urn:taro:smu.00112 Railroad Commission of Texas interlocking towers records A Guide to the Collection Finding aid prepared by Paul H. Santa Cruz, 2009. DeGolyer Library
P. O. Box 750396 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275-0396
Finding aid encoded by Lara Corazalla, 2009. Finding aid written in English. Description based on DACS. Overview DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University Railroad Commission of Texas Railroad Commission of Texas interlocking towers records 1902-1974 6 boxes (6 linear feet) This collection contains correspondence, blueprints, and technical information on the interlocking railroad towers built under the authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas from about 1900 until 1966. The purpose of the towers was to ensure safe passage of trains over intersecting railroad lines or trains switching from one line to another. Each tower was assigned a number; the records in this collection have been arranged in numerical order. A1987.1412 Material is in English Historical Note

The Texas Railroad Commission, the oldest regulatory body in the state, was established in 1891 to regulate the state’s rail lines. In the one hundred years of its existence, the Commission has also been charged with regulating other Texas industries, including the production and distribution of oil and natural gas, as well as trucking and mining. The TRC is considered part of the state government’s executive branch. As such, the body is made up of three commissioners who are elected to six year terms; like U.S. senators, they serve staggered terms, with one up for reelection every two years.

The chief task of the Texas Railroad Commission in its early years was oversight of railroads operating within the state. Charters providing for the construction of rail lines had been issued as early as the late 1830s while Texas was still an independent nation, but it was not until 1853 that the state could boast of its first operating railroad.

Growth of railroads in Texas following the Civil War (as well as the growth of unfair business practices) made regulations governing the industry necessary. In addition, greater use of rail transportation necessitated rules to ensure the safe passage of trains over intersecting and connecting rail lines at locations where trains crossed lines owned by a different company.

Following the passage of state legislation in 1901, the TRC established such rules the following year. Interlocking systems (interlocking towers) were to be built at locations where trains crossed intersecting lines or where trains switched from one line to another; the purpose being to ensure that two trains did not end up on the same line. Railroads were not required to implement interlocking systems, but the TRC’s regulations provided that trains come to a complete stop before crossing or switching onto the other line, in any location for which there was not a system in place. Thus railroads had an incentive to install interlocking towers, at least at heavily-used rail intersections.

The TRC assigned a number to each interlocking tower built, and such towers were constructed over roughly a sixty-year time period. Heavily-used intersections had railroad employees stationed in the towers to alter the switches as needed. The need for such interlocking towers diminished with the advance of technology. By the mid-1960s, the switches at rail intersections could be controlled electronically, making the continued manual operation at each site no longer necessary. In 1966, the final tower was established, number 215 in Bloomington, Texas. Most of the towers are no longer standing.

Sources:

King, Jim. "Railroad Interlocking Towers of Texas." Texas Escapes online magazine: http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasRailroads/Railroad-Interlocking-Towers-of-Texas.htm. Accessed September 29, 2009.

"Railroad Commissioners of Texas." Railroad Commission of Texas: http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/commissioners/index.php. Accessed September 29, 2009.

"Texas Politics: The Executive Branch." September 29, 2009. Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services, University of Texas at Austin: http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/1_9_8.html. Accessed September 29, 2009.

 Scope and Contents of the Collection

Series 1 comprises the majority of this collection, and is made up of correspondence, blueprints depicting railroad lines and the placement of interlocking towers and signals, manipulation charts, and other materials on the interlocking towers built in Texas from about 1900 until 1966. They are arranged in numerical order according to the number assigned to each tower. The correspondence throughout this series concerns both the construction of towers and the changing of interlocking equipment.

Users should note that multiple towers may have been built in or around a city or town; these are not necessarily grouped together, but rather in the order in which they were built and assigned a number.

Users should also note that this collection has records for each interlocking tower (in terms of numerical order, below), except the final one, number 215, which was built at Bloomington in 1966 (from the Historical Note, above). We do not have any records on tower 215 in this collection.

Series 2 contains information on interlocking reports. It is important to note that the material in this series is not of the same time period as the interlocking tower records from Series 1. The interlocking reports date from 1969-1974, and therefore come after the final tower was built in 1966.

 Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized into two series:

Series 1: Railroad Interlocking Towers Series 2: Interlocking Reports Access to Collection:

Collection is open for research use.

 Publication Rights:

Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the Director of the DeGolyer Library.

 Copyright Statement:

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain copyright authorization.

 Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following terms in the Southern Methodist University Libraries' online catalog. Researchers desiring related materials may search the catalog using these terms.

