Semphore Relic

click to enlarge
Railroad Semaphore Signal Tower
Old Semophore Signal Tower
Dwight, Illinois

On a recent drive through Dwight, Illinois, I spotted three of these odd structures along the Amtrak tracks. It appears they once held the old semophore signals before electric signals were used.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

TOm,

Is this along I-55? I traveled to St. Louis and back this weekend and saw what I think was the same structure both ways. Strange that no others seem to remain but this one.

Anthony

Eddie said...

This particuar structure, is known as a signal bridge. Sometimes these were refered to as Cantaliever Signal Bridges. They came in different variations. Some of them had Semaphore signals like what used to be at Chicago's Brighton Junction, were as others had target block indicator signals, wich are pretty much the industry standard today.
This one looks like it has since been decomisioned, and may have had block target signals.

Thank You.
Eddie.

Tom Gill said...

Anthony,

Yes, this was along the tracks next to old RT 66 that runs parallel to I 55. It was just north of Dwight, IL. There were two along a mile stretch of that track, and another on the same tracks but right inside the town of Dwight.