A rather interesting picture

[freebrickproductions]

Found this while browsing Tumblr this morning. It's a picture that shows the Pullman Junction on the southside of Chicago, IL, but interestingly enough, there appears to be a Griswold EM gate mechanism with a gate that lowers over the tracks? I have to wonder what purpose such a gate would've served.
Bringing up the Rear by Sam Beck, on Flickr

[chris96]

Found this while browsing Tumblr this morning. It's a picture that shows the Pullman Junction on the southside of Chicago, IL, but interestingly enough, there appears to be a Griswold EM gate mechanism with a gate that lowers over the tracks? I have to wonder what purpose such a gate would've served.
Bringing up the Rear by Sam Beck, on Flickr

A very interesting setup indeed. I guess it was used as another method to stop trains from crossing over the junction when it was not safe to do so. Still, you'd wonder why they would bother when regular wayside signals could do the same thing.

[cabman701]

Believe it or not... the gate appears to still exist, although it's no longer an EM gate. https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7233792 ... 312!8i6656.
It's visible from this side as well with an image from July 2016: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7223008 ... 312!8i6656

And yes... I agree that is probably comes down to block a track or tracks when there is a train crossing the diamond.

[freebrickproductions]

Believe it or not... the gate appears to still exist, although it's no longer an EM gate. https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7233792 ... 312!8i6656.
It's visible from this side as well with an image from July 2016: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7223008 ... 312!8i6656

And yes... I agree that is probably comes down to block a track or tracks when there is a train crossing the diamond.

Looks like the gate mech now is a GRS/WRRS one. Out with the old, in with the...

...old.

[ZachL]

Believe it or not... the gate appears to still exist, although it's no longer an EM gate. https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7233792 ... 312!8i6656.
It's visible from this side as well with an image from July 2016: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7223008 ... 312!8i6656

And yes... I agree that is probably comes down to block a track or tracks when there is a train crossing the diamond.

Looks like the gate mech now is a GRS/WRRS one. Out with the old, in with the...

...old.

Well the original picture you posted does appear to be quite dated, so it could be possible that the GRS/WRRS mechanism is a few decades old at this point as well.