Baltimore, MD: North Ave. (NA) Tower: B&O vs. Pennsy

(Satellite, the tower was probably removed to add more lanes to I-83.)

Note the replacement diamonds in the foreground. I-83 is the bridge on the right and the arch bridges are for Howard Street.

Bill Rettberg Jr. posted
[This] is uptown on the Belt Line. Photo shows NA tower from the North Ave. bridge. The mainline to Philly is being crossed by the Pennsy line from their Mount Vernon yard. Pennsylvania station can be seen in the distance on the left side of photo.
Tim Shanahan shared

This photo was taken from under the I-83 bridge, and we are looking at the North Avenue Bridge.

Bill Rettberg Jr. posted
westbound Dive Bomber passing NA tower in Baltimore. 1966
Tim Shanahan shared

This excerpt provides some context. Note that the B&O enters the area in the upper-right corner.

1953/53 Baltimore West and East Quads @ 24,000

Since I-83 had yet to be built in the 1953 map, I got the map closest to the date of the photo. A satellite shows that some grade separation work was done between the time of these maps and now.

1953/67 Baltimore East Quad @ 24,000

I could not decide which pier of the I-83 bridge the tower was setting in front of, so I hauled out the big gun and got an aerial photo. This shows that they also got rid of some buildings to do the grade separation work. And that they probably removed the tower to add some more lanes to I-83.

Feb 21, 2024 @ 24,000; AR1VBLA00020056

Darren Reynolds posted seven photos with the comment: "B&O/PRR     'NA' tower (North Ave.) Baltimore, Maryland."

1

"NA" tower was at the crossing of the PRR (NC) branch from Mount Vernon yard and the B&Os Philadelphia Line. The crossing was one of only a few in Baltimore.

Photo by: Robert Staples January 1984

2

"NA" tower Bob was standing on the PRR (CR) in this picture with the Basking in the sunlight.

Photo by: Bob Uhland

3

Operator Bob Uhland Lining a train through the Howard street tunnel with the Pennsy style interlocking machine

At "NA" tower.

Photo by: Bob Uhland

4

Inside of "NA" tower Note the small CTC machine on the desk.

Photo by: Bob Uhland

5

WM Eng -7546 and B&O Eng- 4000 eastbound crossing the diamond at "NA" tower .

Photo by: Bob Uhland

Ronald George: I was regular Engineer on NE84/NE87 Jerry Harris was my regular conductor Charlie Porter was the brakeman and Jack Pierce was the flagman going back years ago. Those jobs were 7 days a week jobs. Mortgage lifers.

6

Looking down the PRR (NC) branch at "NA" tower

Photo by: Bob Uhland

7

"NA" tower at night with the Pennsylvania railroad

Single.

Photo by: Bob Uhland

All images from North American interlockings States A to Z and Canada...

Darren Reynolds posted six photos, this was the only new one.

"NA" tower in the dark with the PRR Signals lit..

Photo by: Bob Uhland (No Date)