Western Railroad Discussion > Drastic Technological Gap

Light Years away from each other, the semaphores at Brighton Park in Chicago oversee one of UP's newest locomotives, SD70ACe 8391, as it passes northward this morning. Just a curiosity, does anyone know exactly WHEN these semaphores were installed? I'm guessing sometime in the 1920's...Don Kalkman

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Has the one broken semaphore been fixed? Can't tell from the photo. - - JLH

yes-quite a while ago.

I don't see any motor/relay case at the base of the semaphore nearest the camera. Are the blades controlled by an "armstrong" interlocker (like the one that used to be at State Line Tower?.

DNRY122 Wrote:

> I don't see any motor/relay case at the base of
> the semaphore nearest the camera. Are the blades
> controlled by an "armstrong" interlocker (like the
> one that used to be at State Line Tower?.

Yes. You can see the outside control rods on both sets of masts.

Funny you posted this shot today. I was sitting there this morning thinking the same thing but looking at a pair of SD40-2 heading west. Here is a view inside the "Tower"
smarty

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Thanks for the fast reply--it's amazing to see apparatus designed a 100+ years ago still in daily service.
Bob D.

Okay, for those not in the know (which obviously includes me) - what two railroads are crossing here? Who controls the interlocking and semaphores? Thanks in advance.

rbenko Wrote:
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> Okay, for those not in the know (which obviously
> includes me) - what two railroads are crossing
> here? Who controls the interlocking and
> semaphores? Thanks in advance.

The railroads that cross here are CSX (the ex B&O Chicago Terminal) north and south, PRR (the ex.Panhandle from Pittsburg to Columbus to Logansport thru Dalton Tower) also north and south and the Canadian National (ex Alton railroad from East St. Louis) east and west. As far as who controls it, I think the CN. I'm not sure.