Railroad Commission of Texas. Railroad signal towers -- Texas. Railroads -- Signaling -- Interlocking systems. Railroads -- Buildings and structures -- Drawings. Preferred Citation

Railroad Commission of Texas interlocking towers records, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University.

 Acquisition Information

Acquired, 1987; accession file indicates that this collection is on "long-term loan" from the Texas Railroad Commission.

 Finding aid written by

Paul H. Santa Cruz, 2009.

 Encoded by

Lara Corazalla, 2009.

 Detailed Description of the Collection Series 1: Railroad Interlocking Towers

11Interlocker "A," Galveston 121—Bowie 131—Bowie, part 2 142—San Antonio 153—Flatonia 164—Dalhart 174—Dalhart, part 2 184—Dalhart, part 3 195—Houston (east of, near Buffalo Bayou) 1106—El Paso 1117—College Station 1128—East Waco 1139—Navasota 11410—Dallas 11511—West Orange 11612—Blodgett 11713—Eureka 11814—Chaney Junction 11915—Hearne 12016—Sherman 12117—Rosenberg 12218—joint track, near Hodge 12319—Dallas 12420—Bells 12521—East Waco 12622—East Dallas 12723—Milano 12824—Temple 12925—Houston 2126—Houston 2227—Quanah 2328—Texarkana 2429—Saginaw 2529—Saginaw, part 2 2629—Saginaw, part 3 2730—Harrisburg 2831—east of Beaumont 2932—Beaumont 21033—Bay City 21134—Taylor 21235—Oasis (Caruth) 21336—Bryan 21437—Vernon 21538—Galveston 21639—Kaufman 21740—Luling 21841—Navasota 21942—Texarkana 22042—Texarkana, part 2 22143—Cleburne 22244—Hillsboro 22345—Malone 22446—Hubbard 22547—El Paso 22648—Yarnell 22749—Plano 22850—Morgan 22951—Wallis 23052—Cameron 3153—South Fort Worth 3254—Rockdale 3355—Fort Worth 3455—Fort Worth, part 2 3556—McGregor 3657—Dallas 3758—Alvarado 3859—Waco 3960—Fort Worth 31061—Jefferson 31162—Mineola 31263—Mexia 31364—Greenville 31465—Algoa 31566—El Paso 31667—Waxahachie 31768—Houston (Englewood) 31869—Celeste 31970—Dobbin 32071—Houston 32172—Corsicana 32273—Texas City junction 32374—Beaumont 32475—Amarillo 32576—Houston 32677—Carrollton 32778—Garland 32879—Paris 32980—Percival 33081—Houston 4182—San Angelo 4283—Chillicothe 4384—Houston 4485—Houston 4586—Houston 4687—Houston (Englewood) 4788—Sweetheart 4889—Houston 4990—Victoria 41091—West Point 41192—New Braunfels 41293—Denison 41394—Midlothian 41495—Brenham 41596—Island Causeway 41697—Galveston Causeway 41798—Virginia Point Causeway 41899—Galveston 419100—Elgin 420101—Whitewright 421102—Magnolia Park 422103—Chaison 423104—Bellaire 424105—San Antonio 425106 & 107—Dallas, north and south 426108—Bonner’s Point 427109—San Antonio 428110—Dayton 429111—Trinity 430112—San Antonio 431113—Hyatt (abandoned) 432114—Sugarland 433115—Eagle Lake 434116—Houston, H.B.T. yards 435117—Houston 436118—Dallas, Metzger junction 437119—Dallas 438120—Port Arthur 439121—San Antonio 440122—Ranger 441123—Jefferson 51124—Fort Worth 52125—Mauriceville 53126—Fort Worth 54127—Teneha (revised December 1937) 55128—Ballinger 56129—Tuscola 57130—Grand Saline 58131—Terrell 59132—McNeil 510133—Lancaster 511134—Pierce Junction 512135—Canyon 513136—Pampa 514137—Big Sandy 515138—Harlingen 516139—Houston 517140—Tatsie 518141—Lubbock 519142—Plainview 520143—Devers 521144—East Waco 522145—Edinburg 523146—Edcouch 524147—Lantana 525148—Fullerton 526149—Edinburg (4 miles east) 527150—Eastland 528151—Rosita 529152—Wharton 530153—Amarillo yards 531154—Angleton 532155—Grayburg 533156—Allenhurst 534157—Blessing 535158—Placedo 536159—Mathis 537160—Cisco 538161—Arcola 539162—Sugarland 540163—Sealy 541164—Gainesville 542165—Texas Electric (near Corsicana) 543166—Plano 544167—Hillsboro 545168—West Livingston 546169—Bay City 547170—Conroe 548171—Acme 549172—Stratford 550173—Palestine 551174—Italy 552175—Etter 553176—Jacksonville 554177—Amarillo 555178—Magnolia 556179—Shamrock 557180—Mile Post 952 558181—Mertens 559182—Prosser 560183—Tyler 561184—Corsicana 562185—Diboll 563186—Sherman 61187—Waxahachie 62188—Farwell 63189—Houston 64190—Coburn and Higgins 65191—Marlin 66192—Fort Worth 67193—Sinton 68194—Valley Junction 69195—Pittsburg 610196—El Paso 611197—Robstown 612198—Henrietta 613199—Houston 614200—Athens 615201—Jacksonville 616202—Cleveland 617203—Dublin 618204—Richardson 619205—Houston 620208—Houston 621209—Amarillo 622210—Houston 623211—Corpus Christi 624212—Lockney 625213—Plainview 626214—Houston 627Retirement of facilities at Mankins, TX 628Proposed interlocking changes between Denison, TX and Staley, OK; 1959 629Proposed interlocking changes, Mariposa (Beaumont); 1961 630Proposed interlocking changes, 1946-1971 631Speech of Robert Murphy from Interstate Commerce Commission, 1973 632Proposed track construction and retirement 633Proposed centralized traffic control between Amarillo and Farwell, TX; 1947 634Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Company—signal system modification 635Interlocking orders, 1909-1945 636Icing racks and stock pen platforms, 1947-1951 Series 2: Interlocking Reports

