Eastern Railroad Discussion > Tower Tuesday -- Walkerton, Indiana

On my trip up to the CSX Garrett Sub on October 5, I was able to get shots of two trains passing the old KN tower in Walkerton, Indiana. No longer in use, of course, but still standing. It was three stories tall at one point. The Elkhart and Western (former Nickel Plate) still crosses here. The New York Central's Kankakee Belt, now long gone, also crossed both lines here.

In photo 1, CSX train M370, a Clearing Yard to Cumberland manifest, blasts past the tower headed east. In photo 2, what I think is a frac sand train led by CP and KCS power heads west. This could be B457, a frac sand empty train headed to Bensenville, IL.

In doing some research I found a thread authored by ironmtn from back in April 2020 that sheds quite a bit more light on the tower and the town that it stands in. It's worth a look.
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,5006267

Kim Heusel



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/24 19:28 by KimHeusel.

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Well-chosen views.
Bob

Glad to see the tower still stands. Haven't been there since 1991, before CSX double-tracked the main.

In ironmtn's thread there is mention of the former Nickel Plate northbound home signal being out of service when he visited, and it had been replaced by a new home signal farther south.  For whatever reason, when power derails were installed on the Elkhart and Western at Walkerton after ironmtn's visit in March 2020, the derail south of the diamonds was installed farther away from the diamonds than the derail north of the diamonds.  The derail south of the diamonds was south of the northbound Nickel Plate signal, spelling demise for that signal.  The derail north of the diamond was installed between the southbound Nickel Plate home signal and the diamonds, so the southbound signal did not need to be replaced and, best I can tell from looking at Google Street Views from July 2023, that signal is still in use.

Here are coordinates for those who want to take a look around the Walkerton interlocking online: 41.4707631,-86.4874431

Matthew

Heath_Tower Wrote:
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> Glad to see the tower still stands. Haven't been
> there since 1991, before CSX double-tracked the
> main.

Add me to the list of those glad to see that it still stands. I go through there every few months or so, and always take a look, and sometimes stop for photos. I'm always glad to see that it still stands. I'll probably be by there again in a few weeks, and will plan to see it yet one more time. It's a neat spot to visit, and a good trainwatching spot, too. Things happen fast, so be prepared - CSX trains take the diamond at track speed, since it is now a one-way low-speed ("OWLS") (or flange-bearing) diamond frog for the E&W.

Thanks also for the reference to my previous post on the tower. Nice to know that it was found to be useful. And yes, unfortunately the NKP signal has changed with the installation of the protective split derails on the E&W, per "Roadmaster's" post. I noted that during my last visit a couple of months ago,  But it's still a fine spot and well worth a visit.

MC



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/24 14:23 by ironmtn.

I always like tower photos. This is an interesting one, being used to the ex-PRR towers with (generally) lots of windows. Thanks for sharing.

I’m thinking some parts of the electrical interlocking are still in the tower.

Posted from iPhone

Two excellent shots! It's amazing to have an old tower for background fodder this late in the game. You'd think some pencil-pusher would have had that leveled a long time ago...

Lance

I found this shot of the three-story version of the tower on the northamericaninterlockings.com website.

https://northamericaninterlockings.com/images/walkertonINshapotkin.jpg?19

Kim Heusel

farmer Wrote:
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> I’m thinking some parts of the electrical
> interlocking are still in the tower.

I've thought that during my previous visits. But I don't think so. There was some signal work, particularly trenching and cabling, done during the install of the split derails on the E&W. It was pretty clear that all of the signal infrastructure is completely contained externally in the new cabling installed, and in the various signal bungalows / cabinets around the crossing.

There is a regional MOW base directly adjacent, and a small MOW material yard just to the west of the crossing right next to US 6. Regional MOW crews are based there at Walkerton in a another low-rise building directly adjacent to the crossing, and probably a signal maintainer or two as well. You can see them come to work if you're there in the morning, and come back to base from their work elsewhere out on the line late in the afternoon. And there's a garage that maintains CSX work trucks too. If there's still any use for the tower, my guess is that it's just for storage of some MOW or signal equipment or material that's not often used, but has to be kept somewhere.

In any case, it's a good thing that the tower is standing. But I have noticed over a number of visits that it has gradually become more decrepit, with some broken windows, brick that needs repair and tuckpointing, a questionable roof, and some woodwork that is failing. Those aren't good signs for its longevity.

Let's hope that it continues to stand. But you'd be well advised to "get it while you can". Don't worry - it's a worthwhile trip, with plenty to see and photograph both there and nearby. Make the trip and enjoy the tower, still standing sentinel there, while you can. Hopefully that will be for a good long time to come.

MC



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/24 09:05 by ironmtn.

ironmtn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> farmer Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I’m thinking some parts of the electrical
> > interlocking are still in the tower.
>
> I've thought that during my previous visits. But I
> don't think so. There was some signal work,
> particularly trenching and cabling, done during
> the install of the split derails on the E&W. It
> was pretty clear that all of the signal
> infrastructure is completely contained externally
> in the new cabling installed, and in the various
> signal bungalows / cabinets around the crossing.
>
> There is a regional MOW base directly adjacent,
> and a small MOW material yard just to the west of
> the crossing right next to US 6. Regional MOW
> crews are based there at Walkerton in a another
> low-rise building directly adjacent to the
> crossing, and probably a signal maintainer or two
> as well. You can see them come to work if you're
> there in the morning, and come back to base from
> their work elsewhere out on the line late in the
> afternoon. And there's a garage that maintains CSX
> work trucks too. If there's still any use for the
> tower, my guess is that it's just for storage of
> some MOW or signal equipment or material that's
> not often used, but has to be kept somewhere.
>
> In any case, it's a good thing that the tower is
> standing. But I have noticed over a number of
> visits that it has gradually become more decrepit,
> with some broken windows, brick that needs repair
> and tuckpointing, a questionable roof, and some
> woodwork that is failing. Those aren't good signs
> for its longevity.
>
> Let's hope that it continues to stand. But you'd
> be well advised to "get it while you can". Don't
> worry - it's a worthwhile trip, with plenty to see
> and photograph both there and nearby. Make the
> trip and enjoy the tower, still standing sentinel
> there, while you can. Hopefully that will be for a
> good long time to come.
>
> MC

Yes. During my railroad employment days. I was to Walkerton a few times to move vehicles. Last I knew the Roadmaster and workers for the Milford Jct to Pine Jct sectionwork out of Walkerton

Posted from iPhone