Nostalgia & History > Maroon Monday - MC Tower Joliet Nov. 23, 1966 CTC train sheet.

I came across this gem in a box of Rock Island material given to me by a
fellow ex-Rock Island towerman.  I believe he received the train sheet from
Palmer Rauch who was one of the Train Controllers working MC on November 23, 1966.

It allows us to time travel back to 1966 and look at 24 hours of action on the
east end of the Illinois Divn.

MC (Michigan Central) tower was located in Joliet, Illinois one mile east of Joliet Union Depot. It was at the junction
of the Rock Island main line with the MC (NYC) Joliet Branch.
The Milwaukee Road also came into Joliet on the MC.

The Train Controller at MC was in charge of train movements between the west limits
 of Blue Island interlocking (MP 17.5) and Stockdale, Illinois  (MP 63 .5). Stockdale is just west of Morris.

Train Controller was a term the Rock used at locations where the towerman performed some "dispatching"
duties in addition to operating an interlocking. In the Chicago Terminal Gresham and MC were Train Controller jobs.
The most important feature of the Train Controller jobs was the high rate of pay, more than any of the other towers.

I only worked MC a handful of times in late 1973. 
I am sure there are some on trainorders that have much more experience there than I do.

One of the four regular jobs was filled by a train dispatcher from the Des Moines office.  I don't know any details about
the agreement but I assume it had something to do with the CTC project taking work away from the train dispatchers. 
The dispatchers in Des Moines continued to issue slow orders for the territory that were copied at UD, BI and LaSalle St.
During my time the DS worked the night job. I guess that was due to his being the low man in seniority working the tower.
A train dispatcher had to come in from Des Moines to fill the dispatcher's days off, vacation, etc

MC had a GRS "pistol grip" interlocking machine. The machine controlled the original MC plant which
consisted of crossovers and turnouts between the main tracks, yard lead and MC connection.

A US&S CTC machine at the desk controlled the two main track CTC between Blue Island and Stockdale.
There were 4 plants (CP's in modern parlance) with universal crossovers in the CTC.
From east to west:
Mokena MP 29.6
MP 35.5
Rockdale MP 42.4
Stockdale MP. 63.4

There were also sidings at some locations.  Not all the siding switches were powered.  Some had take siding / leave siding
signals and hand operated switches as described in the linked Railway Age article.

There was a gap in the CTC through Joliet. Three manual interlockings, a
moveable bridge and a stretch of double track ABS filled the gap.
From east to west:

1. The EJ&E tower controlled the crossing of the Rock and the J.

2. MC tower. West of MC there were four tacks extending to U.D. tower.
Traffic locks located in both towers controlled the direction of traffic on the four tracks.

3. UD (Union Depot) tower sometimes referred to as C&A (Chicago and Alton) was one mile west of MC.
At UD the Rock crossed the GM&O and ATSF. UD was staffed by a Rock Island towerman. 

4.Bridge 407 (MP 40.7) over the Des Plaines river. The bridge and associated signals were operated by B&B
(Bridge and Building) department employees.

5.Between UD and Rockdale the two main tracks were ABS, Current of Traffic. Any movements
against the current of traffic were arranged by the Train Controller at MC and made on signal
indication at restricted speed. No train orders were issued.

November 23, 1966 was a Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.
I don't know if freight traffic this day was typical or not.

A note about the OS times. The times were not computer logged as they are today.
Some times might not be exact. The train controller might have missed a train
going through a plant because he was busy with something else. He then would use
his best guess for a time.  The suburban train times at Joliet are probably pretty accurate. 
The suburban service TM, Norb Simon, was known to keep close tabs on the times of his trains. 
He would call key towers for OS times and back track to find any delays.  You did not want to fudge times
for his trains because he would ferret out any inconsistencies.

It is difficult to scan a large document. It must be done in pieces. No matter
how careful I am in scanning, it seems impossible to match the pieces up perfectly.
Here is my best try.  I am going to send a pdf. version to our good TO friend hogheaded.
I hope he will post it on his website http://wx4.org/to/foam/maps/and_timetables3.html

Additional resources
October, 1966 Suburban Train schedule and equipment cycles

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3803991,3804445#msg-3804445

1966 Illinois Divn. employee timetable

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4302458,4302458#msg-4302458

1966 Illinois Divn. special instructions pertaining to Chicago - Silvis

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4302494,4302501#msg-4302501

Railway Age story about Illinois Divn CTC

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4642730,4642827#msg-4642827

Illinois Divn track charts

http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/CRI&P/CRI&P%20Track%20Charts/CRI&P%20IL%20Div%20SD%201%201-A%201-B%20Track%20Chart%201973.pdf
http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/CRI&P/CRI&P%20Track%20Charts/CRI&P%20IL%20Div%20SD%202%20Track%20Chart%201973.pdf

Picture of Midlothian - J CTC machine on the US&S factory floor.

http://rrsignal.com/photos/displayimage.php?pid=488&fullsize=1

Nice diagram of EJ&E tower trackage

http://johnhaynes.us/nkp759/towerindex.html#RockIsland

Nice diagram of MC tower trackage

http://johnhaynes.us/nkp759/towerindex.html#MCtower

Illinois Divn track diagrams.
The only diagram in MC's territory is that of Morris.  Perhaps someone has
access to the ones east of Morris.

http://rockislandpacific.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-rock-30-illinois-division-track.html





 



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/18 19:14 by Englewood.

