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Crossings and Interlockers
The earliest known crossing of any two railroad lines in Michigan was in 1840 at Lenawee Junction in Lenawee County. The "Southern" line was being built west from Monroe and it crossed the Jacksonburgh branch of the Erie & Kalamazoo about five miles east of Adrian. It is likely that there were other rail crossings of yard tracks in Detroit, but this rural crossing is the first documented.
In early times, crossings were unmarked or perhaps a ball signal was raised on a pole at the crossing to indicate which road had the right-of-way. This is where the term "highball" came from which instructed engineers to proceed. In many cases, trains ran slowly and they were required to stop before proceeding at a crossing once it was known that the way was clear. But as fate would have it, weather and visibility could be poor, engineers did not heed speed restrictions, and crashes became common and deaths occurred.
Crossing protection became increasingly sophisticated. Ball signals were raised higher and lighted at night for better visibility. Gates were installed. Crossing watchmen were deployed. Ball signals were replaced by semaphore signals and advance semaphores were placed farther down each track to give advanced warning of the crossing as train speeds increased.
Around the 1870's, the interlocking device was invented in England and brought to the United States. These interlocker machines were usually located in a tower at the crossing. Interlockers controlled crossing rights, signals and switches within the interlocking limits so that it was not possible for trains to interfere with each other.
About the same time, "derails" were deployed near the crossing, the theory being that it was better to derail a train rather than allow it to enter the crossing and possibly strike an opposing train.
One of the deadliest interlocker accidents occurred in February 27, 1921 at Porter, Indiana when a Michigan Central passenger train crew mistook a green train order signal for a proceed indication at night. The train struck a westbound New York Central passenger train derailing everything, killing 37 and injuring 20. Miraculously the tower and it's operator came out unscathed.
Interlockings came in various sizes and styles. Most were "armstrong" machines - named after the strong arms of the operator or leverman that had to move switches by brut force from levers in the tower. These strong arm levers were connected to switches, signals, derails and locks by an intricate pattern of pipes which protruded from the base of the tower and in some cases went over 100 feet to a switch. Some towers had 75-80 levers. Others had as few as 6. It just depended how complicated the crossing and wye tracks were in the "plant", a term used to describe the machine and it's control area.
Other interlocking frames were small and set in the ground at the crossing and operated by trainmen.
Over time, some interlockers became higher tech and were powered by electric or pneumatic (compressed air) operation. Early on, some signals (and even distant signals as far as 1,500 feet away) were controlled by movable wire instead of pipe. But these proved to be a maintenance headache and were replaced by pipe control or even electrical control as motors became available for semaphore signals. For low speed branch lines, distant signals were modified to be fixed in the approach position.
Relay control of interlockers became more common after World War II and centralized traffic control (CTC) was invented allowing one operator or dispatcher to control a series of control points and crossings while cutting labor costs. Early CTC models (known by other names as well) operated using electric pulse operation of relays through a "code line" along the track (buried or on poles). These began to be replaced by microprocessor control in the 1960's using wire and microwave control, radio, satellites and the internet. At one point, the CSX railroad controlled most of its lines through a single, remote control dispatch center located in Jacksonville, Florida but this was later decentralized for redundancy purposes and to get dispatchers closer to the customer.
Most interlocking towers were manned by a single operator. In busy urban areas like West Detroit or the MCRR depot interlockers (20th and 15th Streets), the tower was in the charge of a traffic director and one or two leverman who moved the levers. Some interlockers in low volume branch line crossings were manned on only one shift or not regularly manned at all. Some, like Tesch west of Escanaba, were literally in the middle of nowhere. In the days before automobiles, this must have made getting to work a challenge. Other towers, like Lakeland in Hamburg Township in Livingston County were scenic. Lakeland was next to a beautiful lake and summer beach resort and working the tower must have been a pleasure.
Individual crossings and interlockers are located in the Stations and Locations category. But they are listed below by city/location name and county for reference purposes.
