www.txrrhistory.com - Interlocking Tower
83 - Chillicothe, Texas
Chillicothe was settled in the early 1880s, a few years before
the arrival of the Ft. Worth & Denver City Railway in 1887.
A second railroad, the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Railway,
built through the town in 1908 as part of Arthur Stilwell's dream
of constructing a line to Topolobampo, Mexico, the nearest Pacific
port to Kansas City. In 1910, a manual interlocking tower, Tower
83, was built at the crossing of the two railroads. The KCM&O
was sold to the Santa Fe railroad in the 1920s and the tracks
remained in service into the 1980s before finally being abandoned
in the 1990s. Meanwhile, the FW&DC has become a major BNSF
route between Ft. Worth and Amarillo. The eventual fate of Tower
83 is not known and a photo of it has not been located.
Tower 83 - crossing of KCM&O - FtW&DC
We do not have a photo of the interlocking tower at this
location. If you have a historic photo showing the tower
at this location or any information regarding this location,
please contact us.
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Modern Photo of Interlocker 83
Facing due south, the end of the line for the former Kansas City,
Mexico & Orient Railway at Chillicothe is just shy of the
Ft. Worth & Denver City (FW&DC) crossing where the diamond
was removed in the mid-1990s. Tower 83 would have undoubtedly
been visible in this view prior to its demise. This ex-KCM&O
line is also abandoned to the north, but a small segment was left
in place to serve as an industrial spur accessible from the FW&D
(now BNSF) main. Note the old-style interlocker cabinet at right
of center. As recently as 1996, the diamond was gone but the north/south
approach signals were still in place and lighted red, providing
a very strange sight! Beyond the crossing and invisible in the
trees straight ahead, the derelict former Santa Fe depot still
stands, waiting for a stiff wind. Photo by Jim King
Tower 83 Location Map
Map by Jim King
