(rshsdepot) Interlocking Tower 106, Dallas, TX

["James Dent" <james.dent_@_itochu.com>]

rshsdepot
-From Railway Preservation News...

Interlocking Tower 106

Interlocking Tower 106, known locally as North Tower, was authorized for
operation by the Railroad Commission of Texas in April of 1916.  Along with
its companion Tower 107, or South Tower, the two interlockers guarded access
to the Dallas Union Station complex.  Both towers still stand today, owned
by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), no longer used as traditional
interlockers, but housing modern signal equipment instead.

As part of expansion and improvement plans for the Sixth Floor Museum, and
the JFK Museum, the top floor of North Tower will soon be restored to its
1963 condition and open to the public.  The first floor will remain in use
by DART.

Tower 106 is inextricably bound to the assassination of President Kennedy,
and many of the abundant conspiracy theories that surrounded that tragic
event.  Lee Bowers was at the controls of the still active North Tower on
November 22, 1963 when the assassination occurred.  Much of the panorama of
history altering events of that day took place within direct view of the
tower.  Although Mr. Bowers, who died in 1966, never disputed or questioned
the findings of the Warren commission, many of the scenarios involving a
second gunman, in addition to Lee Harvey Oswald, revolved around what Lee
Bowers saw, and his testimony.

The Texas Historical Commission has pledged $30,000 towards the restoration,
about a third of the estimated cost needed to complete the project.  Fund
raising for the balance is underway, and it is hoped to complete the project
by 2003, the 40th anniversary of the assassination.

(Hume Kading via Dennis Hogan)

* * * * * * * * * *

Background information for this brief was obtained from a Dallas Morning
News article on February 17, 2001, and the  Texas Interlocking Tower home
page.

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