C&EI / TP&W Watseka Tower

C&EI Watseka tower in 1950. Robert McQuown took this photo and used it in a copy of the C&EI Flyer and captioned it as follows:

 

"The tower photo was taken in 1950 when I was working as a relief operator at Watseka. Claude Payne, looking out the south window was still there. He was the operator here in 1922 and he retired June 1st, 1956 after working 49 years and 6 months for the C&EI Railroad, most of it at Watseka tower."

 

Claude Payne is shown with a hire date of December 29th, 1906.

 

View is looking north with the TP&W in the foreground. The space between their track and the tower was where the siding was, that started just left of photo inside the plant. By 1947, this was moved east of the diamond and outside the plant.

 

The C&EI is at far right. The route 24 crossing can be seen as well as the old elevator.

 

WATSEKA TOWER INFO:

 

Built-1893

Railroads-C&EI / TP&W

Interlocking Machine-Stevens (enlarged in 1907)

LEVERS-

12 levers for 12 signals

8 levers for 10 switches

8 levers for 8 F.P.L.

28 working levers

0 spare levers

28 Lever Frame

 

Interlocking configuration was changed by 1947 to move the TP&W siding switch east of the interlocking, so to remove 2 diamonds and the switch from the plant. The elevator track switch off of the northbound main and the siding switch off of the southbound main remained interlocked but would also come off.

 

C&EI Watseka Tower

Operator Claude Payne in window

1950

Watseka, Illinois

Robert W. McQuown photo, C&EIHS Danville Chapter collection.

 

 

Done