Milwaukee Depot: (
Satellite)
C&NW/M&StL Depot: (
Satellite)
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Mark Llanuza posted
Its 1983 a view at the former M&STL station at Albert Lea Min steam 1385 (photo collection Mark Llanuza ) |
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Jim Murphy posted
For an unknown reason on January 16, 1983, No.161 came down from St. Paul on the xM&StL side instead of using the xRI as normal. Orders were being handed up before setting out one unit and 49 grain loads in Albert Lea, MN the yard. |
Albert Lea was a significant railroad hub. Milwaukee, Minneapolis & St. Louis (later C&NW) and Rock Island all had three spokes meeting here. And IC terminated here.
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| 1954 Albert Lea Quadrangle @ 1:62,500 |
The route to the Southeast was shared by C&NW/M&StL (yellow), Rock Island (green) and IC. (I did not include a color for IC because I don't know where it terminated in the city.) Milwaukee is blue.
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| 1954 Albert Lea Quadrangle @ 1:62,500 |
Today, Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (DME) shares the southeastern route with CP and UP. UP chose the RI to the Northeast and DME has the C&NW to the Northwest. The Southwest spokes for both the RI and C&NW are now abandoned. The branch of the Milwaukee turning Northwest on the west side of the town is also abandoned.
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John Harker posted
A C&NW south bound freight with SD40-2 6890 leading was just about to cross the diamond with the Milw in Albert Lea, MN on January 24th, 1984. The diamond was just east of South Newton Ave, This scene with the interlocking tower looks to the northeast. The C&NW freight was traveling on the Spine Line or the ex Rock Island Short Line. Mark Simonson captured this scene. John Harker editing and collection
Bob Johnson: Unless something has changed, that Tower is still there, but it is a Signal Maintainer Office. It was in the list of structures to be torn down at least 5 or more years ago, but I don't know the current status. |
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John Harker posted
C G Wallenmeyer captured this scene with a RI south freight being pulled by GP38-2 4317 and GP18 1352 at Albert Lea, Minnesota in April 1978. The train was just about to cross the RI / Milw diamond near the tower. This view from South Newton Avenue looked to the northeast just south of downtown. And it must have been a rainy, overcast day. John Harker photo editing and collection. |
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John Harker posted
Mike Guss captured C&NW C40-8s 8506 and 8515 with their south bound empties about to cross the ex Milwaukee at Albert Lea, Minnesota on February 28, 1993. This image was scanned from an original Kodak Kodachrome slide. |
Ted Gregory
posted two photos with the comment:
The more I look at this picture, the more intriguing it becomes.
First, there aren't too many places, that I am aware of, that the Milwaukee Road crossed the Rock Island. But in the confines of southern Minnesota, you find such an interlocking.
The two railroads today are the UP (Rock Island) and CP (ICE nee-MILW).
Second, On this date, my last visit to the site, June 10, 2020, there is an interlocking tower still standing. I wonder if it is still there today?
Third, the shape of the tower- particularly the narrowness- is stunning.
Fourth, the angle of the diamond is unique.
Lastly, what is up with that signal guarding the siding? Looks like there is only one absolute for NB moves. But there has to be two signals SB as the diamond must be controlled.
I am trying to figure out the heritage of the tower. I am assuming its Rock Island, since it looks like the UP controls the interlocking today. (Control Point identifier seems to mimic other locations on the UP system.)
CP U252
Albert Lea
June 10, 2020
Trenton Dominy: The interlocking tower is indeed still standing and was manned by the Rock Island.
The reason why it still exists is the Union Pacific which took over the rock Island tracks from Chicago and Northwestern in 1995 uses it to protect its crossing electronics.
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