Abandoned Rails: Texas Interlocking Towers

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Texas Interlocking Towers

Below is a list of numbered interlocking towers in Texas. For a history/explanation of these towers, please visit the Texas Interlocking Towers website by clicking on the Tower Number (not all towers have detailed information). You can sort the data by clicking on the column headers for tower Number, Location and Type. To see the name of a railroad, click on its abbreviation.

To search the Towers, click here.

This shows all 216 towers, sorted by Tower Number.

Nbr	Location	Railroads	Type	Authorized	Retired
A	Galveston (Galveston Wharves)	GH&SA, GH&H, GC&SF	M	1898
Located at 36th Street
1	Bowie	CRI&G, FW&DC	M	4/17/1902
Burned down in August, 1950
2	San Antonio	GH&SA, SA&AP	M	10/9/1902	1926
Consolidated into Tower 112
3	Flatonia	GH&SA, SA&AP	M	10/9/1902	1996
Preserved in Flatonia as part of Flatonia Rail Park
4	Dalhart	CRI&G, FW&DC	M	11/28/1902
5	Houston	SA&AP, T&NO	C	12/4/1802
Consolidated into Tower 139 in 1940
6	El Paso (Union Depot)	EP&SW, GH&SA	M	1/23/1903	1950
Consolidated into Tower 196 in 1950
7	College Station	H&TC, I-GN	M	2/21/1903	1965
8	Waco (East Waco)	I-GN, StL&SW	M	6/12/1903	1988
9	Navasota	H&TC, I-GN	M	6/16/1903	1965
10	Dallas	GC&SF, H&TC	E	6/24/1903	1944
Consolidated into Tower 19.
11	Orange (West Orange)	O&NW, T&NO	M	6/27/1903
12	Houston (Blodgett)	GH&SA, SA&AP	E	7/4/1903	1915
13	Houston (Eureka)	H&TC, MKT	E	7/4/1903
Consolidated into Tower 26 in 1966
14	Houston (Chaney Junction)	GH&SA, H&TC	E	7/15/1903
15	Hearne	H&TC, I-GN	E	7/16/1903
16	Sherman	H&TC, StL&SF, T&P	E	7/18/1903
Moved to and preserved in Grapevine, TX
17	Rosenberg	GH&SA, GC&SF	E	7/23/1903	2/10/2004
Last traditional operating tower in Texas; in operation until February 10, 2004. Moved to and preserved at Rosenburg Railroad Museum.
18	Fort Worth (Hodge Yard)	StL&SW, T&P	M	7/25/1903
19	Dallas	DT, GC&SF, MKT, UT	E	7/27/1903	1993
Moved to and preserved at the Age of Steam Museum, Dallas, TX
20	Bells	MKT, T&P	M	7/27/1903
21	Waco (East Waco)	H&TC, MKT, StL&SW	E	8/8/1903	1967
22	Dallas (East Dallas)	GC&SF, T&P	M	8/18/1903
23	Milano	GC&SF, I-GN	E	9/1/1903
24	Temple	GC&SF, MKT	E	9/1/1903
25	Houston	HB&T, HE&WT, I-GN, T&NO	E	9/29/1903
Operated alongside Tower 26; abandoned in the late 1920s
26	Houston	HB&T, HE&WT, I-GN, T&NO	E	9/29/1903
Demolished on November 10, 2001
27	Quanah	FW&DC, StL&SF	M	10/5/1903
28	Texarkana	T&FtS, T&P	M	10/20/1903
29	Saginaw	CRI&G, FW&DC, GC&SF	M	10/31/1903
Closed and torn down in March 1985
30	Harrisburg	GH&SA, GH&H, PTA	M	12/31/1903
Also known as "Katy Neck"
31	Beaumont (Connell)	T&FtS, T&NO	M	10/1/1903
32	Beaumont	GB&KC, T&NO	E	1/28/1904
