The water tower in San Jose California at the Depot has been removed and will be stored until re-erected at a later date. The Climate in San Jose is such we may never see the water tower again. The county government seems to be Anti Railroad preservation.

Would this dismantled water tower fit on a couple of flat cars? If it means having the tower elsewhere so it can be saved....

Smokebox

"orhf dot org"

Here is the Santa Clara County's Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) offical press release

Published Friday, March 7, 2003, by the VTA

Historic water tower and tank set for dismantling and storage

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will dismantle
and store the San Jose Diridon Station historic water tower and tank
on Friday, March 7.

Due to public concerns regarding the proposed demolition of the tower
and tank, VTA has postponed the request for demolition to allow
additional time to consider cost-effective solutions for relocation
and restoration.

Since the water tower and tank is in the direct path of the alignment
for the Vasona Light Rail Project, VTA will dismantle and temporarily
store the structures at the Vasona Light Rail Project Field Office.

Within the next six months, VTA will evaluate potential long-term
alternatives including potential funding opportunities.

Randy Hees



http://SPCRR.org
hees@ix.netcom.com

If there are no viable plans to save it out there, the folks at Hugo, Colorado will eventually need a water tank for their roundhouse restoration project. Both cities are located on the UP, and if the pieces could be loaded onto a flatcar, with transportation donated by the (usually benevolent) railroad, I think they'd accept it. It would be some time before they got around to erecting it, but it would be safe from the torch and stored in a dry climate. Feel free to contact me privately about this.

> Here is the Santa Clara County's Valley
> Transportation Authority (VTA) offical press
> release

> Published Friday, March 7, 2003, by the VTA

> Historic water tower and tank set for
> dismantling and storage

> The Santa Clara Valley Transportation
> Authority (VTA) will dismantle
> and store the San Jose Diridon Station
> historic water tower and tank
> on Friday, March 7.

> Due to public concerns regarding the
> proposed demolition of the tower
> and tank, VTA has postponed the request for
> demolition to allow
> additional time to consider cost-effective
> solutions for relocation
> and restoration.

> Since the water tower and tank is in the
> direct path of the alignment
> for the Vasona Light Rail Project, VTA will
> dismantle and temporarily
> store the structures at the Vasona Light
> Rail Project Field Office.

> Within the next six months, VTA will
> evaluate potential long-term
> alternatives including potential funding
> opportunities.

> Randy Hees


ryarger@rypn.org

I just so happened to be there for this event. I was driving around and thought I'd go see what was going on with the tank. To my surprise they were carefully taking it apart. I talked to a woman from the VTA who seemed to be their PR person. She knew that it was 1 of 2 in existence and that the community wanted to save it. She thought it was a rusted out piece of junk and didn't know why they were spending the money to save it. I thought it would be great just up the way by the Santa Clara Tower and old station but that is just my opinion. I think it would be too big to put on a flat car at least flat, you would have to put it on its side and I don't know how well it would survive that way. Anyways, I took a couple of pics and when I get them developed if anyone wants to see them let me know.
Chris

ablemanscurve@hotmail.com

It appears the two pieces, tank and support structure, were moved seperately. Both intact pieces are currently located at the nearby Vasona Light Rail field office. This county owned site has rail access. (Hmmmmmmm, is there room for a particular nearby homeless steam locomotive and roundhouse? Yesterday, my two young sons wondered loudly "WHY" daddy kept encircling the block!)

According to a Valley Transportation Agency letter recieved at home yesterday...

"In evaluating the future disposition of the Water Tower/Tank, VTA has requested a detailed cost estimate for the restoration and relocation of the Water Tower/Tank to historic building standads from Degenkolb Engineering, a firm with extensive experience with historic structures. VTA will use this estimate to pursue potential funding sources recommended in comments received during the public review period. At the conclusion of VTA's review and research of the comments received, VTA will hold a public meeting to present its findings and recommendations. Shortly afterwards, VTA will submit a summary of public and agency comments along with its recommendation on the disposition of the Water Tower/Tank for consideration by the Federal Transit Administration and the State Historic Preservation Officer. It is estimated that this process will take approximately six months."

kamiddle@rockwellcollins.com