Paris, IL: Midland Junction: Big Four vs. Big Four and Big4 vs. Pennsy

Tower: (Satellite)

Also controlled: (Satellite, the Pennsy route was abandoned)

 

Daniel Briseño posted
A beautiful shot of A Tower at Midland Yards in Paris Illinois.

Charlie DeWeese: I worked there for three weeks in the 1960-1962 time frame when the first trick operator wanted his three weeks vacation suddenly because his brother had shown up from so far away location. I was on the extra board for the NYC and that was the only time I worked three weeks straight. Do not recall names.

Tim Shanahan shared

Stephen N. Brannon posted
Midland Tower, Paris, Illinois. Crossing of NYC Big Four Indianapolis-St. Louis main with Big Four northern Indiana-Cairo line and PRR Terre Haute-Peoria line.

Charlie DeWeese: Midland was a neat tower to work. On the extra board for NYC I worked first trick for the three week vacation of the regular operator in the summer of 1962, I think.

The basic interlocking was armstrong and the switches were powered not rod connected. There was also a manual block signal at the north end of Midland Yard.

Stephen commented on his post
Here is a Form 19 train order copied at Midland on Oct. 30, 1965.

Stephen N. Brannon posted
Another view of Midland Tower in Paris, Illinois looking eastward on the NYC Big Four main.

Doug Nipper: Thanks for using my photo!

Daniel Briseño posted two photos with the comment: "A couple pictures of A Tower with The Corner Cupboard in Paris Illinois."

Tim Shanahan shared with the comment: "Paris Illinois."

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Mark Hinsdale posted a couple of photos of "a Soo Line, ex Milwaukee Road "Southeastern" (Bensenville IL to Louisville KY) manifest train rounds the former connecting track between the Danville ('Egyptian Line') Branch and the ex New York Central main line from Terre Haute to St. Louis at Paris IL in March, 1987."

[This junction would be the intersection of the yellow and orange lines on the map in Railroad Hub. All three of these tracks still exist, but the northeast quadrant connector is now part of the mainline and the other two are effectively industrial spurs.
The first photo was taken a little after the second photo was taken.]

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Robert Sartain Flickr 1978 Photo of the Midland Tower. (source)
"Conrail Midland tower guarded the railroad crossing and connection between Conrail's Main Line, Davis-Lenox and the Cairo Branch, in Paris, Illinois. 1978-12-16."
vandalialine It also controlled the interlocked crossing of the PRR's Peoria branch with the Big Four St. Louis main.

Ryan Ellington posted
Paris Illinois
Dave Ritter: Midland yard at one time had a horse baggage car and some x29 boxcars stored in there. But nothing was saved after the Wabash Valley/ Prairie Central shut down.
Eric Peddicord: What railroads went through Paris?

Dennis DeBruler answered Eric's question
Both NYC lines used to be Big Four. 1949 Paris Quad @ 62,500