33	Bay City	CB, GH&SA	E	2/18/1904	1954
34	Taylor	I-GN, MKT	M	3/5/1904
35	Dallas (Oasis)	DT, H&TC, MKT	M	3/31/1904	1950
36	Bryan	H&TC, I-GN	M	4/22/1904
37	Vernon	FW&DC, StL&SF	M	5/12/1904
38	Galveston	GH&SA, GH&H, GC&SF	E	5/16/1904
Located at 49th street; also known as the "Z-Track" tower
39	Kaufman	T&NO, TM		6/16/1904	1928
40	Luling	GH&SA, SA&AP	M	6/20/1904	1931
Moved a short distance from its original location and modified to serve as a gas station
41	Navasota	GC&SF, H&TC	E	6/24/1904
42	Texarkana	StL&SW, T&FtS, T&P	E	7/7/1904
Razed in the 1990s
43	Cleburne	GC&SF, T&BV	M	7/7/1904
44	Hillsboro	MKT, StL&SW, T&BV	M	7/7/1904	1940
45	Malone	I-GN, T&BV	M	7/7/1904
46	Hubbard	StL&SW, T&BV	M	7/7/1904	1935
47	El Paso	EP&SW, GH&SA, T&P	M	7/11/1904
Still standing in its original location
48	Yarnell	CRI&G, SK		7/13/1904
49	Plano	H&TC, StL&SW	E	7/18/1904
50	Morgan	GC&SF, TC	E	7/20/1904
Unusual structure combining interlocking tower and passenger depot
51	Wallis	GC&SF, SA&AP	E	7/20/1904
52	Cameron	GC&SF, SA&AP	E	7/21/1904	1959
53	Fort Worth (Ney Yards)	FtW&RG, H&TC, I-GN, MKT	M	7/23/1904
Retired in 1957-58
54	Rockdale	I-GN, SA&AP	M	9/1/1904	1959
55	Fort Worth	GC&SF, H&TC, MKT, T&P	E	9/26/1904
Still standing in its original location
56	McGregor	GC&SF, StL&SW	E	10/20/1904	1967
Unusual structure combining interlocking tower and passenger depot. The depot remains to this day.
57	Dallas	CRI&G, DT, GC&SF, MKT, NTT		11/5/1904
58	Alvarado	GC&SF, MKT	M	11/1/1904
59	Waco	MKT, SA&AP	M	11/21/1904
60	Fort Worth	CRI&G, FW&DC, FtWB, GC&SF, StL&SW	E	7/1/1905
61	Jefferson	LR&N, T&P	M	8/26/1905
62	Mineola	MKT, T&P	M	12/12/1905
63	Mexia (Springfield)	H&TC, T&BV	M	4/26/1904	1977
64	Greenville	MKT, StL&SW	M	9/24/1906
Lower half of tower remains in place
65	Algoa	GC&SF, StLB&M		11/4/1906
66	El Paso (Union Depot)	EP&SW, GH&SA		11/8/1906	1928
Consolidated into Tower 6 in 1928
67	Waxahachie	H&TC, MKT	M	12/1/1906
68	Houston (Englewood Yard)	GH&SA, T&NO	M	3/3/1907
Still standing in its original location
69	Celeste	GC&SF, MKT	M	3/30/1907
70	Dobbin	GC&SF, T&BV	M	4/25/1907
71	Houston	HB&T, HE&WT	M	7/1/1907
Consolidated into Tower 26 in 1930
72	Corsicana	StL&SW, T&BV	M	11/21/1907
Located less than 1,000 feet from Tower 184
73	Texas City (Texas City Junction)	GH&SA, GH&H	M	2/18/1907
74	Beaumont	BSL&W, T&NO	M	5/15/1908
Two installations existed; the second one was situated alongside a waiting room for Amtrak
75	Amarillo (East Tower)	CRI&G, FW&DC, P&SF	E	7/6/1908
76	Houston (Rabbit Crossing)	HB&T, HE&WT	M	11/1/1908
77	Carrollton	CRI&G, MKT, StL&SW	M	12/7/1908
Also known as "Carrollton Crossing", a designated Historic Landmark
78	Garland	GC&SF, MKT	E	4/5/1909
79	Paris	GC&SF, StL&SF, T&P, TM	E	5/27/1909	1963
