BR&P Towers

I returned from the DuBois (PA) area and stopped by the Falls Creek tower (FC). The old Pennsy diamond across the mainline has been removed. The tower has been trashed. I am aware of only four towers remaining on the old BR&P/B&O mainline from Butler (PA) to Buffalo (NY). Falls Creek (FC), C&M Jct. (near DuBois), Brockway (WI) and Ashford Jct. (NY). A fifth tower existed at Riverside Jct. crossing the Pennsylvania Railroad near the New York state line, however, the tower was torn down in the 1970's. Are there any photos available of these towers during operation? Does any information exist on the Riverside Jct. operation?

You might join the BR&P Yahoo group, there has been discussion of the towers there. The B&O Historical Society's 1998 calendar had a photo of FC taken in 1963, with B&O caboose C2658 (former BR&P) going by.

I had the board from C&M but it was in such bad shape that during a move I tossed it, something I have since regretted. I did manage to copy most of the route instructions and track diagram, and have one lever from that tower.

You no doubt are aware that AD is privately owned and nicely restored.

Fanatic5 wrote:...Are there any photos available of these towers during operation? Does any information exist on the Riverside Jct. operation?

Here is my photo of Ashford Jct in October 1978:

The Ashford tower was restored and looked beautiful. However, i went by there on saturday and it looks like its falling back into neglect. The grass is no longer cut, the paint is peeling, and the bottom floor window looks like its been kicked in.... hopefully the owner gets on this.

The tower in Brockway is along Clay Plant Road going north out of town.

It is in very poor shape. When I lived in Brockway 15 years ago, I often hunted rabbits in the area where the tower is at and there is no stairs going to the 2nd floor of the tower and it is abandoned.

The land that the tower in Falls Creek occupied was put up for sale a number of years ago and the buyer chose to tear it down and develop the land for their own use. Since then the owner has pretty much abandoned the site and it sits empty. There wasn't much of any land where it was at to begin with and I think that the reason why they tore it down was more to do with vandalism and safety then anything else.