637Interlocking reports, 1969 638Interlocking reports, 1970 639Interlocking reports, 1971 640Interlocking reports, 1972 641Interlocking reports, 1973 642Interlocking reports, 1974

Identification of Interlocking Towers in Texas (Taken from collection accession file) Number & Location Company Character/Machine Authorized Comments A Galveston GH&H Mechanical 1898 -- 1 Bowie CRI&G Mechanical 1902 -- 2 San Antonio -- -- -- Abandoned 1925 3 Flatonia T&NO Mechanical 1902 -- 4 Dalhart CRI&G Mechanical 1902 -- 5 Houston T&NO M-Cabin 1902 Abandoned 1940 6 El Paso T&NO Mechanical 1903 -- 7 College Station I&GN Mechanical 1903 -- 8 East Waco SLSW Mechanical 1903 -- 9 Navasota I&GN Mechanical 1903 -- 10 Dallas H&TC Electrical 1903 Con., 19; 1933* 11 Orange T&NO Mechanical 1903 -- 12 Blodgett GHSA -- -- Abandoned 1915 13 Eureka T&NO Electrical 1903 -- 14 Chaney Junction -- -- -- Abandoned 1915 15 Hearne T&NO Electrical 1903 -- 16 Sherman T&NO Electrical 1903 -- 17 Rosenberg T&NO Electrical 1903 -- 18 North Ft. Worth T&P Mechanical 1903 -- 19 Dallas GC&SF Electrical 1903 -- 20 Bells MKT Mechanical 1903 -- 21 East Waco T&NO Electrical 1903 -- 22 East Dallas T&P Mechanical 1903 -- 23 Milano GC&SF Electrical 1903 -- 24 Temple GC&SF Electrical 1903 -- 25 Houston -- Electrical 1903 Con., 26, 1920s* 26 Houston T&NO Electrical 1903 -- 27 Quanah QA&P Mechanical 1903 -- 28 Texarkana T&P Mechanical 1903 -- 29 Saginaw CRI&G Mechanical 1903 -- 30 Harrisburg T&NO Mechanical 1903 -- 31 Beaumont T&NO Mechanical 1903 -- 32 Beaumont T&NO Electrical 1904 -- 33 Bay City T&NO Electrical 1904 -- 34 Taylor MKT Mechanical 1904 -- 35 Oasis T&NO Mechanical 1904 -- 36 Bryan T&NO Mechanical 1904 -- 37 Vernon SLSF&T Mechanical 1904 -- 38 Galveston T&NO Electrical 1904 -- 39 Kaufman T&NO -- -- Abandoned 1928 40 Luling GH&SA M-Cabin 1904 Abandoned 1933 41 Navasota GC&SF Electrical 1904 -- 42 Texarkana T&P Electrical 1904 -- 43 Cleburne GC&SF Mechanical 1904 Abandoned 1932 44 Hillsboro MKT Mechanical 1904 -- 45 Malone IGN Mechanical 1904 Abandoned 1935 46 Hubbard SLSW Mechanical 1904 Abandoned 47 El Paso T&NO Mechanical 1904 -- 48 Yarnell CRI&G -- -- Abandoned 1908 49 Plano T&NO Electrical 1904 -- 50 Morgan GC&SF Electrical 1904 -- 51 Wallis GC&SF Electrical 1904 -- 52 Cameron GC&SF Electrical 1904 -- 53 Ft. Worth MKT Mechanical 1904 -- 54 Rockdale I&GN Mechanical 1904 -- 55 Ft. Worth T&P Electrical 1904 -- 56 McGregor GC&SF Electrical 1904 -- 57 Dallas MKT -- -- Abandoned 1916 58 Alvarado MKT Mechanical 1904 -- 59 Waco T&NO Mechanical 1904 Con., 21; 1930* 60 Ft. Worth GC&SF