Leo -
When I saw the title on this post, I thought "Here we go again on that ATC
vs. ACS discussion, again" (Mike used it [ATC] in Vol. 4 wrong, on several
captions, but we know what he meant). My experience "around the horn" EB at
Mendota, was that there was a signal coming off the Denrock line mounted on
the EB signal bridge and it was controlled by IC Tower. Some years later,
someone piled-up an eastbounder off the branch, (details Karl?) in the junk
yard and that is when the "hand-throws" (including crossover, main 2 to main
1 westward), were installed. I believe the crossover was removed when the
Frisco tore up the Denrock line. About a half a mile of the Denrock line
exists today to service 3 industries but hasn't been used for years. Yard
Limits at Mendota on the Denrock branch extended about a mile west of the
junction switch. Engineer A. B. Campbell (no relation) told me a story about
when he was firing in the C&I Pool in the late 1940s; they came "around the
horn" EB at a pretty good clip and as they approached the Mendota Yard Limits
he reminded the engineer of this fact. His engineer just "waved" as
acknowledgment, and proceeded to crash into the switch engine as they came
around the curve. B1a # 7012 was laid over on her side, but fortunately, no
one was seriously hurt. ABC and his engineer spent time out of service as a
result of the accident. Al was one of several "old timers" I questioned
about their knowledge of the Hooppole, Yorktown & Tampico but remembered very
little of it (folded 3/29/1951); wonder if I'm starting another "thread"?
Bob Campbell
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