Photo info: A photograph of XN Interlocking at Oxford, Michigan on the NYC Bay City Branch in the 1950's. The depot is across the New York Central track. The interlocking tower controlled the NYC's crossing of the GTW's Pontiac, Oxford and Northern (PO&N) line to Caseville. In 1961, the crossing was automated (first train in the circuit gets the proceed signal) and the tower was closed. [Ernie Novak photo, Robert Michalka collection]
Alcona County (01)
None identified
Alger County (02)
Doty - DSS&A / LS&I
Allegen County (03)
Plainwell - GR&I / LS&MS / Electric - JN Tower
Alpena County (04)
Alpena - D&M / BCG&A - BCG&A Junction
Kerston - D&M / BCG&A - On D&M Hillman Branch (Not interlocked)
Antrim County (05)
Alba - GR&I / D&C
Baraga County (06)
L'Anse - DSS&A / Ford Motor Ry. (Not interlocked)
Barry County (07)
None identified
Bay County (09)
Bay City - MC / PM - 26th Street
Bay City - MC / PM - Center Street
Bay City - MC / Electric - Farragut Street
Bay City - MC / GTW - Hart Street
Bay City - MC / PM - H&W Crossing
Bay City - MC / PM / HBL - Tower 12
Bay City - MC / PM - Water Street Junction
Bay City - MC / GTW - West Main Street
North Bay City - DM / GTW / PM / MC
Pinconning - DM / MC Spur
Benzie County (10)
Thompsonville - AA / PM
Berrien County (11)
None identified
Branch County (12)
None identified
Calhoun County (13)
Albion - MC / LS&MS - "A" Tower - Full then Half Interlocker
Battle Creek - MC / GTW - Dickman Street
Battle Creek - MC / GTW - Hall Street - Tower
Battle Creek - GTW / DT&M - McCamley Street - Half Interlocker
Battle Creek - MC / GTW - Nichols
Battle Creek - CJ&M / StLS&BC - Rose Street - Tower
Battle Creek - MC / Interurban - Spencer Street
Battle Creek - MC / Electric - West Main Street
Burlington - MC / BCC (Not interlocked)
Cass County (14)
Cassopolis - GTW Main / MC Air Line
Charlevoix County (15)
Boyne Falls - GR&I / BCG&A / BF&NE - Tower
Cheboygan County (16)
Cheboygan - MC / D&M - MC Tannery Spur
Cheboygan - MC / D&M - D&M Dock Spur
Chippewa County (17)
None identified
Clare County (18)
Clare - PM / AA - Tower
Clinton County (19)
None identified
Crawford County (20)
None
Delta County (21)
Escanaba - C&NW / E&LS
Nahma - Soo / N&N
Tesch - C&NW / Soo - Wood tower.
Dickenson County (22)
Antoine - C&NW / MILW - (East of)
Norway - W&M / C&NW - Near W&M depot
Eaton County (23)
Charlotte - GTW / MC
Eaton Rapids - MC / LS&MS
Emmet County (24)
None identified
Genesee County (25)
Flint - GTW / PM - Downtown (old main lines)
Flint - GTW / Electric - Crapo Street
Flint - GTW / PM - North Kearsley (PM Belt - New Main Line, Old GTW main line)
Flint - GTW / PM - South Kearsley (PM Old Main, GTW main line)
Gladwin County (26)
None identified
Gogebic County (27)
None identified
Grand Traverse County (28)
Interlochen - PM / M&NE
Traverse City - GR&I / PM - Kerry - Tower
Gratiot County (29)
None identified
Hillsdale County (30)
Jonesville - LS&MS / LS&MS - Fort Wayne Jct.
Houghton County (31)
Calumet - H&TL / MR - Calumet Tower
Dollar Bay - CR / MR
Osceola - MR / H&E
Sidnaw - DSS&A / MILW - Auto interlocking
Huron County (32)
Pigeon - GTW / PM
Ingham County (33)
East Lansing - GTW / PM - Trowbridge Tower
Lansing - GTW / MC / LS&MS - Cedar Street
Lansing - MC / PM / Electric - Michigan Avenue (MA) Tower
Lansing - MC / PM / Electric - North Lansing
Lansing - GTW / Electric - Washington Avenue
Lansing - LS&MS / Electric - Washington Avenue
Ionia County (34)
Ionia - PM / GTW - Not interlocked. Protected by a derail on the PM and target lamp in 1944.
