Joliet, IL: JO Tower: GM&O/Alton vs. G&O/Alton

Bill Molony posted
Bill posted again, and again

South of Joliet, the UP/GM&O/Chicago & Alton branched.

Satellite

The west branch had a little yard and then paralleled Santa Fe down along the Des Plaines River. The east branch ran more directly to the south to Wilmington than southwest. This branch is now the main UP branch through the area. According to the 2005 SPV Map, the JO Tower was at that branch and at the head of the yard.

Update: Randy James posted Glenn Anderson's photo.

Brian Watt commented on Brian Marra's posting
JO Tower from 1974. My photo.
Brian Watt posted
JO TOWER @ JOLIET IL JUN 1974
Dennis DeBruler: I always like a photo of a tower that still has its paint and signaling pipelines or rods.

Brian Watt commented on his post
JO tower was at Rose Ave approx even with Mills Road to the east. See footprint below.
[https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5036321,-88.0866004,43m/data=!3m1!1e3]

Frank Smitty Schmidt posted two photos with the comment:

Detroit Photographic Co photo of an interlocking tower at Joliet in the early 1900's.
In the second photo, I cropped the original photo to show men standing at the tower door. I also see a bridge just pass the tower, and a steeple in the distance on the left side.
My best educated guess is that this was the South Joliet tower.
From the chicagorailfan website:
SOUTH JOLIET
Mechanical interlocking installed 1901
Closed around 1970's
Location of former Alton Route yard, and junction of two former alternate routes south to Mazonia. Presently, Union Pacific and Amtrak trains use the more direct route south via Wilmington. While previously, the alternate route would proceed west to Plaines, joining a paired track operation with the Santa Fe.
Also:
EARLY CTC INSTALLATIONS
South Joliet-Plaines
Installed 1934, control machine at South Joliet tower
Alternate route at Plaines joined a paired track operation with the Santa Fe, which continued southwest to Coal City, then an Alton line south to Mazonia, joining the regular route. In later years, trains would instead use the Santa Fe tracks between Joliet and Plaines, enabling downgrading of this route from South Joliet.

Bill Edrington Yes, that's "JO", which lasted into the ICG era.

Dan Tracy The towers foundation is partially buried under the current UP alignment. A result of the new bridge over Hickory Creek moving the tracks east about 25 feet.

1
Dave Durham posted
Joliet Interlocking plant, unsure of date, Detroit Photographic Co.

2

It looks like a lot changed in this area between the early 1900s and 1939 because I can't determine where it is in the aerial image.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Update:

Chicago Odyssey 1 Screenshot @ -4:05