Just a quick heads-up for those who might want to know:

The former B&O HO Tower opposite Hancock, Md./West Va., one of THE last rod-operated interlockings in the nation, is slated for final conversion to fully remote operation anytime between NOW and the end of next week. Word has reached me from reliable CSX and ex-CSX sources that the tower is down to operating ONE switch, which is supposedly scheduled for conversion THURSDAY THE 13th. Although the tower is supposedly slated for manned operation through the 17th or later, it's possible that today is THE last day! Speculation is that after actual conversion of the last switch, there's no reason for the last operators to actually appear on duty, and unlike a last generation that took pride in closing the towers at the end of the last shift, they'll most likely abandon it.

There had been reports that HO Tower would be reserved for preservation at the B&O RR Museum, but at the moment I am led to believe that this will NOT happen. Absent preservation by another party, this wooden structure is likely to meet destruction at the blade of a bulldozer.

This is still not THE last B&O tower to fall: Keyser, W. Va. still has a working tower believed last in line for extinction at the hands of CSX, and there is also WB Tower near the Brunswick, Md. B&O passenger depot which controls storage tracks for MARC at Brunswick.

That really bites to hear that - I've spent sometime in that area but never got a really good shot of HO. Sounds like I may be too late.

Thankfully there are still three others - the two you mentioned - and MK at Rowlesburg, WV. Some say that this will be the LAST to fall. But as they say - We must enjoy them while we can.

-Justin Franz

That is troubling. Have there been proposals to save that tower for preservation? Certainly there must be interested parties. I suppose the cost of moving it would be enormous even if it were donated.

I just talked to two rental crane operators who were on the site to survey things for Monday's removal of the black B&O position-light signal bridge. I happen to point to the tower and say, "what would it take to remove that in pieces and send it somewhere else?"

The one just went bug-eyed with incredulity and walked away shaking his head. The other said "at least eight pieces just to reduce it to the possibility of getting it on the road, and you'd still need permits and all....."

Thankfully R tower that was at Millar has been moved and preserved.

Of course who knows how long the tower will stand - when they closed Sand Patch it was taken down very quickly (I want to say a few weeks or months), but then you look at some towers on the West End like Mountain Lake Park and Terra Alta that have been closed for decades, but still stand, unpreserved.

While the towers are the stars of the show it seems, one can't overlook the Color Position Lights that are slowly fading from the area - becoming as rare as Semaphores in some cases.

-Justin Franz

Justin - Funny you mentioned that. This coming Saturday (9/15), a color B&O position light signal will be put up on its base at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson, Indiana. John Schultz, our signal guru, has completely restored the signal. It, and the other signal being put up Saturday (an EJ&E searchlight signal) will be completely operational. Anyone interested is welcome to come and watch museum members put these two signals back up.

Les Beckman (HVRM)

As much as I would want to see it preserved, towers are difficult to interpret outside their environment. Strasburg has done a creditable job, maybe a couple others. But a tower in a grassy park is just a tall building. The tower was just an outgrowth of the hardware - near extinct - necessary to thow the track switches.

I am SO GLAD I took the opportunies I got to see HO in action. I certainly haven't seen anything else quite like it elsewhere, not in the last decade anyway. E-L's DV tower (Falconer, NY) was my Railroad 101 classroom in college, thanks to a friendly operator and the ongoing obsolescence of the Erie. They let me line routes, and man, was I ever hooked with the feel of the rods through the levers.

It was inevitable to hear this....but sad nonetheless.

Randy-

It is interesting that you mention DV tower. My Dad grew up just North of DV, 8 Cross Street. He remembers seeing the passenger trains pass behind the house, as he would wave to them. I remember the tower, and believe I still have some of the newspaper clippings of someone trying to save it. My uncle has pictures of the derailment that occured at the diamonds there. It all piled up between DV and the Work Street bridge. The old Freight depot was destroyed, and the coner of the bottom of DV was nicked. I remember when Conrail dozed it. It was a stone block tower if I recall.

It is definitly a small world.

