I wish I could share the photo I have seen of the DL&W one at Owego, NY. There is one in the posession of the Tioga Historical Society.
The Erie ran nearly E-W, with a 2 track main and a north and south side siding. Crossing this was the DL&W at 90 degrees. The DL&W crossed 3 streets, then a 10 degree or so diamond with the Lehigh Valley(which had parralleled the Erie from the west) and crossed 3 or 4 more streets. A typical DL&W elevated crossing tower was right at the diamond with the LV, presumably managing all the street crossings. Some commercial sidings on the DL&W and LV must have kept the operator hopping. Mike.


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> What is also interesting

> But they had windows!!! :^)

Ray:

I think windows would be a no-no. But what the apparently DID have, were buckets and a rope. My guess is that the operator at the end of a trick had to lower the filled bucket to the ground and empty it after he exited the tower so that the next operator on duty could haul up an empty bucket. Anyway, that is my guess based on a photo of a bucket hanging from a C&NW tower. Maybe a former operator could confirm that that was the way it was done.

Les

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