Electrical 1905 -- 61 Jefferson LA&T Mechanical 1905 -- 62 Mineola T&P Mechanical 1905 -- 63 Mexia T&NO Mechanical 1906 -- 64 Greenville MKT Mechanical 1906 -- 65 Algoa -- -- -- Abandoned, 1914 66 El Paso -- -- -- Abandoned, 1928 67 Waxahachie MKT Mechanical 1906 -- 68 Englewood T&NO Mechanical 1907 -- 69 Celeste MKT Mechanical 1907 -- 70 Dobbin GC&SF Mechanical 1907 -- 71 Houston T&NO Mechanical 1907 Con., 26; 1931* 72 Corsicana SLSW Mechanical 1907 -- 73 Texas City Jct. T&NO Mechanical 1907 -- 74 Beaumont BSL&W Mechanical 1908 -- 75 Amarillo P&SF Electrical 1908 -- 76 Houston HE&WT Mechanical 1908 Con., 80, 1931* 77 Carrollton SLSW Mechanical 1908 -- 78 Garland GC&SF Electrical 1909 -- 79 Paris T&P Electrical 1909 -- 80 Houston HB&T Mechanical 1913 -- 81 Houston T&NO Mechanical 1910 -- 82 San Angelo GC&SF Electrical 1910 Abandoned, 1930 83 Chillicothe P&SF Mechanical 1910 -- 84 Houston HB&T Electrical 1910 -- 85 Houston HB&T Mechanical 1911 -- 86 Houston HB&T Electrical 1912 -- 87 Houston HB&T Mechanical 1911 -- 88 Sweetwater KCM&O Electrical 1911 Abandoned, 1937 89 Houston -- -- -- Abandoned 90 Victoria T&NO Mechanical 1913 -- 91 West Point MKT Mechanical 1913 -- 92 New Braunfels I&GN Mechanical 1913 -- 93 Denison MKT Electrical—Pneu. 1913 -- 94 Midlothian GC&SF Electrical 1913 -- 95 Brenham T&NO Electrical 1914 -- 96 Galveston Island GH&H Electrical 1912 Oper. from 97 97 Galveston GH&H Electrical 1912 -- 98 Virginia Point GH&H Electrical—Pneu. 1912 Oper. from 97 99 Galveston -- -- -- Abandoned 1914 100 Elgin T&NO Mechanical 1914 -- 101 Whitewright MKT Mechanical 1914 -- 102 Magnolia Park T&NO M-Cabin 1915 -- 103 Chaison T&NO M-Cabin 1915 -- 104 Bellaire T&NO -- -- Abandoned 1935 105 San Antonio T&NO Mechanical 1916 -- 106 Dallas Union Terminal Electrical—Pneu. 1916 -- 107 Dallas Union Terminal Electrical—Pneu. 1916 -- 108 Houston T&NO Electrical 1918 -- 109 San Antonio MKT Mechanical 1918 -- 110 Dayton T&NO -- -- Abandoned 1927 111 Trinity -- M-Cabin 1919 Abandoned 1934 112 San Antonio T&NO Electrical 1919 -- 113 Hyatt T&NO -- -- Abandoned 1927 114 Sugarland T&NO Mechanical 1923 -- 115 Eagle Lake T&NO Electrical 1924 -- 116 Houston HB&T Electrical 1924 -- 117 Houston HB&T Electrical 1924 -- 118 Houston T&NO Electrical 1926 -- 119 Dallas T&P Electrical 1926 -- 120 Port Arthur T&NO M-Cabin 1925 -- 121 San Antonio T&NO Electrical 1925 -- 122 Ranger T&P M-Cabin 1926 -- 123 Jefferson T&P M-Cabin 1925 Abandoned 1941 124 Fort Worth GC&SF M-Cabin 1926 -- 125 Mauriceville BSL&W -- -- -- 126 Fort Worth GC&SF Electrical 1926 -- 127 Teneha GC&SF