Thursday, December 13, 2007

Chicago's Brighton Junction during it's last winter of Manual Semaphore signal operation. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

This is one of those last looks at Chicago's historic Brighton Junction , located just west of the intersection of South Archer and Western Avenues. A southbound BNSF Railway unit coal train is waiting for an eastbound Amtrak train to pass through on the Canadian National ex Illinois Central / G,M & O mainline. Once the Amtrak has passed through, the signal operator will raise the Semaphore on the far right side of the tower mast, and the BNSF Railway train will proceed.

Brighton Junction closed I believe on July 3rd, 2007. The shack was padlocked and the Semaphore signals removed for future Museum preservation. The crosstracks were rebuilt shortly after. The junction is now automated.

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