One of the donations that came in this week for our effort to save Grasselli Tower (see the "Tower under the gun!" thread), included a couple of photos of a Pennsylvania Railroad signal bridge near M.P. 254 near Lily, PA. One of the photos was taken in 2007 and showed a signal bridge spanning 4 tracks (one pulled up) and four standard PRR yellow position light signals mounted on the structure. The other photo showed this same signal bridge circa 1915, when it was only used as a support for two water spouts for PRR steam locomotives! The spouts were aligned in such a manner that they could cover all four tracks to replenish tenders. The note with the donation stated that NS was steadily moving to take down these signal bridges throughout the state of Pennsylvania and this one was in danger. This seems to be something that should be preserved. The water spouts could be replicated rather easily after the signal bridge is moved to some museum site. Anyone know for sure if this particular signal bridge still stands and if any museum out east is making any effort to preserve it?

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

If its the bridge I think it is, then yes it still stands. I've heard rumors of NS' desire to replace the signal bridges, but to date the only one I know of on the Pittsburgh Line that has actually been replaced in recent years was at Mifflin, ~100 miles east of Lilly.

I have no knowledge of any plans to save it, but without the water standpipes there's nothing making that one different from any of the 25 or so between Lewistown and Johnstown.

I definitely have slides of the signal bridge in question, but I'm uncertain if any of them are scanned. If I do find a scan I'll try and figure out how to post it.

Rather than figuring out how to post a photo here, I posted it some time ago on Picasa Google. See here:

http://tinyurl.com/2962um