While traveling across the Chicago and North Western’s line between Clinton, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois, Jack Delano captured this view of a large double coaling tower in Nelson, Illinois. The tower at left receives the coal from the inbound hopper cars, replenishing its bin above. Coal is also transferred to the tower at right via the enclosed conveyor at top. This arrangement allows for rapid servicing of two locomotives simultaneously on adjacent tracks.

This scene was recorded in January of 1943. It’s a bit fuzzy, as it wasn’t scanned at a high resolution. But I still thought it worthy to show, as it’s such an interesting structure.