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Track work  is set up for this morning. The notes scribbled at the top
of the train sheet show a tamper is going to work west of Rockdale on the
"west main" AKA north track. The tamper will start work at 9am..A switch tender
is going on duty at 730 am to handle the hand operated crossovers at Minooka to
facilitate movement.  This will lessen the distance required to single track around the tamper. 
Ooops!  The tamper blows up a hydraulic cylinder at 1150am and runs to the Joliet Diesel House for repairs.

The other notes tell us that there are 45 empty tank cars and 18 - 65 foot gons on the
east siding at Minooka. (That is the best I can do to decipher that note)

The hand operated crossovers at Oak Forest are spiked, meaning they can not be used
to make crossover movements.


 

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"Remarks" explanation.  There was no standard way of writing the remarks. Everybody had their own version

75c-46-29-3415  or 46/29 75c = 75 total cars  46 loads  29 empties 3415 tons   A
C or CF = Called For  (Time crew went on duty)

P/U = pick up cars
S/O = set out cars

"S.TK M.P. 35 - CA  or E Main MP 35 - CA"   Train used the south track between the power crossovers at MP 35.5 and C&A (UD) tower.
There were two main tracks in service. In CTC the main track on the north side of the ROW was designated the "North Track". 
The main track on the south side of the ROW was designated the "South Track". 
In two main track current of traffic territory those tracks would be designated the Eastward and Westward tracks respectively. 
The night Train Controller used the W Main and E Main terminology instead of North Track and South Track

"C&A 1 in UD" = In this case the delay recorded for No. 7 at Joliet.  GM&O passenger train No.1 was blocking the diamond while doing station work.

" 7" Chgo-stop 47th St work on Diesels" =  Since No. 3 was 21" late by B.I. this note might be covering two items. 7" late out of Chicago and a stop at 47th St. Deferred maintenance appears to be catching up to the Rock already.  Right out of the depot No. 3,the Golden State, stops at the 47th St. Rocket House for repairs. Just like today's outbound Amtrak trains that stop at 14th St. after departing CUS.

"SFE 18 in U.D."  The delay recorded for No. 91.  AT&SF No. 18 was blocking the diamond at Joliet.

"S.Tk. MP 43-MP 63 around #41". Remark for the TSX. The hotshot TSX used the South Track between Rockdale and Stockdale to run around No. 41

A little railroad drama was played out between the tamper, No. 7, No. 91 and No. 3.
No. 3 is supposed to follow No. 7 by 25 minutes.  As we saw in the notes No. 3 stopped at 47th St. for work on diesels.
No. 3 scheduled to pass Blue Island at 1202pm didn't actually pass until 1221pm.
In the mean time No. 91 out of South Chicago was  hot on the heels of No. 7.
As No. 3 began to catch up with No. 91 at Joliet the normal move would have been to cross No. 91 to the other main. 
The tamper was broke down on the North track west of Rockdale so the decision was made to keep No. 91 ahead of No. 3. 
In the following post on the bottom of the train sheet there is a note explaining the move.  You will see the train controller "cleared with DCW",
meaning he discussed the situation and got the OK from trainmaster D.C. Weitzman.
I am sure there was also discussion with the train dispatcher in Des Moines. I hope
Bureau can straighten out this mess in his stretch of CTC.


 

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The train entry at the bottom of  the sheet shows the MC came to Joliet today.
NYC train No. 701 with two units and six cars at 521pm.

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No. 46 worked Joliet and then ran the north track all the way to Blue Island.
Joliet yard was adjacent to the North Track east of the EJ&E crossing.
The remarks seem to indicate that coming into this territory No. 46 had 55 cars, 28 for Joliet and 27 for B.I.  It picked up 18 cars at Joliet.

No. 38 set out those gons and tanks at Minooka, then worked Joliet.

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No. 8 used the North Track from Stockdale to Rockdale to get around
No. 38 that was working at Minooka.  Then it looks like it got held
somewhere in the B.I. interlocking for No. 11 to go west.

3-70 gave the Minooka switchtender some work.  Was crossed over from the
North track to the south track at Minooka.

NO. 222 was snagged by an eastbound Santa Fe freight train at Joliet.

"The Shorts" also used the crossovers at Minooka.  It then picked up at
Joliet: 2 cars for Mokena, 13 for Chicago and the diesel 830.

No. 52 had to inspect the train for some reason at Morris.

No. 42 was delayed for some unspecified reason at C&A (UD).  Then the
train controller put the train on the eastward siding at Mokena to let
Nos. 14 and 228 get by.

No. 10.  I don't know what the remark means.  Perhaps info from the DS that
is was 23" late out of Ottawa?

