A Sentinel to Safety

A Sentinel to Safety. Tower 16. As friendly as a school crossing guard and as commanding of respect as a military sentinel, Tower 16 stood at the junction of two railroad tracks and gave the determining nod as to which train had the right of way and which one had to stop. It was a job faithfully and safely executed for nearly 100 years in Sherman, Texas. The two railroad lines that intersected there were the tracks of the Southern Pacific-Frisco Railroad running north and south, and the tracks of the Texas and Pacific running east and west at grade. A new and completely automated system was put in place in October 2001, ending the need for Tower 16. , Tower 16 officially began its work on July 18, 1903, when it was authorized for operation by the Railroad Commission of Texas. Most likely, it was standing and operating in the months prior to the official commission date. It was retired from service on October 23, 2001, some 98 years after it began operation. , Tower 16 was the control tower for the interlocking plant, which is a railroad term for a grade crossing. The purpose of the tower was to give a red light to one direction and a green light to the other and to control traffic through the interlocker. This was accomplished with a system of signal lights and a blocking control bed. A bank of metal handles, many worn bright with nearly 100 years of use, controlled the electrical signals sent off to the signal lights. Trains coming into the interlocker had an approach signal and an absolute controlling signal at each entrance to the plant (crossing). When that signal turned green, the train could go. If it was red, the train had to stop and wait. , An interlocking tower had to be staffed with a control operator who ran the plant, talked to the trains, and decided which ones would stop and which would go. The tower also controlled a segment of track to the next junction. Many of the interlocking plants were manned by railroad employees 24 hours per day, 365 days per year from the time they opened until they were abandoned or replaced by automatic interlocking plants. Automatic systems allow train crews to check the clearance electronically before gaining access, thereby no longer requiring towers and operators., Tower 16 protected the crossing of the Texas and Pacific line from Sherman to Texarkana (built 1873-1876), the Houston and Texas Central from Dallas to Denison (built 1873) and the St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas from Denison to Irving (built 1901-1902). , At its closure, Tower 16 controlled the BNSF line from the south side of the Red River bridge north of Denison to the South Sherman Junction. The BNSF received approval from federal regulators to retire the entire signal system controlled by Tower 16. But to do so, the diamond (where the tracks crossed at an angle) at the crossing in Sherman had to be removed. , Tower 16 was the last working interlocking tower in North Texas; only Tower 17 in Rosenberg survived longer before being shut down in January 2004. Jim Hollis BNSF train dispatcher working from Fort Worth, worked to save Tower 16 from destruction. His desire was to see the building and the working equipment from three eras of railroad history preserved in a historical setting. His dream came true when the City of Grapevine came forward with a plan and a perfect spot right next to the Cotton Belt railroad tracks at Main Street. , This ca. 1930s photo shows Tower 16 in Sherman looking south along the Dallas-Denison mainline of the Southern Pacific. In the right background is the imposing Sherman Union Depot. Photo from the collection of Dennis Hogan., The City of Grapevine welcomed Tower 16 to its new home. Tower 16 stands with the historic Cotton Belt Depot, the 1888 Section Foreman's House, the 1927 railroad turntable and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad's historic railroad equipment including Putty - the 1896 Steam Engine. Tower 16 is a vital component of educational tours preserving the railroad history of North Texas. Students, citizens and visitors give it a nod of approval. Tower 16 is still at work, telling its story as an interlocking tower. , With Appreciation to: , City Council , Mayor William Date . Mayor Pro Tem Ted Ware . Council Member C. Shane Wilbanks . Council Member Sharron Spencer . Council Member Clydene Johnson . Council Member Darlene Freed . Council Member Roy Stewart . City Manager Roger Nelson , Convention and Visitors Bureau Board , Mr. Don Bigbie, Chairman . Mr. Philip Cloud . Mr. Bill Brink . Mr. Steve Stinson . Ms. Kathee Livengood . Mr. Ev Barnes . Mr. Paul C. Slechta . Mr. Bill Bretches . Mr. Tom Smith . Mr. Paul W. McCallum, Executive Director , Restoration by: , Structures and Interiors , Mike Lease, President . Jason Fallis . Sonny Hooker . Mathew Peyton . Rod Teddar . Bobby Wright , Jonsco Painting Company , John Zimmerer, President . Mike Bowen, Vice President, Grapevine Mirror and Glass , Fred and Doris Beagle, Owners . Eddie Campbell . Pablo Rameriz , A-Ware House Movers , Timmy Joe Ware, Owner . Mark Bird . Jamie Dickson , City of Grapevine Public Works Department staff: , Danny Porter, Supervisor. Kevin Aslin . Juan Bogan . Candido Chavez . Josh Coburn . Ted Craig . Jose Gandara . Donnie Hamilton . Kirk Howard . John Martinez . Ty Pleasant . Rodney Rankin . Joaquin Sanchez . John Sluck . Joe Walsh . Rob Woodard .