RAILROAD SIGNALS of the U.S.

RAILFAN GUIDE to
TOWER 85
Houston TX

This page covers the Tower 85 junction in southeast Houston TX.

Below is a map of the signals at and adjacent to Tower 85, and below the map is a Google Earth picture of the area.

For a great guide to the area, check out Steve Sandifer's Houston railfan guide at: http://www.trainweb.org/jssand/Houston/Houston.htm

For more info on the towers of Texas, check out:
http://www.towers.txrrhistory.com/index.htm (the motherload of information!)
http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasRailroads/Railroad-Interlocking-Towers-of-Texas.htm

Another great site with info on railroad structures in all of Texas (listed by county, ie: The city of Tyler is in Smith county, so don't click on Tyler county) is at : http://www.rrshs.org/Texas/txrrstruc.htm

    1   

       A Tri-light with a red LED.

    The base for signal 1, handily marked with it's designation on UP's drawings.

    2   

      
Signal 2, two 2 head Safetran color light signals, one for northbound, and one for southbound trains.  This is probably a recently installed signal.

    3   

      The signals used at location 3 are the same as at location 1.

     A couple of views looking south of signals 2 and 3 from Harrisburg.

    The far relay cabinet in the above photos.     A view looking north from Harrisburg.

    4   

      Looking west from the diamond - a single head Tri-light.

    5a             5b              6               7   

      Signals at locations 5a, 5b, 6, and 7.

 
Signals at 5a and 5b..... the old and the new.  A single color light is being replaced by a two head color light.

    Looking across the diamond at signals 1, 5a and 5b.

    Looking north across the diamond from location 1.

    The diamond itself.

      Signal 5a.

   
Signals at 6 and 7..... 6 is a two head searchlight dwarf for northbounds, 7 is a single searchlight dwarf for southbounds.

    The two relay cabinets adjacent to signal 7, the single searchlight dwarf.

    8   

    Looking west from the diamond, and a distant view of Signal 8, a 2 head color light signal.

    9   

    A new signal at 9 waiting to be activated.

    10   

         
The signals at this location are tri-lights on a lattice style cantilever bridge.

             
Close-ups of the signals of 10.

    9             10             11             12             13             14   

    Looking south towards signals at locations 9, 10, and 14.

       Signals 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14. 

    The relays cabinets at this location. 

    Insulated joints clearly marked.

    11             13   

     The signal at location 11 is a 2 aspect color light dwarf.

    Signals at 11 and the double searchlight dwarf at 13.

    12   

      Signal 12, a standard 3 color - single head color light signal.

  Looking south from Brady towards the diamond.

    15   

   A standard 3 color - color light signal with a "Darth Vader" hood.

  The grade crossing on N 65th behind signal 15 above is protected by this poor sign.

NEW 2/18/2007
Last Modified: 29-Mar-2010