80	Houston (Percival)	HB&T, I-GN	M	7/25/1913
81	Houston (T&NO Junction)	GH&SA, GC&SF	M	5/7/1910
82	San Angelo	GC&SF, KCM&O	E	12/28/1910
83	Chillicothe	FW&DC, KCM&O	M	7/14/1910
84	Houston (Walker Avenue)	HB&T, I-GN, SA&AP	E	8/10/1910	1988
Consolidated into Tower 117 on June 1, 1971
85	Houston (Baker Street)	GH&H, HB&T	M	5/3/1911
86	Houston (Magers)	GH&SA, HB&T	E	3/18/1912
Consolidated into Tower 199
87	Houston (Englewood Yard)	HB&T, T&NO	M	4/19/1911
88	Sweetwater	KCM&O, P&NT	E	7/10/1911
89	Houston	GH&SA, GC&SF	M	1912	1918
Mysterious tower that may have never existed; Tower 139 served in its place
90	Victoria	GH&SA, StLB&M	M	1/3/1913	1972
91	West Point	MKT, SA&AP	M	10/29/1913
92	New Braunfels	I-GN, MKT	M	11/1/1913
93	Denison	H&TC, MKT	P	10/2/1913	1990
94	Midlothian	GC&SF, H&TC	E	11/19/1913
95	Brenham	GC&SF, H&TC	E	6/29/1914
96	Galveston (Island-Causeway)	GH&SA, GH&H, GC&SF	E	9/6/1912
97	Galveston (Lift Bridge-Causeway)	GH&SA, GH&H, GHE, GC&SF	E	10/23/1912
The only interlocking tower still in operation. Unusual arrangement as it controls two railroad lines and a boat channel
98	Virginia Point (Causeway)	GH&SA, GH&H, GHE, GC&SF	P	10/14/1912
99	Galveston (Galveston Terminal)	GH&SA	E	4/29/1914	1915
Incosistent records indicate that this tower may have been in operation for only 5 months.
100	Elgin	H&TC, MKT	M	2/7/1914
101	Whitewright	MKT, StL&SW	M	12/1/1914	1953
102	Houston (Magnolia Park)	GH&SA, I-GN	C	3/31/1915	1963
103	Beaumont (Chaison)	T&FtS, T&NO	C	10/8/1915
104	Houston (Bellaire Junction)	GH&SA, H&TC, SA&AP		11/1/1915	1926
105	San Antonio	GH&SA, I-GN	M	4/29/1916
106	Dallas (North Tower)	MKT, T&P, UT	P	4/26/1914
Tower still standing; used in tandem with Tower 107 to control Dallas Union Terminal; is being sought for use as part of The 6th Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
107	Dallas (South Tower)	CRI&G, H&TC, MKT, StL&SF, StL&SW, T&NO, UT	P	10/1/1916
Tower still standing; used in tandem with Tower 106 to control Dallas Union Terminal; two towers led to removal of Tower 57. Now owned by DART.
108	Houston (Bonner's Point)	GH&H, H&TC, MKT	E	4/6/1918
109	San Antonio	SA&AP, SAB&T	M	10/28/1918	1959
Due to oversight, temporary track had to put in place by a crane to cross over existing track in order to serve a customer on the severed line
110	Dayton	DGC, T&NO, TV&N		6/2/1917	1927
111	Trinity (Rock Creek Lumber)	I-GN	C	11/13/1919
112	San Antonio	GH&SA, SAB&T	E	12/30/1919
113	Hyatt	ET&G, T&NO		4/17/1923	1923
114	Sugar Land	GH&SA, SL	M	10/25/1923	1990
115	Eagle Lake	CB, GH&SA, SA&AP	E	7/22/1924	1990
116	Houston (Union Station)	HB&T	E	3/14/1924
Included nearby "Tower 116-A", a separate tower for interlocking IG&N and GH&H railroads
