| Note the rods at the base of the tower going toward and away from the camera and under the tracks. These rods are moved by four foot levers in the tower by the towerman (the job title is leverman) and in turn the rods move/change the signals and move the track switches. Some of the rods travel a long distance to the switch and are hard to pull, thus the term strong-arm plant--strong back too! The tower and its track work are called an interlocking plant meaning the towerman can not set the switches and signals such that one train would run into another. If the towerman sets a route for a train through the plant and then has to set another route for it or take the route from it because another train will move first, he has to run a timer first to assure affected trains have time to stop before he can move set a new route. |
| Date:
6/20/1964 |
Location:
Saint Paul, MN Map  |
Views:
1293 |
Collection Of:
 
Marty Bernard |
| Locomotives: |
Author: Marty Bernard
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This picture is part of album: Railfan44's CRI&P Scans |