The Tower for the 21st Street Crossing Used to be Elevated

(Satellite, both the 1893 and 1944 interlocking towers are long gone because of CTC (Centralized Traffic Control))

In 1944, a two story interlocking tower was built north of the 21st Street Crossing. Before that, control was from an elevated tower over the crossing.

I got the 1944 date from Jon Roma's comment on a share.

David Daruszka also commented on that  share

[Looking Southish. In almost every old photo of this crossing you will see at least one work gang working on the many  diamonds in this crossing. At its peak, it had 24 diamonds.]

David Daruszka commented on Bill's post

Here's a 1947 image of that location.
[So it took over three years to disassemble this tower after the new one was opened in 1944. They probably had a hard time getting track time to work on it.]

Mike Breski posted

"Trains" Magazine, November 1947 Here is a photo taken by Mr. Lynn H. Westcott entitled "One of Chicago's Busiest Crossings." It was published originally in the November 1947 issue of "Trains" magazine, page 61. Photo Caption: "This is Twenty-first Street crossing in Chicago. The multiple tracks of the Chicago & Western Indiana run from left to right, cross the two-track line of the Pennsylvania in the center of the photo, and then turn south. Gulf Mobile & Ohio (Alton) trains run on the tracks at the extreme right. The Santa Fe switcher in the background is on two tracks which leave the C&WI right of way at the crossing and bear southwest. Illinois Central also runs over these. All trains using Dearborn Station and Pennsylvania trains to and from Union Station operate over this intersection. At the extreme left background is an interchange track. Photo by Linn H. Westcott.

Date: 11/1/1947 Location: Chicago, IL

Collection Of:Thomas C. Ayers Author:Thomas C. Ayers.

******DESCRIPTION AS IS FROM PHOTO SOURCE******

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4617367

This is the track diagram that Bob's comment below is referring to.

Digitized by Google, cropped
Mike Kondrot commented on a post
Bob Lalich This was the original configuration when the junction was first interlocked in 1893 I believe. Note the Alton line going across the PFW&C. Their original terminal was the old IC depot on the lakefront.

Bob Lalich commented on a post
That tower was elevated above the tracks.
[Looking North  The South Branch Bridge is behind the interlocking tower.]

Bob Lalich commented on a post
That was the original tower for the interlocking built in 1893. See the diagram posted above. It was replaced with a brick tower north of the C&WI and east of the PRR at the end of WWII.

This is the photo that motivated me to find the above two photos in my 21st Street Crossing notes. Near the left side of the 1920 photo you can see this elevated tower. I wonder what had the tall smokestack back then.

MWRD posted
The Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge is pictured here on April 9, 1920 and in 2012. The vertical-lift bridge is a Chicago Landmark and was constructed in 1914. It is located on the South Branch of the Chicago River between 18th Street and Cermak Road near Ping Tom Memorial Park.

I highlighted the interlocking tower with a red rectangle.

Above MWRD photo, cropped plus Paint, at photo resolution

Since the elevated tower stood until at least 1947, it should show up in the historic aerials.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP, at photo resolution

Indeed, it does show up.

Above photo plus Paint

William Brown posted
A photo purchased on EBay, Santa Fe Boxcab 10 is in Chicago, Illinois with a Santa Fe with a E3B or E6B on a Passenger Train. It was built by EMC in 1935 as 1B. Renumbered to 10 in April 1938. Rebuilt by EMD in May 1941. Rebuilt at Topeka to a transfer Locomotive 2611 in August 1948. Rebuilt by EMD to E8BM 84A in May 1953. Trade to EMD in 1970 on GP38s. A Milwaukee Road Steam Engine is in the background, on the SE Route to Indiana? No date or Photographer noted.
[Note the tower above the train behind the single mast.]
Jon Roma: This is at 21st St. crossing, and the train is within minutes of the bumping post at Dearborn Station.
The Milwaukee Road engine is probably on a transfer, as they did not routinely use any of the trackage in the area to access their Terre Haute Division lines. (The regular route for Milwaukee trains to the southeast was via IHB from Bensenville, and thence via B&OCT to Chicago Heights.)
The semaphores in the photo suggest that the date is prior to 1944 when the original 21st St. Tower (behind the locomotive) was replaced.
It also appears to me that there is someone standing on the signal bridge – perhaps putting oil in the semaphore lamps?