MILLS TOWER
Mills Tower was constructed in 1901 to control railroad crossings and junctions.
There were a number of main line railroads passing through Iowa Falls and the need
for an interlocking tower at a major junction was necessary. The tower employed
electrically operated levers and control boards and was in continuous operation
until 1992. Controllers in the tower would pull levers to flash red, yellow and
green lights, to direct trains. The tower still has some old, emergency batteries
used to power rail signals during outages, he said. The tower is on the National
Register of Historic Places.
The Illinois Central caboose purchsed for $4,000 has joined the control tower and is
being restored as part of the exhibit.
If you are interested in a free tour of the railroad buildings and
equipment, call Warren Kness, member of the Iowa Falls Historical Society's
railroad committee, at (641) 648-2765.
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