www.txrrhistory.com - Interlocking Tower 186
- Sherman, Texas
We are still in the research phase on Interlocker 186. We
have been able to view a map of the interlocker in the files of
the Railroad Commission of Texas located at the DeGolyer Library
on the campus of SMU in Dallas, TX and believe we know where this
crossing of the Frisco (SLSF) and an SP Spur Track was located.
See maps below. If you have any information on this
location, please contact us.
Historic Photo of Interlocker 186
We would like to have a historic photo showing the interlocker
at this location.
If you have any information regarding a source for a photo,
please
contact us. |
Modern Photo, Interlocker 186 |
A switch stand and line of trees along a right-of-way
are all the mark the location of the former Interlocker 186.
Location of the above photo is just west of the original SLSF
"Frisco" main line through Sherman. Photo is
looking toward the east. Far tree line parallells the second
Frisco main line built east of the original alignment. Very
little evidence remains of this interlocker. However, there
is one abondoned railroad bridge just west of this location that
helps document the existance of the interlocker. |
Text by: Harry Bilger 1/10/2002:
This track from the SP crossing the Frisco at 186 appears to
be the connection between the SP and MKT. The rail line on indicated
as the MKT line running down Branch St south to Park and then
west to the Cotton Mill (Sherman Manufacturing Co). I never knew
that connection was there, but didn't get down into that part
of town very often. It's pretty rugged in that creek bottom there
with all those woods.
The Cotton Belt connection with the MKT crossed the Frisco up
in town at King Street, where you can still see the gate protecting
the now non-existent crossing. I suspect that the SP used that
connection to the MKT later when the SP and SSW consolidated their
services in Sherman. A Frisco employee timetable from around 1920
(the date of the Sanborn map) should show the crossing and indicate
if it was a gate or tower. My guess would be a manual gate similar
to that at the SSW crossing, only across the Frisco when the connection
was actually being used for a movement.
------------------------
Text by Tom Greco 1/10/2002
There's pretty scant information about this site in any of
my timetables, but here's what I found:
*The SL-SF&T timetable of May 1, 1947 actually lists this
as "T&NO Crossing" at MP 647.0 (from St.Louis),
and shows the crossing as "interlocked" on the schedule
page. However the special instructions have two paragraphs on
signal indications at the crossing, including this:
"Trains finding dwarf home signal displaying a red light
must stop short of the signal, flagman will go to the crossing
and if no T&NO trains or engines using the crossing, proceed
on hand signal from the flagman at the crossing."
This seems to confirm that by 1947, the crossing was an automatic
interlocking. Incidentally, the crossing was 0.1 mile north of
a station called "Stock Track", which had a 59-car siding.
It's quite conceivable that the interlocker would've also controlled
the siding switches (although I'm operating under the assumption
that this was an SP tower, in which case
they might have wanted nothing to do with Frisco switches!).
*SP timetables list "St.L-SW Ry. Crossing" 1.03 miles
south of Sherman, which was in turn shown as 0.02 miles (let's
be precise here!!) south of the T&P Crossing in Sherman. On
the TopoZone map, this distance puts that "crossing"
real close to where we're talking about. No other information
is given about this crossing, and I'm thinking that this would
be where the SSW comes in on the map below and joins the SP at
the north leg of the wye.
*SSW lists an "H&TC Crossing" and later "H&TC-SLSF&T
Crossing", but this last appears to be two separate places.
In 1929, under the heading "Railroad Crossings at Grade",
the timetable lists the SLSF&T Crossing as being at MP 588.5,
which puts it 0.7 miles south of Sherman station. Among the five
crossings listed, only one is specifically shows as "interlocked",
so I'll assume none of the others (including the SLSF&T) were
interlocked in1929.
But let me list my sources for you, in case you get any other
clues:
SL-SF&T Ry.
TT 35-A of 5/1/47
SL-SF/SL-SF&T
TT 39-B of 7/18/55
St.Louis, Arkansas & Texas Ry. (later SSW)
TT 16 of April 27, 1890
SSW Ry of Texas
Texas Division TT 5 of 1/27/29
8 of 1/5/30
9 of 8/22/43
1 of 12/21/47
H&TC RR RR
TT 10 of March 25, 1897
First Division TT 156 of 1/2/10
177 of 5/21/16
SP
Dallas Division TT 183 of 7/31/21
209 of 10/4/31
Dallas & Austin TT 1 of 12/13/31
34 of 10/12/41
Modern Location Map for Interlocker 186
Map by Jim King
Historic Location Map for Interlocker 186
This map image, which dates from the 1920's is from a Sanborn
Fire Insurance map.
