Jack Swanberg, the noted New Haven Railroad historian just sent me this e-mail:

"There's a c.1875 brick water tank and two-stall enginehouse still standing next to the Amtrak mainline in Guilford, CT, and the local historical group is trying to preserve the two structures....Do you know of any other brick water tanks preserved anywhere in the USA? If this Guilford example is unique or rare it would help them in obtaining funding [and other support]."

I don't know of any others myself, but that's because I don't know much generally. Anyone have any comments?

Herb Harwood

Hi all,
I know of three brick and one stone water tower base, in Pennsylvania.

(1) Reading & Columbia branch of the ex. Reading Company at Denver, Pa. Brick water tower base

(2) Perkiomen branch of the Ex. Reading Company at Powerd Valley brick water tower base.

(3) Port Clinton, Pa. along the Ex. Little Schuylkill Navigation and Coal Company railroad of 1873 , Stone water tower base.

(4) East Mahanoy Junction on the Shamokin Div. of the ex. Reading Company and the Catawissa branch of the ex. Reading Company. The Reading built a wye track to connect both lines . The passenger station and brick water tower stood in the middle of the wye. Both station and tower base still stan.

Hope that helps,
Len

Len-

I much appreciate your response -- apparently the only one so far, which is encouraging for this particular cause. But I should elaborate a bit, just to be clearer: The Guilford water tank is all-brick, top to bottom, and this is what the folks there hope is unique. From your description, the Reading tanks would seem to have masonry bases of one type or another, but were the tanks themselves wood, or also masonry?

In any event, we welcome any information anyone has.

Herb Harwood

The water tower located at Pottstown, Pa. on the Reading Company Main Line was built in 1875 and made of all Cement from top to bottom with a water plug and square inground tanks along the tracks. This tower was removed or taken down in 1968.

Len