Oh one quick question about interlocking towers, how com they have loud speakers at the bottom? Please let me know thank you.
Because soft speakers can’t be heard over the noise?
Seriously, it’s probably a way of contacting or communicating with signal maintainers who happen to be at work on the plant.
Out of the 40 or more interlockings I have worked over my career…none had loud speakers.
Only time I’ve seen actual loud speakers were at towers in yard areas where car numbers, cuts, and instructions were maybe given to the swtichmen in attendence. Otherwise, perhaps there might have been horn or other audio signaling at that location. Certainly weren’t for the railfan’s to eavesdrop.
Here is a photo of ALTO Tower. There is a speaker on the left side of the building, just beside the window.
