Eastern Railroad Discussion > Is Dolton Tower being replaced?

My past two round trips I noticed two new signal bases on each side of the tracks but parallel to the eastbound B&O position light signals. Since the summer there has been a lot of work on and around the tower but the signal bases are new.

Posted from Android

I've heard that someday CSX will reconfigure Riverdale. The #3 main would extend under the IC and this would connect to the UP on a broader right of way. Of course, the tower would be razed to accommodate the newer connecting track. This would eliminate the current 10mph connection........

From what I've heard, PTC installation will begin soon--actually, it was supposed to have already started.  When it's finished (don't hold your breath on that) and all the kinks are worked out the tower will be shut down and demolished. 

calumet Wrote:
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> From what I've heard, PTC installation will begin
> soon--actually, it was supposed to have already
> started.  When it's finished (don't hold your
> breath on that) and all the kinks are worked out
> the tower will be shut down and demolished. 

Big outcry and  effort to save steam engines and passenger cars. The largest mechanical interlocking machine built in the US - demolished? The largest S&F mechanical interlocking machine in the US...sounds like more of the same. Maybe we can find another steam engine or passenger car to save in lieu.

TAW

Why not move the tower behind the police department or over by the park and turn it into a railfan watching platform.  It would be good for local tourism. 

TAW Wrote:
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> Big outcry and  effort to save steam engines and
> passenger cars. The largest mechanical
> interlocking machine built in the US - demolished?
> The largest S&F mechanical interlocking machine in
> the US...sounds like more of the same. Maybe we
> can find another steam engine or passenger car to
> save in lieu.

Don't know where it was built or whether it was S&F, but the State Line machine had about 50 more levers than Dolton.  And unlike Dolton, it remained mechanical almost to the very end.
 
Even so, I'm on your side when it comes to preserving it. 

calumet Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TAW Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Big outcry and  effort to save steam engines
> and
> > passenger cars. The largest mechanical
> > interlocking machine built in the US -
> demolished?
> > The largest S&F mechanical interlocking machine
> in
> > the US...sounds like more of the same. Maybe we
> > can find another steam engine or passenger car
> to
> > save in lieu.
>
> Don't know where it was built or whether it was
> S&F,

National Type A (locking bed vertical under the levers)

>but the State Line machine had about 50 more
> levers than Dolton.  And unlike Dolton, it
> remained mechanical almost to the very end.

S&F (Saxby & Farmer, actually Improved Saxby & Farmer) has the locking bed horizontal, behind the levers. The pipelines have been replaced at Dolton by power switches and electric signals operated by contacts attached to the levers, but it is still a mechanical machine.

TAW


>  
> Even so, I'm on your side when it comes to
> preserving it. 

75th St tower would have been great to preserve, but it, too, was destroyed.  130 strong arm levers, including pipeline activated semaphores on the BRC, all switches mechanical and manually operated up to the end.

Dolton is also the location of the last B&O CPL's in Chicagoland to my knowledge.  One high signal on CSX No 2 track eastbound (which can be seen from 138th Street road crossing) and two "pot" signals on No 1 track eastbound (one being left over from when you could cross from No 1 track to the UP connection which was removed decades ago).  The signals are still setup from the days when the B&OCT had directional signaling...therefore the reason for pot signals on No 1 track which would have been against the current of traffic back in the day....
 

junctiontower Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why not move the tower behind the police
> department or over by the park and turn it into a
> railfan watching platform.  It would be good for
> local tourism.

I have always dreamed of going to the Dolton city council and try to get them to build a railfan park.  The local residents probably see the railroads more of a nuiscance than an opportunity, but they fact they have one of the busiest locations anywhere and they have what is essentially unused public property beind the police station to build a park, they are really sitting on something that coudl benefit their community.  They could probably even get some sort of grant money to pay for a platform and an improved parking lot.

It is not like they are going to bring in a ton of tourism dollars, but even putting in something as nominal as a few vending machines would make money for the city. 

The  tower  should go to the  Chicago Museum of Science  and Industry.  How  about it all you Chicago railfans?  Can you make  it happen? They have money. Railroads need PR.

calumet Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From what I've heard, PTC installation will begin
> soon--actually, it was supposed to have already
> started.  When it's finished (don't hold your
> breath on that) and all the kinks are worked out
> the tower will be shut down and demolished. 

Yes PTC has already started in the area. I don't think the tower will be demolished because the IHB just resided and put a new roof on it this past summer.

Posted from Android

CSX_ENG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've heard that someday CSX will reconfigure
> Riverdale. The #3 main would extend under the IC
> and this would connect to the UP on a broader
> right of way. Of course, the tower would be razed
> to accommodate the newer connecting track. This
> would eliminate the current 10mph
> connection........

Someone posted track plans for this arrangement in the North Baltimore, Ohio yard office a few years ago.

Posted from Android

espeefan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> calumet Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > From what I've heard, PTC installation will
> begin
> > soon--actually, it was supposed to have already
> > started.  When it's finished (don't hold your
> > breath on that) and all the kinks are worked
> out
> > the tower will be shut down and demolished. 
>
> Yes PTC has already started in the area. I don't
> think the tower will be demolished because the IHB
> just resided and put a new roof on it this past
> summer.
>

B&B fixing up a Santa Fe station in the 60s meant closing soon. Cost increasing dramatically justified closure.

TAW

TAW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> espeefan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > calumet Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > From what I've heard, PTC installation will
> > begin
> > > soon--actually, it was supposed to have
> already
> > > started.  When it's finished (don't hold
> your
> > > breath on that) and all the kinks are worked
> > out
> > > the tower will be shut down and demolished. 
> >
> > Yes PTC has already started in the area. I
> don't
> > think the tower will be demolished because the
> IHB
> > just resided and put a new roof on it this past
> > summer.
> >
>
> B&B fixing up a Santa Fe station in the 60s meant
> closing soon. Cost increasing dramatically
> justified closure.

Exactly.  After I saw the improvements, I was told that just meant its days were numbered.