Eastern Railroad Discussion > Any manned towers left?

I know that Zoo, in Philadelphia, still controls the intersection between Amtrak's 36th St. Connection (30th St Station to the Harrisburg Line) and intersection with SEPTA's Line
to 30th St. (Upper Level).  Any other manned towers in the US or Canada?
Thanks
Andy

Gotta be some left in Chicago, maybe along the NEC, KC, StL, LA??

It seems after the 1990’s the manned towers and operators really got the ax.

Regards

Posted from iPhone

Union tower in Rahway NJ?

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Union tower in Rahway NJ?
>
> Posted from Android
Closed Sept.2010
Andy

What about "Dock" in Newark?

Long Island, maybe?

Western Ave Tower at the junction of two busy Metra Lines west of downtown Chicago. West Chicago at the junction of the UP former CNW and CN’s EJE. Maybe Desplaines IL?

Posted from iPhone

Is Pauli tower still manned?

https://www.google.com/search?q=Are+there+any+manned+railroad+interlocking+towers+in+the+US&sca_esv=ec0e0b686354015c&sxsrf=APpeQntPDu8qG9XzHFnvWbx6suOibXB75w%3A1785897867265&udm=50&source=hp&fbs=ABfTbFVyMZGZf1hfvX9uKjN_-G8c4u0nXx4bEIpwm1lnNH832TuIBfIqb4xxU5jfvHT-5q5cToRA1FcVhtWz78qmax5tFe4NPI62w7BEsVyP9w-bOis1krIcyCMpsN-77ZFvRJ1fZgaXAaV7ktE0G5FQkQ6T9yZ29f9zema9CbpwcNKuS-z-czzCRQIhtaChc1oodqpkGLk58rZUbSsniTXvmf_hHG1epg&aep=1&ntc=1&cs=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_0u7_u4iWAxVrFTQIHf_TCKMQ2J8OegQIDxAD&biw=1025&bih=520&dpr=1.2&atvm=2&mstk=AUtExfCbQ2eHn2I-xdVPWpPq0-JKji3yno5-GG90OT-wgcYJ-g_vSLYWKA5YB05G18-uGQHxD9JN9ujfjloQroGEy5J2xgaScN836HDYQbqnxO0XlsWiBwWAZkf5Kfbn-jkObNSLfZTtZ7Z49x9sruuApSO1HmkDwx83NyAX-nia_rC6M7lWfQsYq7iNok-sHnBRLf8xQpdGVJD_SHBjdp9LAiSlApPGRaP-gv2MhfDTsg-H3HDp3utuorHZQjdWt29a7Rn6wIoONe7JkP3U_NzgeBpUnuwJvDTsQHutCRfEndGZ0xzE0H-Vye9wjITcfGEp2BCAEtAmAGvhf2htXuwatO_HvB8PQUrFiQ&csuir=1&mtid=w6NyaruyHOGXkPIPpIzCiA4

Amtrak Harrisburg Line has Overbrook.Not sure if Paoli is still open. Believe Cork and Thorn have closed, but not certain.

Was in Paoli Sunday and it doesn't look like it is open.  Windows boarded up and no A/C.

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DJ-12 Wrote:
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> Western Ave Tower at the junction of two busy
> Metra Lines west of downtown Chicago. West Chicago
> at the junction of the UP former CNW and CN’s
> EJE. Maybe Desplaines IL?
>
> Posted from iPhone
Lake street Tower at the throat of Oglivie Transportation Center is open, Hick tower (although that may juct control the bridges,)Otherwise, that's it besides Western Ave. and West Chicago in the Chicago area that I can think of.

Mark Kennebeck
Saint Paul, MN

thebluecomet Wrote:
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> Was in Paoli Sunday and it doesn't look like it is
> open.  Windows boarded up and no A/C.

PAOLI is still open, THORN is closing on Saturday at 1pm. ZOO and OVERBROOK are still open. 

Going back to the 60's and 70's, I worked 12 towers and visited 40 others, most of them in Indiana and Illinois.
I believe just one of my twelve is still standing, at 16th Street in Chicago, which controls the St. Charles Air Line and
B&O bridges.  As far as I know, there is no regular Operator there, so someone must be on call when needed.

With mention of the NYC/PC/CR/NS tower and bridge at Indiana Harbor, known for decades as "HC,"
I am most curious to know if it has a regular bridgetender.  

Thanks for starting this interesting discussion and for everyone's input.

16th Street recently closed, and I believe the Metra dispatcher for the Rock Island line controls the junction.

Mark Kennebeck
Saint Paul, MN

Seventyfive Wrote:
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> I believe just one of my twelve is still standing, at 16th Street in Chicago, which controls the St. Charles Air Line and B&O bridges.

There is a bridgetender provided by CSX for the span over the river. While the 16th Street Metra/RI tower still stands it was closed April 2025.
 

It's been a year or two since I asked, but I believe there's still a few in-service on the Long Island railroad. 

I think there's also a bridge tower in Detroit still open that also functions as an Interlocking tower too but I can't remember which one.

Unless it closed too, Amtrak also still has K Tower in DC.

Toronto, Ontario
Union Station Rail Corridor
As far as I can tell, still three manned towers
From East to West --- Cherry Street,
Scott Street East side of Union,
and John Street on the West.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/26 13:02 by kgrantly.

TowerA in Boston no longer controls any switches, but still has a drawbridge tender on duty, for now.  Its days are numbered.