Towns and Nature: Ramsey, IL: Junction Tower: NKP (Clover Leaf) and Charter IC

Jacob Hortenstine posted
here is a another photo of Ramsey found on the internet [James Lennon photo] Arthur Shale
Michael Wagner: Love the picture! You can clearly see the Illinois Central tracks too.

Mike Finney posted

Ramsey is another town that has lost both railroads. But they have done a wonderful job of restoring the tower (Street View, Satellite). Fortunately Mike posted to a Public Group. This is just one of a collection of photos, so follow the link to see the other photos. I learned from the comments that they used the telegraph key until the 1970s.

It looks better now then it did while it was still in operation in 1971.

Alan Culley posted

Jacob Hortenstine posted

The long dimension of the tower was along the IC so the foreground track above is the NKP and we are looking northeast. Each railroad had their own depot. More info on the IC depot and water tower.

Jacob Hortenstine posted

Jacob's comment:

1977 Norfolk and Western local Madison Il to Cowden Illinois. GP30 2902 was an ex Nickel Plate Road GP30 902. The photo was taken at Ramsey Illinois. The Ramsey interlock tower was now open just one shift 5 days a week.

Jacob Hartenstine posted

Jacob's comment:

NS rail train at Ramsey Illinois restored tower in background heading to Cowden Illinois to pick up rail Cowden to Coffeen Illinois sad day for me.

Unfortunately, I could not find a date in the posting as to when the rails were removed from the Cowden to Coffeen segment. Because it is on a curve, you can see that the train has the special cars that can hold rail segments whose length is the entire length of the train

Jacob Hartenstine posted, IC in center, NKP on right

Jacob Hartenstine posted, looking south along IC

Jacob Hartenstine posted, looking north along IC

Barry Lennon has a 1966 photo that is from the NKP perspective as opposed to the above IC perspective.

Jacob Hortenstine posted
Ramsey Illinois looking east NKP tracks Illinois Central crossing mid 1950's

Alan Culley posted, 2011

Satellite

This confirms that 7th Street on the southwest was built on the NKP RoW and that 6th street on the east side was also built on the NKP RoW. The IC went straight north/south between County Rd 750 E and Front St.

Jacob Hortenstine updated a group photo
Ramsey Illinois 1966 Illinois Central Norfolk Western

Benjamin Setter posted
Jacob welcome back to Ramsey Tower with some digital enhancement. Hope you like it. Cheers Benjamin
Jacob Hortenstine's posting

Stephen N. Brannon posted
Ramsey Tower in 1975 when it was still open 24/7 at the crossing with the Nickel Plate St. Louis Main.
Stephen N. Brannon posted
Here's what must have been a lonely 3rd trick train order job at the Interlocking Tower in obscure Ramsey, Illinois where the IC "Charter Line" crossed the NKP main to St. Louis.

Jacob Hortenstine: Never worked for the railroad but grew up in Ramsey was told there were a few card games at night in the tower.

Richard Fiedler shared

Dwain Jerantowski provided two photos in some comments on Richard's share.

1, cropped

2, cropped

Christoph Traugott posted two photos with the comment:

Ramsey Interlock Tower and Nickel Plate Caboose NKP 459 (as N&W 557559) at the intersection of the Illinois Central and Clover Leaf (Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad, part of the Nickel Plate Road), Ramsey, Fayette County, Illinois

Tom Conboy posted
Railroad tower in Ramsey, Illinois (my photos)

The NKP and IC Railroads once crossed here. Both lines are abandoned. I believe the tower is still standing.
Scott Vantine Yes, the tower still stands and the boxcar is still there. There is a caboose on what would have been the other track that crossed at the diamond.

Beau Minnick commented on Tom's post
[The boxcar is setting on the former NKP route. The NKP caboose is setting on the former IC route.]

Jacob Hortenstine posted two photos with the comment: "Ramsey Tower 1972 second photo you can see the train orders Arthur Shale and the train order light to shine on the orders at night"

Patrick Cooney posted three photos with the comment:

Was out on a drive and stopped to look at the tower in Ramsey, IL and it got me thinking; how many towers outside the Chicago area are still standing?
I've come up with the following:
Ramsey, IL (preserved, NKP/IC)
Pana, IL (preserved, IC/B&O/NYC/MoPac)
Shops (Springfield, IL, In use, slated for demo. Wabash/C&IM)
Otto (In use, IC)
South Ashkum (In use, IC)
Webster (Abandoned but still standing, TP&W/KBSR)
Vandalia (In use? Was yard office, mentioned in comments, IC/PRR)
Spaulding (Elgin, IL EJ&E/MILW. Moved to IRM in the 80s)
Stair (MRM, Replica of Gibson City tower.)
SunCoke Energy in Granite City, IL (Seen via Google Earth, appears to be still standing. Unknown if used.)
Fairmont City, IL (located on Conrail road, controls A&S and former CR lines)
Bridge Jct (Peoria, IL TZPR)
Can anyone else think of any still standing towers?

David Forbes: Vandalia, PRR and IC

Tom Podraza: Rondout MILW /Metra, Franklin Park B12 MILW CP Bensenville B17 MILW CP

Patrick Cooney: Tom Podraza Right but I'm talking about outside of the Chicago area. That counts the suburbs lol

Danny Halama: Handy. ?

Patrick Cooney: Danny Halama Honorable mention, but it's just across the border in Indiana.

Will Rasmussen: Willows Tower in East St Louis at the TRRA/NS/CSX diamonds. Tower is closed but owned by CPKC.

Patrick Cooney: Will Rasmussen I'll have to look for pictures!

F.E. DeVries: JB in West Chicago.

Connor Taylor: The PPU (TZPR) tower at the foot of the Illinois River bridge is still in use.

Jon Roma: Connor Taylor, no longer manned by a tower operator as of a few years ago.

Brandi Layne Spalding posted six Aug 22, 2022, photos with the comment

Ramsey Illinois. The Illinois Central RR ran North to South through Ramsey and ran from Chicago to New Orleans with switches to Mobile AL and Sioux City IA. Cloverleaf RR a division of the Nickel Plate RR ran East to West through Ramsey and went from St Louis to Toledo.

I don’t remember what years they stopped running through Ramsey, but the ICRR line was removed before I was born in 1989. The area where it ran though town is now the Lions Park. The NPRR line was removed in 1999 and became the 7th street School access road, but ceased operations through Ramsey prior to 1989.

NPRR had two derailments inside of Ramsey village limits, both of which I believe were in the 1970s. One derailed in 1973 before sunrise into the schoolyard. My dad actually recorded the cleanup and we watched the reels on a rented projector when I was in high school.

I’m hoping soon to make it back home on a weekday to look through the archives at Village Hall to get more information.

Nikki Burgess: The last run of the IC's "Gruber" charter line was in December, 1985. The rails were gone by the end of 1987. A section north of Clinton to Heyward survives and is operated by a shortline.

Brandi Layne Spalding: I did my 7th grade history project on the Ramsey history of the RR. It’s the only town in Fayette Co IL that doesn’t have an active RR running through it, and the history of the US RR system has always interested me. When I make it back to Vandalia IL I’ll have to take photos of the RR River walking trail where ICRR used to run. There’s signs along the trail with the history of the RR in Vandalia.

Tim Shanahan shared

David L White: They did save that tower. That picture looks like it's dated August 22. It looked better in 2015 when an old co-worker and friend visited the tower he had worked in at least a few weeks as a young man. Sadly, it looks like it needs a new coat of paint. https://www.facebook.com/groups/198477530357073/permalink/419034391634718/