Suburban No. 234 used the north track from MP 35.5 to Mokena to get around 2nd 76.
2nd 76 was only 14" ahead of 234 out of Joliet.

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The MC left town at 621am with 17 cars. Anyone know what the home terminal was of the NYC crews? 
From what I understand the current Metra coach yard is built on the land once occupied by the MC yard.

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In the interest of Precision Scheduled Railroading I compared the Blue Island OS times on the train sheet with the official freight scehdules from July 1966.
Here is what I found:

The first time is OS time, second time is schedule time

Lv. Blue Island
59.... ..214a...200a
43...... 943a...930a
81......1047a..1030a
91......1159a..1100a
87........106p...?
DSX.....604p...?
41........912p...530p So Chgo
TSX...1034p..1000p
45......1108p...800p

Arr. B.I.
2nd 70....111a...130a
60...........313a...400a
44...........543a...400a So Chgo
46...........710a.....?
38.........1009a...600a So Chgo
3rd 70...1148a...130a
76..........240a...130p
52..........525p..1159a
42..........555p...500p So Chgo
2nd 76.1000p...130p
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/18 19:39 by Englewood.

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Through passenger train performance at Joliet
Train     Minutes late
6...........12
8...........19
12.........24
14...........5
10.........19
4...........67

11..........4
7..........19
3..........23
5............2 minutes early ?
13........24
9............1

Probably better than current average off-corridor Amtrak performance.


 

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Suburban train delays
222  C&A 5" for ATSF eastbound
228  C&A 2" follow No. 14
236  C&A 2"

209  8" late at B.I., 6" late at Joliet
211  6" late at B.I., 2" late at Joliet
213  OT at B.I., 2" late at Joliet
221  3" EARLY leaving Mokena, 6" EARLY into Joliet (The "Bankers" on Thanksgiving Eve)
223  2" late at Mokena, 3" late into Joliet
227  1" late at Mokena, 6" late into Joliet
231  1" late at Mokena, 2" EARLY into Joliet.
everything else on time.


Link to suburban timetable
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3803991,3804445#msg-3804445




 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/18 18:24 by Englewood.

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Here is a blue print showing how the Rockdale to Stockale portion of the CTC machine was laid out.

You can digest all this information after you are done eating Thanksgiving dinner.

I hope you enjoyed your trip back to 1966.  Did you want to stay in 1966?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/18 18:33 by Englewood.

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 I'll be the first to say "thanks" for the hard work you did to present and share this information with us! It's very useful and it'll keep me busy tomorrow morning--might even have to whip out the old CORA maps!!

Wow! I will be enjoying all the incredible postings for the rest of this week.
Thanks for all the labor you put into adding this great info to this site.

I visited MC Tower once, in the mid-70's I believe, and was surprised to
find there an operator I once worked with at NYC's JN Tower in Chicago.
"Route Rock"

The Memorandum (No. 10) dated April 6, 1944 established the Train Controllers
at MC Tower.  Office seniority determined which craft held which shift.  The Dispatchers
(for the most part) did not want to work MC.  Because of that, it was almost always the
youngest assigned Dispatcher.  Per the Dispatchers agreement, any vacancy of a week or more
was a temporary vacancy.  When a dispatcher in Des Moines (Rock Island earlier) took vacation,
whoever was at MC usually went back to Des Moines and MC was filled by the dispatchers
extra board.  That is where I came in!  I worked MC a number of times before deciding that
Dispatching really was not my cup of tea.  I broke in at MC with Dan Sabin of Iowa Northern fame.
THe Michigan Central came into town and crossed the RI (4 tracks) on slip switches to get
to their yard which is where the current Metra yard is.  They also had rights to use elevation
One and Two (Tracks are numbered from the South as Elevation 1 & 2 and RI3 & 4)
to get down to the Union Depot. 
zr190



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/18 06:22 by zr190.

Thanks for the info on the train dispatchers

Thread of the month. Thank you very much for all your efforts in putting this together. Lots of good reading and cross references. Bringing MC back to life. Thanks again.

Wow, great post!  Thank you for all the work and great information.  I love it!  All the deciphered notes are fantastic with a ton of good operational information there.  I like your comment re. DCW and the schedules.

I hope you don't mind if I share a few photos of the tower and home signal from ebay slides I've acquired over the years.  There is no date on the passenger train slide but it could easily be from the 1966 era.

Andy

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Were the traffic locks on the 4 tracks between UD and MC, electrically interlocked, so that either operator could line traffic into a track, which then prevented the other operator from lining a conflicting move?  Were they authorized for operation at track speed in either direction?  This is interesting discussion which I never knew about, how that area was dispached.

Andy

As I recall, (?) in order to run against the current of traffic either tower
had to request "the hook" from the other tower.  That entailed pulling a lever
which allowed the opposing tower to give an indication.  I don't remember ever
running anything against the grain on the main tracks, but on the elevations
the most you could give was a low indication (lunar).
zr190

Excellent post. Fantastic information. Thank you!