Iosco County (35)
AuSable - D&M / AS&NW
Iron County (36)
None identified
Isabella County (37)
None identified
Jackson County (38)
Jackson - MC - East End (Junction only)
Jackson - MC / Electric - Francis Street
Jackson - MC /MC - Jackson Jct. Yard Crossing (switchtender, later controlled by XN)
Jackson - MC / GTW - MAL Crossing Tower
Jackson - LS&MS / MC / CN - OD Tower
Jackson - MC / MC - Pearl Street Tower (Junction only)
Jackson - MC - XN Interlocking (Depot)
Rives Junction - MC - (Junction, Electric overhead)
Kalamazoo County (39)
Augusta - DT&M / Electric - Half interlocking
Kalamazoo - MC / GR&I - Tower 1
Kalamazoo - MC / LS&MS / GTW / CK&S - BO Tower
Kalamazoo - MC / Electric - North Burdick Street
Kalamazoo - MC - East Avenue
Kalamazoo - GR&I / GTW / LS&MS - Gibson Street
Kalamazoo - CK&S / LS&MS
Richland - CK&S / DT&M - Richland Jct Tower
Schoolcraft - GTW / LS&MS - CF Tower
Vicksburg - GR&I / GTW - Controlled in depot
Kalkaska County (40)
Kalkaska - GR&I / Smith Lumber
Kent County (41)
Elmdale - PM / PM - Crossing, later a junction
Grand Rapids - PM / Electric - Division Street
Grand Rapids - GR&I / GTW / PM and GR&I / PRR - Fuller - Originally a gate, then interlocking
Grand Rapids - LS&MS / PM - Lamar Interlocking
Grand Rapids - PM / Electric - Madison Street
Grand Rapids - GTW / Electric - Plainfield Avenue
Grand Rapids - PM - Plaster Creek JG Interlocking
Grand Rapids - GR&I / MC / PM - Pleasant Street Interlocking Tower
Grand Rapids - PM - Sunnyside
Lowell - GTW / PM - Malta Tower - interlocked crossing.
Sparta - PM / GTW - Saxon Tower
Keweenaw County (42)
None identified
Lake County (43)
Baldwin - PM / PM - Automatic interlocking
Lapeer County (44)
Lapeer - GTW / MC - Lapeer Jct. Tower
Otter Lake - MC / PM / DBC - Tower
Leelanau County (45)
None identified
Lenawee County (46)
Addison - CN / DT&M - Addison Jct. Gate (2 miles east of)
Adrian - LS&MS / DT&I - DT&I Crossing - Interlocking tower
Adrian - Wabash / DT&I - South Adrian - Tower/cabin
Adrian - LS&MS / Wabash - WB Tower
Britton - Wabash / DT&M - Interlocking tower
Lenawee Jct - LS&MS / LS&MS - Gate at depot
Riga - DT&I / LS&MS - Riga Jct. - Automatic interlocking
Tecumseh - LS&MS / DT&I - Tecumseh Jct. Gate
Weston - LS&MS / DT&I - Bimo - Gate
Livingston County (47)
Howell - PM / AA - Annpere Tower (east of)
Lakeland - AA / GTW - Interlocking tower
Luce County (48)
Seney - DSS&A / Manistique Ry
Mackinac County (49)
None identified
Macomb County (50)
Mt. Clemens - GTW / Electric - Cass Avenue
Mt. Clemens - GTW / Electric - Gratiot Avenue
Manistee County (51)
East Lake - PM / M&L
Kaleva - PM / M&NE
Manistee - M&NE / PM
Marquette County (52)
Eagle Mills - DSS&A / LS&I
Ishpeming - C&NW / LS&I
Little Lake - C&NW / LS&I
Marquette - DSS&A / LS&I - Schneider Crossing
Marquette - Industrial crossings north side
Marquette - DSS&A / LS&I - West Yard
Michigamme - C&NW / DSS&A
Milwaukee Jct. - C&NW / DSS&A / MILW - Republic?