117	Houston (New South Yard)	HB&T	E	3/14/1924
118	Dallas (Belt Junction)	DBL, H&TC	E	9/4/1926
Partially destroyed by a fire after abandonment
119	Dallas (T&P Junction)	DBL, H&TC, T&P	E	5/18/1926
120	Port Arthur	T&FtS, T&NO	C	9/28/1925
121	San Antonio (East Yard)	GH&SA	E	4/10/1925	2/27/2001
Destroyed by arson's fire, January 16, 2003
122	Ranger	T&P, WFR&FtW	C	1/20/1926
123	Jefferson	J&NW, T&P	C	10/13/1925
124	Fort Worth (Bird's Siding)	FtW&RG, GC&SF	C	11/2/1926
125	Mauriceville	O&NW, T&FtS	C	5/22/1929
Unusual structure combining interlocking tower and passenger depot
126	Fort Worth (Violet Street)	GC&SF, H&TC	E	6/15/1926
Also known as Polk's Tower
127	Tenaha	GC&SF, HE&WT	C	5/22/1928
128	Ballinger	A&S, GC&SF	C	4/22/1927
129	Tuscola	A&S, P&NT	C	3/15/1927
130	Grand Saline	T&P, T&StL	C	2/20/1926
131	Terrell	T&P, TM	E	1/19/1927	1958
132	McNeil	H&TC, I-GN	C	7/13/1928
133	Lancaster	H&TC, MKT	C	2/8/1928	1934
134	Houston (Pierce Junction)	GH&SA, I-GN	C	3/27/1929
135	Canyon (P&SF Yard)	P&SF	E	12/9/1927
136	Pampa (P&SF Yard)	P&SF	E	5/8/1928
137	Big Sandy	StL&SW, T&P	E	8/14/1928
138	Harlingen	StLB&M, SA&AP	M	9/10/1928	1994
139	Houston	HB&T, I-GN, T&NO	E	12/20/1928
140	Tatsie	H&TC, I-GN	C	2/12/1929
141	Lubbock	FW&D, P&SF, P&NT
142	Plainview	FW&DSP, P&NT
143	Devers (R. M. Lumber Co.)	T&NO	C	4/5/1923	1928
144	Waco	MKT, StL&SW	M	5/29/1928	1970
145	Edinburg	StLB&M, SA&AP	C	1/3/1929	1971
146	Edcouch	StLB&M, SA&AP	C	2/5/1929	1968
147	Lantana	StLB&M, SA&AP	C	3/13/1929	1972
148	Fullerton	BSL&W, TV&N	C	4/13/1929
149	Edinburg (Alsonia)	StLB&M, SA&AP	C	12/5/1928	1964
150	Eastland	EWF&G, T&P	C	5/13/1929
151	Rosita	StLB&M, SA&AP	C	4/17/1929	1969
152	Wharton	GH&SA, GC&SF	C	7/5/1929	1984
Cabin-type interlocker still in place
153	Amarillo (P&SF Yard)	P&SF	E	1/21/1929
154	Angleton	H&BV, StLB&M	C	7/22/1929
155	Grayburg	BSL&W, T&NO	C	7/19/1929	1933
156	Allenhurst	GH&SA, StLB&M	C	8/2/1929	9/26/1932
Possibly the shortest-lived tower, operational for 2 to 3 years
157	Blessing	GH&SA, StLB&M	C	8/27/1929	1985
158	Placedo	GH&SA, StLB&M	C	10/1/1929
159	Mathis	SA&AP, SAU&G	M	11/7/1929	1980
Cabin-type interlocker still in place
160	Cisco	MKT, T&P
161	Arcola	GC&SF, I-GN
162	Sugar Land (Sugar Land Junction)	GC&SF, I-GN
163	Sealy	GC&SF, MKT
164	Gainesville	GC&SF, MKT
165	Corsicana	FW&D, TE
166	Plano	StL&SW, TE	M	1930	1949
167	Hillsboro	B-RI, MKT
168	West Livingston	HE&WT, WBT&S	M	1931	1949
169	Bay City	GC&SF, StLB&M
170	Conroe	GC&SF, I-GN
171	Acme	FW&D, QA&P
172	Stratford	CRI&G, P&SF
173	Palestine	I-GN, TSRR
174	Italy	MKT, TE		2/24/1931
175	Etter	CRI&P, P&SF
176	Jacksonville	I-GN, StL&SW	M	1931	1984
177	Amarillo	CRI&P, P&SF
178	Magnolia (Grogan-Cochran Lumber)	I-GN
179	Shamrock	CRI&P, FW&D
180	Milepost 95.2 (Grogan-Cochran L