Edison Park signals
It's a dreary, snowy afternoon on Christmas 2012, as the 2:30 departure from Chicago kicks up freshly-fallen snow as it slows for its Edison Park stop. The train's riders surely include those headed to their holiday gathering, those headed home from an earlier gathering, and those for whom December 25 is just another work day.
The black iron gantry signal bridge and the horizontal Type E color light signals betray this line's Chicago & North Western heritage, but as 2012 draws to a close, so does the era of these distinctive and venerable signals; Union Pacific's signal modernization on this line has led to the replacement of most of these elderly signals after a service life of around 85 years.
With all the replacements that have taken place in 2012, the Edison Park signal bridge pictured here is the last pristine C&NW bridge with Type E signals remaining in service.
Edison Park signals
It's a dreary, snowy afternoon on Christmas 2012, as the 2:30 departure from Chicago kicks up freshly-fallen snow as it slows for its Edison Park stop. The train's riders surely include those headed to their holiday gathering, those headed home from an earlier gathering, and those for whom December 25 is just another work day.
The black iron gantry signal bridge and the horizontal Type E color light signals betray this line's Chicago & North Western heritage, but as 2012 draws to a close, so does the era of these distinctive and venerable signals; Union Pacific's signal modernization on this line has led to the replacement of most of these elderly signals after a service life of around 85 years.
With all the replacements that have taken place in 2012, the Edison Park signal bridge pictured here is the last pristine C&NW bridge with Type E signals remaining in service.