In 1999 when we accepted the donation of our ex BCG&A caboose we also received a switch tower. The gentleman who donated it told us that the person he bought it from years before thought it had come from Muncie, Indiana. The picture below shows it shortly before we acquired it. The stand it would normally sit on top of can be seen in the background to the left of the tower.

Does anyone know of any resources out there on Muncie? I've searched the web with no luck so far.

Thanks!

KMRHS Switchtower

davelecount@juno.com

My gut feeling is that this isn't a switch tower, but a crossing watchman's shanty. It looks very similar to one that was still standing along the B&O at Newark, Ohio until about 20 years ago. These were used by various railraods (and in various styles) to give a road crossing watchman a better view of the track and approaching trains.

> In 1999 when we accepted the donation of our
> ex BCG&A caboose we also received a
> switch tower. The gentleman who donated it
> told us that the person he bought it from
> years before thought it had come from
> Muncie, Indiana. The picture below shows it
> shortly before we acquired it. The stand it
> would normally sit on top of can be seen in
> the background to the left of the tower.

> Does anyone know of any resources out there
> on Muncie? I've searched the web with no
> luck so far.

> Thanks!


Port Huron Museum

tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

> My gut feeling is that this isn't a switch
> tower, but a crossing watchman's shanty

That does make more sense. From what remains inside I never did see how it could have functioned as a switch tower. I guess it's a case of the term "switch tower" passing from owner to owner.

Thanks!

davelecount@juno.com

Apparently some railroads must have called them Crossing Towers also.

The Photo and the following are from Mid-Continent's web site:

The Crossing Tower

As crossing protection became more sophisticated, railroads devised a mechanism that could protect a crossing by dropping an arm or gate across the road to protect vehicles and pedestrians from train movements. These gates had to be activated manually by an employee. Thus evolved the elevated crossing tower. From a higher vantage point, the employee had better visibility of both road traffic and train movements. With increased visibility, a single operator could control gates at multiple crossings when in close proximity. Crossing towers were a common sight at larger communities, often near the depot or industries where train movements might be erratic. Mid-Continent's crossing tower was originally erected at Neenah by the Wisconsin Central. It was donated to the museum in 1991, and moved to North Freedom. A stairway for access to the tower has yet to be installed. Although the museum's crossing is protected by flashing lights, they are activated by automatic circuitry. Thus this tower will serve as a display and historical reminder of crossing protection's advancement since the turn of the century.

Allan


Mid-Continent's Crossing Tower

ddg14@attbi.com