Emporia Junction: Great Photo!

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Another fine example of Jack Delano’s work and another reason to love Shorpy!

http://www.shorpy.com/node/18893?size=_original#caption

This photo answered a question that I was going to ask here. Why weren’t train order signals used at signal towers very often? At stations you almost always see a TO signal just outside the bay window but very seldom at towers.

I have seen many towers with lights, even flags or targets like I’ve seen on the B&O to alert crews to pick up train orders. In a few cases I’ve seen a kerosene signal lamp, just like a switch lamp, on a bracket outside a second story window that the operator could turn with a lever.

Maybe this one, being on a curve, needed the extra height? Anyway, I have a few Tomar train order semaphores but not enough depots to put them in front of. Now I can justify mounting one outside a tower. [:D]

Several other neat details here, too. The hoods over the control rod rollers to keep snow and ice off. The train order stands (I thought these didn’t come into vogue until the late '50s, early '60s?) the other Missouri Pacific TO stand is painted white. The smoke stack added to the chimney.

Neat details everywhere you look! Just thought I’d point this out to the folks here that are looking for ways to dress up your interlocking tower scenes.

Have fun! Ed

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Ed,

There is a lower quadrant train order signal behind the Emporia tower. Some times there is no train order signal. The large Division St interlocking on the SE leg of the SPUD wye did not have one. Passenger trains leaving SPUD picked up orders at SPUD. Even at Hoffman Ave interlocking(another mile further down the track), there was no train order signal, IIRC…

Jim

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Right, Jim

That’s what I’m saying. Now I can point to this photo if any “experts” see my tower with a TO signal nearby.

I have seen simple colored lights mounted to the side of the tower facing traffic or, like I mentioned about the B&O, where they used lights against a painted plywood background.

Sometimes the operator just set a lantern on the steps or the walkway with the appropriate color.

Green, no orders. Yellow, 19 orders picked up on-the-fly or red for 31 orders where the conductor and engineman had to sign for them.

I just found it pretty interesting so thought I’d share…

Thanks, Ed