Thanks for a blast from the past!

Ryan Scott

Unfortunately I've never been to HO or any of the towers on the old B&O out that way. So, I'm not versed on how big the structure is.

Having moved two towers, I can tell you if somebody wants to save it, you need to have a well thought out plan in writing to submit to CSX before they will even talk to you. Then be ready to come up with a bunch of cash to be able work along the mainline + the movers costs.

It may be too late to start a preservation effort now, but I wouldn't be asking a crane operator. I'd be checking with a contractor that moves buildings. The movers know how to get the job done.

Is the building in the way of any sort of track changes? On the wrong side of the tracks compared to a road out?

No, and no. The only hazard--and the major reason it's been so popular compared to the other towers at Miller, Keyser, etc.--is that it's SO close to major roads--basically three minutes from the interchange of I-70 and US 522, and that's if you count the thirty seconds it might take to make a left turn onto River Road. It's close to a town that doesn't offer much to do--Hancock--and thus you have a higher possibility of "bored" urchins setting fire to the structure. (Don't laugh--you don't want to know how many covered bridges we've lost to arson in exactly the same circumstances; enough that I dragged the subject of fireproofing before a FHWA study on covered bridges....) CSX might demolish it just to remove that risk. A couple other towers, like Hyndman, disappeared almost literally overnight, so completely that you had to know where the tower was to see any trace (a wide spot in the gravel at best).

The biggest problem is that the tower itself is so BIG--bigger by a few hairs/feet than Miller, Keyser, PRR J Tower, and other preservation candidates. Those extra few feet add up when we're talking "wide loads" on the highway.

I've received word from a source who has worked in tower preservation regarding this, Miller, etc. that the B&O Museum has decided NOT to pursue preservation or relocation of this tower, apparently (and this is somewhat "reading between the lines") preferring to pursue the West Keyser, W. Va. tower--slightly smaller building/plant, a little more practical in that sense, and status as THE last such tower rather than next-to-last. I've also fielded a couple questions from reporters out there who hint that there might be some local efforts going on to save the tower somehow, possibly by relocating it to Hancock to a spot along the tourist-draw Western Maryland RR Bike Trail and the C&O Canal. Pure conjecture at this point, as I don't think there's enough local money or "pork" for that idea to come to fruition.

I just searched out some online photos of HO and see that it does have a large square footprint.

Is it structurally sound?

Bill

Having not been given the liberty to personally inspect the substructure, I dunno, but CSX personnel report nothing in the way of rot, termites, etc. It's been at least maintained if not painted, as is in FAR better shape than most stations for which I've seen preservation launched. As one example I can compare to firsthand, it's in better condition than Tuckahoe in New Jersey (near Ocean City) was in before restoration.

I'm just curious.

When we got Spring Hill tower we thought it was in good shape, until we started to take it apart for the move. It was fairly well maintained with aluminum siding, modern windows, false ceiling etc. Little did we know what was hiding behind all that stuff! Racking it while moving didn't help matters any either.

I wonder if there is any asbestos in HO? Has the RR installed a new roof recently? The "A" will slow the demolition process.

CSX replaced the roof on Haley about a month before we took possesion of it, in preparation for demolition, due asbestos in the roof tiles. This showed how much they thought we would succeed in our quest to save it. Of course their original plan was to give us a 12-hour window to make the move happen, including prep work.

But hey, I'm not complaining. We got the tower, new roof and everything inside (except the operators) off their property 24-hours ahead of schedule and no abatement $$. Life is good! :)

Just found this on CSX's web site.

Bill


Q. Does CSX donate material or equipment?
A. The following is an excerpt from the President's Statement of Department's Mission and Responsibilities: "Donations of any building, property, equipment, materials, or other tangible items are not to be considered for any reason. Until this policy is revised, surplus assets of any kind will be sold by the Manager-Investment Recovery."

Off the WVRailfans Yahoo Group regarding HO Tower:
"last day of service the 17th, one week from now! And the
teardown on the 22nd".

Looks like the end is near.

-Justin