. Access to the tower is across the tracks, not from the road behind.  In the future the new ALTO interlocking will begin just west of the tower's current location and run to about where SLOPE currently sits.

From this rear view you can see a newer steel external stairway, fuel tank for either the heater or emergency generator and the old style relay cabinets for the signal gantry. 

It's amazing some of the architectural details that went into these old towers. 

ALTO interlocking is made up from two logical parts. There is the main interlocking controlled from the original 27 lever US&S electro pneumatic interlocking machine, and a smaller extension controlled from a partially independent 11 lever machine next to it. The PRR pedestal signals at the west end of the Altoona station platform are part of the extension, while the large signal bridge controls access into the interlocking proper.  A complete track chart of ALTO can be found in this large (30MB) pdf of Conrail interlocking diagrams.  ALTO is on page 23.

Here is a historic photo showing the Penn Central era configuration with PRR PL mast signals at the east end of the interlocking.  The 38L signal is displaying Slow Approach over the  reverse 31 switch towards a Clear indication on the 2L.  If this doesn't make sense, a 1985 head end video shows the track between the 32R and 2L being used as an additional helper pocket.  Regular movements from Track 2 to 3 were made over the 1 switch with an Approach Medium displayed on the 38L and a Medium Clear on the 4L.  When the east end was reconfigured in the Conrail era, this pocket concept was eliminated.

Bellevue, Ohio Re-Signaling

Apparently NS isn't just out to ruin the spiritual heart of the PRR, but has also decided to go after their Nickel Plate Road heritage as well.  The major NKP freight classification hub and junction at Bellevue, OH is seeing further further resignaling efforts that will see the fall of many of the classic NKP signals including the bracket mast at the Slaughterhouse Road hotspot south of the city.  Ok, I get it that position lights and interlocking towers cost more and one can save money by eliminating them, but why is NS replacing traffic light signals with more traffic light signals?  Did they get a special discount on a bulk order down at the costco?

Re-Signaling at CP-308

While the former New York Central Main Line has been an absolute sanctuary for signaling compared with the other eastern routes, it cannot be completely immune from CSX's wrath.  Currently up on the chopping block is CP-308 near Jordan, NY, just east of Syracuse.  This was small target searchlight country last re-signaled by Conrail in the 1980s and like the PRR main there are a great many classic signal bridges still standing in service.  The New York Central was a great believer in CTC and the presence of Rule 261 operation and no pole lines has made this route a real survivor.  In fact CSX has even replaced searchlights with like at CP-293 and CP-175 on new masts and cantilevers.  This time the Darth Vaders are going in for a pair of NYC gantries so if you are in the era hike out and document the old equipment while you can.

ALTO Tower to Close :-(

I guess I'm a little behind in the news, but as you might guess I don't try to seek this information out as it will only serve to depress me.  Anyway after seeing some more photos I discovered that the work at CP-WORKS is not isolated as I had thought and that is one part of a larger project to completely re-signal everything around ALTO tower.  This will mean the closure of ALTO tower after 100 years of service and the destruction of an amazing of pure PRR signaling.

I don't have a lot of photos to post, but as I know it ALTO, SLOPE and WORKS are all to be completely re-signaled.  There will be new track arrangements to facilitate movements in and through Altoona Yard as well as the application and removal of helper power.  The PC era beam signal gantry may be re-used in the new arrangement and some of the pneumatic switch machine might survive as well at WORKS and at ALTO.  There are plans to re-locate and preserve the tower itself at the Railroaders Museum across the street, but there were also plans to preserve MO tower which came to nought when the wooden structure fell apart. The current schedule has the new signals, which includes the 228 auto) being cut over in November so I might have to actually drive out there for this.

Fortunately this occurs at the point where I will be posting photos taken inside ALTO tower during a visit in 2005, but the new is still a disaster for the railroad signaling community as the last tower on the non-Amtrak PRR Main Line is about to close.  Fucking punch in the gut.

UPDATE:   Another day, another photo and more bad news.  Looks like HOMER is also on the chopping block with its PC era cantilever that juxtaposed an all amber automatic next to red eyes absolute signals.  At this rate I wouldn't be surprised if ANTIS and its two 3/4 track PRR signal gantries is in the mix as well.  Basically everything covered by ALTOs CTC machine.

Here are some photos.  More detailed ones are on the password protected Trainorders.com, but I am sure there will be no shortage in the coming months.