Photo from the Age of Steam Museum Collection.
We are working on providing a historic perspective on Tower 60. For now, the below information about recent changes to the interlocker located in North Fort Worth is outlined for us by Pat Flynn.
On November 20, 2000 the complex trackage of the Fort Worth & Western (former Cotton Belt), Union Pacific ( ex-Rock Island) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (original Fort Worth and Denver) at the location know as Tower 60, just north of downtown, was modified. The goal was to eliminate one of the four crossings-at-grade, and replace the deteriorating and expensive to maintain diamond. The FWWR three diamonds with the BNSF (both former FW&D and Santa Fe) and UP were not affected.
The "southernmost" crossing of the four, the UP / BNSF one, has been replaced with a pair of dual-control switches. The UP route (north and south) is now the "straight rail" thru the east side of Tower 60. BNSF trains on the old "Denver" main now must use the diverging route of both switches in order to travel between Tower 55 downtown and North Yard. Signals were changed on the old FW&D line to reflect the new track arrangement, namely the adding of double target approach signals, and another signal head added at Tower 60.
This new layout of Tower 60 (which is still controlled by the BNSF DS-22 dispatcher, the old ATSF Ft Worth Sub) will allow for several possible new routes. There has long been talk of getting a connection track between the UP and the old BN in order to allow southbound grain trains off the OKT line to switch over to the old BN line as they approach Tower 55, avoiding the steep grade on the UP from Peach, which often requires pushers. Also, BNSF trains bound for the DFW sub (or Waxahachie sub) no longer will have to fiddle with the hand throw switches between the BNSF and UP lines near Peach. The movement to UP tracks will now be accomplished with the power switches and signals at the "new" Tower 60.
Should make for some interesting train routings between Towers
55 and 60.