Negaunee - C&NW / DSS&A LS&I
Wabiik - C&NW / MILW
Mason County (53)
None identified
Mecosta County (54)
None identified
Menominee County (55)
Menominee - C&NW / MILW
Midland County (56)
Midland - PM / Midland & Hubbard
Missaukee County (57)
None identified
Monroe County (58)
Carleton - PM / DT&I / PRR - Interlocking tower
Dundee - AA / DT&I - Diann Interlocking
Federman - AA / LS&MS - Shanty interlocker
Milan - Wabash / AA - Interlocking tower
Monroe - LS&MS / PM - Dans Street
Monroe - LS&MS / Electric - Elm Street
Monroe - LS&MS / MCRR / D&TSL / T&M - Greenings Tower, later half interlocking with gate
Petersburg - DT&I / LS&MS - Petersburg Jct.
Montcalm County (59)
Greenville - GTW / PM - Tower
Sheridan - GTW / PM - Virgil
Montmorency County (60)
None identified
Muskegon County (61)
Muskegon - GR&I / PM - Fruitport Jct.
Muskegon - GTW / PM - Simpson
Newaygo County (62)
None identified
Oakland County (63)
Oxford - GTW / MC - XN Tower
Pontiac - GTW / Electric - Foote Street
Pontiac - GTW / Electric - Huron Street
Pontiac - GTW / GTW - MAL Junction
Pontiac - GTW / Electric - South Saginaw Street
Pontiac - GTW / Electric - Sanford Street
Pontiac - GTW / Electric - South Blvd.
Rochester - MC / Electric - Main Street
Rochester - MC / GTW - Rochester Jct. Tower, then remote from depot
Royal Oak - GTW / Electric - Fourth Street
South Lyon - PM / GTW - Depot, then Dispatcher controlled
Wixom - PM / GTW - Depot, then Dispatcher controlled
Oceana County (64)
None identified
Ogemaw County (65)
None identified
Ontonagon County (66)
None identified
Osceola County (67)
Reed City - GR&I / PM
Oscoda County (68)
None identified
Otsego County (69)
Gaylord - MC / BCG&A
Ottawa County (70)
Grand Haven - PM / GRGH&M
Walker - GR&I / GTW - Junction
Zeeland - PM Spur / GRGH&C - Half interlocking
Presque Isle County (71)
Calcite - DM & M&LC - Rogers City Jct. A - Tower
Calcite - DM & M&LC - Rogers City Jct. B - Tower
Onaway - DM & Onaway & Northern - near Lobbel Emory Plant - not interlocked
Roscommon County (72)
None identified
Saginaw County (73)
Paines - MC / PM - Junction
Saginaw - PM - 5th Street Junction
Saginaw - PM / Electric - Donald (PM / MRY - Buena Vista Twp.
Saginaw - PM - Fifth Avenue Tower (junction)
Saginaw - PM / MC - Fordney Tower
Saginaw - PM / MC - Hoyt Interlocking Tower
Saginaw - GTW / MC / PM / Electric - Mershon Interlocking Tower
Saginaw - MC / GTW - MX Interlocking Tower
Saginaw - PM / Saginaw River - Interlocked bascule bridge
Saginaw - PM - Washington Avenue
Saginaw - MC / GTW and MC / PM - West Shore
Saginaw - MC / GTW (old line at West Shore)
Saginaw - PM / GTW (old line at West Shore)
Zilwaukee - MC / Electric - Half Interlocking
St. Clair County (74)
Port Huron - GTW - 16th Street (junction)
Port Huron - GTW / PM - Tappan Interlocking Tower
St. Joseph County (75)
Sturgis - GR&I / LS&MS / LS&MS - RK Tower
Three Rivers - MC / LS&MS - VA Tower
Wasepi - GR&I / MC - Interlocking Tower
Sanilac County (76)
None identified
Schoolcraft County (77)
Inland Jct - Soo / Industrial
Manistique - M&LS / Soo
Shiawassee County (78)
Owosso - AA / Electric - Corunna Avenue
Owosso - GTW / Electric - Washington Street
Tuscola County (79)
Akron - PM / D&DC
Vassar - MC / PM - Vassar Jct.
