On my new layout I will be having a crossing with the CNW. I'm planning to have the crossing protected by stop signs (Not kidding they actually do it.). I want to have an old Interlocking Tower there. Because of the decrease of traffic on the CNW, they decided to close the Tower in 1990 and use stop signs instead. (I'm modeling 1995 so it would of been 5 years after they closed the Tower.)
My question is what would the Tower look like? I was thinking of boarding up the windows, but is there any thing else I could do?
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WC,
Usually, when a tower closed it was because the interlocking was remoted (to a dispatcher via CTC) or made automatic via first-in, first-out circuit. Both retained fixed approach (distant) and home signals at the diamond. However, I foresee in your scenario that the CNW line was abandoned in portions, no longer rendering it as a through-route, however the North Western continued to use it for local service. That would explain a significant-enough decrease in traffic to warrant stop signs.
On the other hand, how busy is your WC route? If it's a busy mainline, would the WC want to have to stop every train there when rarely will CNW be calling at the junction? What may be more realistic in this case is for the WC to have normal mast signals, with dwarfs and locked derails on the CNW line. A North Western crew would have to call the WC dispatcher via line-side phone box to request permission thru the plant, where the WC 'spatcher would clear them (via signal indication) through the plant.
Another option is to remove the diamond completely, where the CNW must use the connecting wye tracks to pull onto the WC, back up, and then pull forward back onto their trackage. Most RR's wanted to get rid of the diamond ASAP as they were maintenance headaches. GTW did this in Durand, Mich. for a number of years after abandoning their line to Grand Rapids NW of Durand.
As far as the tower, anything from boarded-up windows to knocking it down (leaving an empty foundation) is appropriate. With the former you could use the structure as storage space for the Signal Dept. Have some MOW vehicles there, also a replacement diamond off in the weeds. If you go the stop sign route, have the signals abandoned in-place, deactivated, with their heads turned away from the track and newly-installed stop signs installed. Lot's of ideas in Jeff Wilson's Junctions book (Kalmbach).
Let us know how it turns out.
The interchange wouldn't matter, other than if either road was required to occupy the other line's main track. 5 years after retirement the tower might look the same (maybe the paint is a little worse). There would be locks and hasps on the doors. The windows might be plywooded over. Or the doors could be wide open and the building gutted since the tower isn't used for any equipment anymore. If they had changed it to a automatic or a remotely controlled tower, they would use the tower structure to hold the communications/signal equipment.
To the other extreme, you could put a chain link fence between the tower and the tracks, put in a small parking lot, a 3" piece of track with a speeder or handcar on it, and a signal facing the parking lot. The put up a sign and plaque for the "Ottumwa County Historical society", "Ottumwa Tower" site and have the tower in near pristine shape.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Thanks! It looks as though it won't be a museum. I think what I'll do is board up the windows, keep the original signals up but turn the heads to the side, have some MOW trucks there, and some odd ball junk laying around.
Another question, how would these look? I know what they do (They control the signals and switches) but in 5 years would CNW/WC rip the cables out and just the bases be left?
Hey, WC!
I recognize those as part of the Walthers Interlocking kit. Besides boarding up the windows, you may also want to remove the stairs and deck - either fully or partially.
Along those same lines, what would also be cool is to paint the tower two different colors; one layer over the top of the other. Paint the 1st layer - whatever color - minus the stairs. Paint the 2nd layer - different color, lighter or darker - with the stairs "temporarily" in place.
When you remove the stairs, you will still see the outline of the stairs - even though they are no longer there. The 2nd layer of paint covers everything else but the portion behind the stairs. Does that make sense?
A couple of broken window panes might make for a nice touch, too. Hope that helps...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
That's a cool idea. Sadly though I have already put the stairs together. BUT, I can easly take them off the model base. Also, I have already painted the building. But iI can do that affect by painting another color of the orginal color I painted (Yellow), then do your idea by painting yellow over the other color with the stairs in place.
How about having some cut electrical lines coming off the eaves?
The electrical lines could also be another possibility.
With the stairs thing I might just try that.
Tomorrow I'll go over to my LHS and pick up some think Balsa Wood for blocking off the windows.
Since the tower is still standing and part of the scenery of the RR. Do as many roads have done and have it used as a storage or maintainance office of sorts. I have seen many of the old B&O towers used in such a way as long as they are still standing. I realize that old freight houses and stations are better suited for this, but it is an alternative to an abandoned diapitated wreck.
Faded and some peeling paint, a few broken or plywooded windows misc. equipment layed about add a storage container or a fenced area. Use your imagination and you'll come up with much more.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Thank you all for you ideas. I'm pretty set now for what I'm going to do. But if anyone else has another idea please share. I hope to get some photos tommrow or next weekend.
Those are mechanical linkage rods, not cables. Highly unlikely that a mechanical interlocking would have lasted through the 1980s, so install them, but rust them up alot and make it look like they haven't been used in decades. The power and control cables for an electrically-controlled interlocking would be buried, or run along a pole line.
I'd leave the stairs installed, but put up some chain-link fence in front of the stairs to block them off. Plywood up the windows and you're all set.
Also, you mentioned that the WC line is (was) a branchline. If the junction needed a tower, it would have been because the CNW used to be pretty heavily trafficed. If the CNW line is now just a shadow of what (# of trains) it used to be, model the CNW line with heavy rail and ballast, but add some weeds to show recent deferred maintenance on the North Western.
Well guys thanks for your help. I finished asembling the Interlocking tower. Here are some photos of it on my diorima. This ins't my future layout. My new layotu will have it belended into the scenery and have the crossing with the CNW.
Her'es the back veiw.
Here's a WC train crossing it.
I suppose you could have the tower being "adopted" by a local railroad historical society and restored to like-new condition although no longer operating as a signal tower. Seems to me Newport MN tower was adopted by someone (the Newport Model Railroad club?) a while back.
My favorite story was from old heads who worked the interlockers. "When the crews came to paint and fix things up you knew they were going to close the tower."
I like the boarded up look with semi fresh paint.Maybe add some graffiti.Have a few railfans taking pictures of it and the trains and like someone else posted maybe a group of people having a save the tower press conference. Just some vignettes that will draw in the eye,the choice is yours.
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
The Rice Lake tower sounds very similar to what you want to do, except for the fact that one of the lines has been removed.
It's a brick tower, that guarded the Soo/C&NW tracks north (???) of Rice Lake, WI
There are many pictures of it on the internet...(I would love to go inside of it, and see if there's any levers or anything left...)
Phil