Station: Albion Tower "A", Michigan
Michigan's Internet Railroad History Museum
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This is the crossing of the interurban line over the double track Michigan Central Railroad main line and the single track Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Lansing Branch - looking west. Tower "A" is at the right of the at-grade crossing. Photo was taken sometime after 1902. Below, another photo of Tower A, looking east towards downtown Albion. The line to the left is the Lake Shore line going towards Lansing. The MC's water tower can be observed on the right near the depot. [Frank Passic Collection] |
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Below, Section crews from the New York Central and Michigan Central dismantle the grade crossing at Tower A in Albion. The NYC consolidation of 1916, combined with the reduced traffic on the fomer LSMS/NYC line allowed the NYC to reduce costs by eliminating the need for Tower A. The angle of the crossing at Tower A was also very slight, making the potential for derailments high. Following removal of the diamond, through trains on the Lansing Branch needed to enter the MC mainline and "switch back" to the branch towards the south. The NYC also used the MC passenger depot on this line via a sidetrack. [Doug Leffler Collection] |
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By 1919, the MCRR was double tracked through Albion and sidings had been added east and west of the interlocker. In 1925, pot (ground level) signals replaced semaphores on some tracks. The MCRR ran dozens of trains in each direction, but the LS&MS was down to two passenger trains each way per day, and perhaps a freight or two. The LSMS and MCRR both were under control of the New York Central, and most traffic between Ohio/Indiana and Lansing and points north were being routed via Jackson (or Detroit). The LSMS route became less and less important during this time.
In 1926, the NYC (LSMS) mechanical home signals were replaced by semi-automatic signals. Manual block signals were removed. A "S-8" lever machine was installed with 1 working lever which allowed movement on the MCRR or LSMS.
In 1930, the signals on the LSMS were removed as were all derails on the MCRR. Stop boards were installed on the LSMS and derails remained to protect the MCRR crossing. Controlled switches were also removed, along with the wye signal. Derails on the LSMS were controlled manually from an electrically locked lever at the crossing. The electric lock on the derail lever was controlled by the operator at the MCRR, as were all MCRR signals. Siding switches (west of the crossing) were electrically operated by the operator in the depot as well. The tower was closed, and used as a relay station.
All trains on the LSMS (now NYC) stopped at stop boards. Trainmen were instructed to communicate with the MCRR operator for release of the lock on the derail lever. All signals on the MCRR were required to be in the stop position before the electric lock on the derail could be released. Derails on the NYC must be in the derailing position and their lever locked before any signal on the MCRR could be cleared. Indicators to show the approach of MCRR trains were located at the crossing and at the station. The operator was unable to unlock the NYC derails when track circuits within the home signal limits are occupied. The MCRR signals were also blocked from showing clear when the NYC track circuit through the crossing was occupied.
Train order signals were moved to the right of the mast on the main signal masts (east and west).
In 1962, the interlocking was completely removed and the crossing eliminated. All switches were changed to hand operation.