Van Buren County (80)
Grand Junction - MC / PM
Washtenaw County (81)
Manchester - LS&MS / LS&MS - Manchester Jct. - Crossing, later dual junction/switches
Pittsfield - AA / LS&MS - Pittsfield Jct. - Automatic interlocking
Ypsilanti - MC / LS&MS - Junction, west of depot
Ypsilanti - LS&MS / Electric - Washtenaw Avenue
Wayne County (82) - Detroit Terminal
Dearborn - DT / PM / Electric - Michigan Avenue Tower
Dearborn - PM - Rouge Telegraph Tower (Yard entrance)
Dearborn - MC / DT&I - Schaefer Interlocking Tower
Dearborn - MC / MC - Town Line (shanty at junction) "J"
Dearborn - DT / DSR - Warren Avenue
Detroit - MC Depot - 15th Street Interlocking Tower (east end)
Detroit - MC Depot - 20th Street Interlocking Tower (west end)
Detroit - MC - Bay City Jct. Interlocking Tower
Detroit - GTW / MC / LS&MS - Beaubien Street Interlocking Tower - later dual junction/switches
Detroit - GTW / MC - Belt Line Jct. Interlocking Tower
Detroit - MC / DSR - Campau Avenue
Detroit - Clay Avenue
Detroit - PRR / MC - Forman Street Crossing by PRR
Detroit - DT&I / DSR - Dearborn Avenue
Detroit - MC / LS&MS / PM / Wabash / DSR - Delray Interlocking Tower
Detroit - DT / GTW - Ford Jct.
Detroit - GTW / DSR - Forest Avenue
Detroit - DT / GTW - Forest Lawn Interlocking Tower
Detroit - MC / GTW - Forest Lawn
Detroit - MC / LS&MS / DSR - Fort Street
Detroit - PM / PRR / Electric - Shanty - later an underpass
Detroit - GTW / DSR - Gratiot Avenue
Detroit - MC / DSR - Gratiot Avenue
Detroit - DT / DSR - Jefferson Avenue
Detroit - Wabash / DSR - Jefferson Avenue
Detroit - PM / Wabash / DSR - Junction Avenue
Detroit - PRR / DT - Livernois Avenue
Detroit - GTW / DSR - Mack Avenue
Detroit - GTW / DSR - Milwaukee Avenue
Detroit - GTW / MC - Milwaukee Junction Tower
Detroit - MC / DT - North Yard Interlocking Tower
Detroit - GTW / DSR - Oakland Avenue
Detroit - DT&I / Wabash - Oakwood Junction
Detroit - MC / D&TSL - Peninsular Salt Works
Detroit - MC / LS&MS / Rouge River - Rouge Bridge Interlocking Tower
Detroit - FSUD / UBoD - Sixth Street Tower (entrance to Fort Street Union Station)
Detroit - DSR / DT / PRR - Twelfth Street
Detroit - GTW / DUR - Vandyke Street
Detroit - MC - Vinewood (swithtender - junction)
Detroit - MC / LS&MS and PM / Wabash / DSR - Warren Avenue
Detroit - MC / LS&MS / Wabash - Waterman Avenue Switchtender
Detroit - MC / LS&MS / GTW / Wabash - West Detroit Interlocking Tower
River Rouge - Wabash / Rouge River - Bridge Tower
River Rouge - MC / LS&MS - YD Interlocking Tower
River Rouge - D&TSL / Wabash - Victoria Avenue
Wayne County (82) - Outside Detroit
Ecorse - MC / D&TSL - Mill Street
Eloise - MC Spur / Electric - Half Interlocking
Plymouth - PM / PM
Plymouth - PM / Interurban - Main Street
Romulus - Wabash / PM - Interlocking Tower
Sibley - DT&I / MC Spur -
Taylor - PRR / DT&I - Penford Interlocking tower
Trenton - DT&I / D&TSL / MC / LS&MS - FN Interlocking Tower
Trenton - MC / D&TSL - Slocum Junction (NE Wye)
Trenton - MC / D&TSL - Slocum Junction (SE Wye)
Wayne - MC / PM - Wayne Junction Interlocking Tower
Wyandotte - MC Spur / DUR - Half Interlocking
Wyandotte - DT&I / DUR - Half Interlocking
Wyandotte - DT&I / MC Spur - Half Interlocking
Wexford County (83)
Cadillac - GR&I / AARR - automatic interlocking