M-Cabin 1928 -- 128 Ballinger GC&SF M-Cabin 1927 -- 129 Tuscola GC&SF M-Cabin 1927 -- 130 Grand Saline T&P M-Cabin 1926 -- 131 Terrell T&P Electrical 1927 -- 132 McNeil T&NO M-Cabin 1928 -- 133 Lancaster H&TC M-Cabin 1928 Abandoned 1934 134 Pierce Jct. I&GN -- -- -- 135 Canyon P&SF Electrical 1927 -- 136 Pampa P&SF Electrical 1928 -- 137 Big Sandy T&P Electrical 1928 -- 138 Harlingen SLB&M Mechanical 1928 -- 139 Houston T&NO Electrical 1928 -- 140 Tatsie T&NO -- -- -- 141 Lubbock P&SF -- -- -- 142 Plainview P&SF -- -- -- 143 Devers T&NO M-Cabin 1923 Abandoned 1930 144 Waco MKT Mechanical 1928 -- 145 Edinburg T&NO -- -- -- 146 Edcouch SLB&M -- -- -- 147 Latana SLB&M -- -- -- 148 Fullerton BSL&W -- -- Abandoned 149 Edinburg T&NO M-Cabin 1928 -- 150 Eastland T&P -- -- -- 151 Rosita T&NO -- -- -- 152 Wharton T&NO -- -- -- 153 Amarillo P&SF -- -- -- 154 Angleton SLB&M -- -- -- 155 Grayburg BSL&W -- -- Abandoned 1933 156 Allenhurst -- -- -- Abandoned 1932 157 Blessing T&NO -- -- -- 158 Placedo SLB&M -- -- -- 159 Mathis T&NO -- -- -- 160 Cisco T&P -- -- -- 161 Arcola I&GN -- -- -- 162 Sugarland Jct. GC&SF -- -- -- 163 Sealy MKT -- -- -- 164 Gainesville GC&SF -- -- -- 165 Corsicana -- -- -- -- 166 Plano -- -- -- -- 167 Hillsboro MKT -- -- -- 168 West Livingston T&NO -- -- -- 169 Bay City SLB&M -- -- -- 170 Conroe I&GN -- -- -- 171 Acme FW&DC -- -- -- 172 Stratford CRI&G -- -- -- 173 Palestine I&GN -- -- -- 174 Italy MKT -- -- -- 175 Etter P&SF -- -- Abandoned 1939 176 Jacksonville I&GN -- -- -- 177 Amarillo P&SF -- -- -- 178 Magnolia I&GN -- -- Abandoned 1940 179 Shamrock CRI&G -- -- -- 180 Mile Post 952 -- -- -- Abandoned 1936 181 Mertens I&GN -- -- Abandoned 1940 182 Prosser T&NO -- -- -- 183 Tyler SLSW -- -- -- 184 Corsicana T&NO -- -- -- 185 Diboll T&NO -- -- March 1944 186 Sherman SLSF -- -- -- 187 Waxahachie B-RI -- -- -- 188 Farwell P&SF -- -- -- 189 Houston HB&T -- -- -- 190 Canadian P&SF -- -- -- 191 Marlin -- -- -- -- 192 Fort Worth CRI&P -- -- -- 193 Sinton SLB&M -- -- -- 194 Valley Jct. Mo. Pac. -- -- -- 195 Pittsburg SLSW -- -- -- 196 El Paso T&NO -- -- -- 197 Robstown Mo. Pac. -- -- -- 198 Henrietta FW&D -- -- -- 199 Houston HB&T -- -- -- 200 Athens SLSW -- -- -- 201 Jacksonville SLSW -- -- -- 202 Cleveland T&NO -- -- -- 203 Dublin MKT -- -- -- 204 Richardson GC&SF -- -- -- 205 Austin I&GN -- -- -- 206 San Marcos I&GN -- -- -- 207 Houston T&NO -- -- -- 208 Houston HB&T -- -- -- 209 Amarillo -- -- -- -- 210 Houston HB&T -- -- --
(Accession file for this collection did not have information on towers 211-215.) *Con.—"Consolidated"