Going way back to TT No. 150 dated October 1, 1933 there are 2 things that show up and they were Interlocking Towers.

First there is Ninth & K Streets Tower, Marysville. Its an interlocking tower but only manned from 7:30 AM to 12:00 Noon and 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM.I took care of crossing the Western Pacific Railroad by the Knights Landing Branch and Oroville Branch. If no operator was on duty there were instructions for operation of push buttons, electric locks and derail. In order to do this you had to call the Chief Dispatcher in Sacramento for instructions. It showed as MP 122.7 on the Knights Landing Branch.

Second there was Binney Jct. Tower shown as MP 141.8 on the Sacramento Sub-Division between Roseville and Tehama. It controlled the Junction of the Woodland-Oroville Line crossing the Western Pacific and the main line over the WP. Listed were 10 different whistle signals to tell the operator where you wanted to go. I assume this was a 24/7 operation.

The other mention was in Special Instruction No. 13, dated January 1, 1969 for the Sacramento Division. Under Rule 760 (CTC Rules) Binney Jct. "Movements across WPRR MP 141.8 and movements onto east leg of the wye are under control of SP train dispatcher" It goes on to say how and what, etc.

I would guess they were armstrong style to start and then electric until CTC was put in doing away with the operators.


SBN