Original Downtown in Plano in Collin County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Rail Switch

Photographed by James Hulse, January 7, 2025

1. Rail Switch Marker

Inscription. This manually operated rail switch was instrumental to the safe operation of the Texas Electric Railway. Railway staff would remove the padlock and flip the manual switch to redirect train cars from the main line to a siding line. This allowed other trains to pass traveling in the opposite direction. When the switch was flipped, the red flag would turn 90° making it visible to the motorman and indicating that the train was set to go to the siding station. Both mechanical and electrically operated rail switches are still used on today's railroads.

Caption
(Photo #1) Switch tender at Sunnyside Yard, Long Island City, c. 1944. Image Courtesy of the New York Transit Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1944.

Location. 33° 1.196′ N, 96° 42.11′ W. Marker is in Plano, Texas, in Collin County. It is in Original Downtown. It is at the intersection of East 15th Street and I Ave on East 15th Street. The marker is located on the grounds of the Interurban Railway Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 901 E 15th St, Plano TX 75074, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region

and in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Tayshas to Texas (here, next to this marker); Creating a Community

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(here, next to this marker); Streets of Historic Downtown Plano (a few steps from this marker); Texas Electric Railway Station (a few steps from this marker); Path to Progress (a few steps from this marker); Texas Electric Railway (a few steps from this marker); Pioneering Plano (a few steps from this marker); Plano National Bank / I.O.O.F. Lodge Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Plano.

Also see . . . Interurban Railway Museum - Discover Texas History. (Submitted on January 18, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

The Rail Switch and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, January 7, 2025

2. The Rail Switch and Marker

The Rail Switch image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, January 7, 2025

3. The Rail Switch

Credits. This page was last revised on January 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 18, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 181 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 18, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.