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During July of 2006, I visited one of My old 1980's "Railfan Haunts" that I hadn't been to in many years. This is the old fashioned "Steam Era" manual Junction, located at Archer and Western Avenues on Chicago's southside. This crosstrack junction is where the Norfolk Southern and CSX Railroads, cross over the Canadian National's former Illinois Central Railroad Mainline. This junction was still using old Steam Era Semaphore Signals in the year of 2006, and all trains were required to stop and wait for clearance at this location. In the background behind the traffic control shack, can be seen the newer "Block Signals on the Canadian National mainline tracks. Time and Technology have caught up to this old railroad junction, and there is already talk in progress by the railroads for Modernizing and Replacing this relic from a forgotten era of Chicago Railroading. The North /South trackage is owned by Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation and is freight only. The East/West Canadian National line features freight trains as well as Metra commuter trains and Amtrak service.
3 comments:
That's Archer and Western???
Did you have to climb up on the viaduct?
T
A friendly FYI: Brighton Crossing is not an interlocking, as stated in your headline. Later in the body of your text, you call it a manual junction, which is correct.
An interlocking requires systems in place which prevent conflicting and potentially dangerous train movements. Brighton has none of that. It's literally like a human trafic cop in a busy intersection, waving one lane through with one hand while holding another lane back with the other hand, instead of having the benefit of interconnected signals that automatically show red when a conflicting route shows green.
When that switchtender manually puts up a green signal, there's no wiring or piping Brighton which automatically turns another signal red. He (or she, as I once read in the Tribune) has to manully do that, too.
That REALLY goes to show just how old Brighton Crossing is!
Hi Tom.
Yes, this location is on top of the embankment at Archer and Western. There is a dirt and gravel driveway alongside the Burger King restaurant. I used to go there frequently during the 1980's when times were actually better for us responsible and occasionally trespassing railfans.
I am planning on visiting here again sometime soon, before this old manual junction is replaced. I have some old winter pictures from up there, unfortunately not with snow, just brown grass and bare trees. It was cold nonetheless.
Thank You.
Eddie.
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