Deval Tower fire: Could it be the tower's demise?

[techguy57]

I'm sure a lot of people don't give a rat's behind, but from the articles I've read it doesn't sound good for Deval Tower's fate.[:(] I know that UP uses the building for a trackside office. Think they'll try to repair it or just tear it down? I hope for the former of the two options!

Very sad news to hear.

Mike

[AltonFan]

This is the first I've heard of a fire at Deval.

My understanding was that in the grand plan to rebuild the Chicago rail system, Deval was eventually going to be finally rendered obsolete.

Does anybody have any drawings of the tower?

[mudchicken]

Say bye-bye!....Best incentive to automate the interlocking I've seen yet, cannot be put on the back burner any longer.

[greyhounds]

I go by there twice a day on Metra.

I don't see any physical damage (or evidence of fire) to the tower from the outside - at least the sides I can see. We have to flag through the interlocking and for some reason there's aparently a slow order once we get past the tower. (both ways)

They're telling us it will be another week or two before things are back to normal. We were eight minutes late in to Lake Villa tonight. Except for the first workday after the fire, we've been arriving downtown about on time in the morning.

It's a fun ride. The CN (Soo) Line is really busy. Kicked back on a Friday evening with a gin and tonic to go and watched the railroad show. (It's OK to buy a a drink in C.U.S. and take it on a train.)

[CShaveRR]

Deval would have been automated long ago if it had been practical.

For those who don't know, there are three rail lines that intersect at Deval, making a triangle. Two are UPs, and one is CN (ex-WC, old Soo Line). Two of the lines have Metra commuter service; the third handles freights of both UP and CP from their major Chicago-area yards toward Wisconsin. Deval also controls a couple of nearby junctions on the UP lines that cross there.

Four diamonds at Rochelle? There are eleven at Deval! They just aren't as busy.

I hope something will be done (perhaps the tower can be preserved and moved somewhere--I've seen it done with brick towers before). The problems in the area are numerous--the North Central line is supposed to get a second track sometime, and the overpass under the diamond over U.S. 14 (no kidding!) is deteriorating. With two commuter routes (one of which is going to have a lot more service than it has had) dispatched by two different railroads crossing there, I'm not sure automating would be the correct solution. I'd like to see the CN "fly over" the other two lines, which would also give an opportunity for replacing the U.S. 14 bridge and straightening out the kink in the highway.

Of course, none of that is an immediate solution for the problems the tower is currently experiencing.

[blade]

it could as well be old equipment 75 (seventy five years old)that's got to be utterly ridiculous,if it can't be saved well tear it down but it would be nice if it can be restored for future generations ,for our childern sakes.

[UP_North]

I think it will be updated rather than torn down. The basis of an automatic interlocking is first come, first serve, which I dont think will work at Deval (too many scoots). It may become dispatcher controled, but never could be automated. But thats just my opinion.

[techguy57]

Hopefully, the tower can be saved although I definitely understand the concern for growth. I ride the UP-NW line (Harvard Sub) often when I go downtown so I know the crossings need some help if the traffic is really going to increase. But Deval Tower definitely has significant history, so it'd be a real shame to se it go. All we can do is hope for the best!

Mike