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Near Union in McHenry County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Spaulding Tower

 
 
Spaulding Tower Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 6, 2010
1. Spaulding Tower Marker
Inscription.
For over 90 years, this classic Midwestern interlocking tower protected the junction of the Milwaukee Road and the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern at Spaulding, just east of Elgin, Illinois.

Originally built around 1890 when the EJ&E extended north toward Waukegan, the tower was expanded to its present size when the Milwaukee Road added a second main and a yard lead in 1909. It housed a 36-lever hand-operated interlocking machine to control all of the track switches and signals at Spaulding. The junction was converted to centralized control and the tower closed in the 1980's.

Spaulding Tower was donated to IRM in 1988 by the EJ&E and by Metra and the Soo Line, which took over the Milwaukee Road route after the line's bankruptcy. IRM volunteers dismantled the huge interlocking machine before the upper story of the building was cut off, and both halves were moved by truck to Union. IRM crews reassembled the building and restored it to its 1950's appearance.
 
Erected by Illinois Railway Museum.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.
 
Location. 42° 13.779′ N, 88° 31.735′ W. Marker is near Union, Illinois, in McHenry County. Marker and tower are about
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100 feet northwest of the entrance to the Illinois Railway Museum grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7000 Olson Road, Union IL 60180, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Towers and Interlocking Plants (here, next to this marker); The Elgin & Belvidere Electric Company/Rebirth of the Elgin & Belvidere (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); 1851 Marengo Station (about 500 feet away); Indiana Harbor Belt 1181 (about 500 feet away); Simplex Type Automatic Coupler (about 600 feet away); Couplers (about 600 feet away); Railroad Brakes / Westinghouse Automatic Air Brakes (about 600 feet away); Railroad Standard Time (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Union.
 
Also see . . .
1. Interlocking Towers, Protecting "Blocks" Of Railroad. American Rails entry (Submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.) 

2. Illinois Railway Museum. Museum website (Submitted on January 22, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.) 

3. IRM Spaulding Tower Webcam. (Submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
 
Spaulding Tower and Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 6, 2010
2. Spaulding Tower and Marker
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on October 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,073 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on December 24, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

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Mar. 28, 2024