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DeKalb County, IN
None identified
Elkhart County, IN
Elkhart - LS&MS / MC - "B" Interlocking Tower
LaGrange County, IN
None identified
LaPorte County, IN
None identified
Porter County, IN
Porter - MC / LS&MS / E&JE / PM - Porter Interlocking Tower "PO"
St. Joseph County, IN
Under construction
Steuben County, IN
Steubenville Tower - Wabash 4th district / LSMS Fort Wayne Branch
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Fulton County, OH
Wauseon Tower - LSMS / DT&I (old line) - in Wauseon
Wauseon - Wabash / DT&I (old line) crossing - north of Wauseon
Wauseon - LSMS / Wabash Tower (east side of Wauseon)
Lucas County, OH
Alexis Tower - LSMS/NYC Detroit Lines / AARR / PM - North side of Toledo
Boulevard Tower - TTRR / D&TSL
Broadway - LSMS West Entrance to Toledo Union Station
Fassett Street Tower - LSMS Main Line / W&LE Belt Line - east of Maumee Bridge
Galena Interlocking - PRR and AARR (remote from Olive)
Gould Tower - Wabash / Clover Leaf / TTRR - Southwest of Toledo
Hallett - Ann Arbor main line / TTRR / PRR / MC - North side of Toledo
Ironville Tower - W&LE / TTRR east of Maumee River
JN Tower - B&O / W&LE Belt Line - north end of Rossford Yard - jct. with PRR and NYC
Maumee Bridge - LSMS
Maumee Bridge - PRR Olive Interlocking
Maumee Bridge - TTRR Lower
Maumee Bridge - W&LE
Millard Junction - TTRR / Dock lines
Nasby - LSMS Main / TTRR - West entrance to Airline Yard
Swan Creek - LSMS Old Road / LSMS Detroit Line - East entrance to Airline Yard
Tower K - LSMS/MC / TTRR
Vulcan - LSMS Old Road / TTRR - Tower. West side of Toledo
Wabash Tower - LSMS Main Line / Wabash - near Union Depot
Z Tower - LSMS Detroit Line and LSMS Old Road - Near Airline Yard
Williams County, OH
Alvorton Tower - Wabash 3rd Division / Cincinnati Northern
DV Tower - Bryan - LSMS / Cincinnati Northern
West Unity Tower - Wabash 1st Division / Cincinnati Northern
Wood County, OH
Bates Tower - B&O / TTRR - east side of Maumee River, south of Toledo
JX Tower (junction), Milbury - LSMS Main Line / LSLS Norwalk Branch
Vickers Tower - LSMS Main / TTRR - East side of Toledo area
Maumee Bridge - TTRR Upper
Stanley Tower - TTRR / T&OC - north end of Stanley Yard
WI Tower - Witmore - PRR and T&OC
WB Tower - C&O / PRR - north of Walbridge Yard
WR Tower - C&O / TTRR - north of Walbridge Tower
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Florence County, WI
None identified
Forest County, WI
None identified
Iron County, WI
None identified
Marinette County, WI
None identified
Vilas County, WI
None identified
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Algoma County, ON
None identified
Essex County, ON
CASO Tower 1 - Windsor - CASO / Tunnel
CASO Tower 2 - Windsor - CASO / Depot
CASO Tower 3 - Windsor - CASO / Depot
CASO Tower 4 - Windsor
CP / Essex Terminal Crossing
Pelton Tower
Lambton County, ON
None identified
Bibliography
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
- [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
- [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
- [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
- [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
- [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI