ALTO Tower

Get your shots of ALTO Tower now. I have information that it will be automated over October-November. This is not a drill. Change is the only constant in life. I will release info when allowed.

I have seen photos of the trackwork that is being done between CP Works and CP Slope, with information stating when all is said and done, so is the tower. I hadn't planned a trip to Altoona this year, but may at least need to get out there a few days before the end of November (hopefully) to get some last photos of the tower and a few trains passing it as well.

K4Pacific wrote:Get your shots of ALTO Tower now. I have information that it will be automated over October-November. This is not a drill. Change is the only constant in life. I will release info when allowed.

I heard about it... friend told me about it and couple of prr signals will be gone. He and I are planning for a trip in PA late oct - early nov....

thanks for letting us know approx when....

Does anyone know the status on ALTO, it is still going or has it been shut down?

- BWP

A web search produced this comment. I have no knowledge of its authenticity

http://akronrrclub.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... operation/

Alto tower was still in operation as of Jan 14 (I haven't been back to work since then).

Log onto railroadradio.net and pull up the east slope stream. You should be able to hear the helpers calling alto when they come on duty.

I have heard from a few places that the tower will be taken out of service in May of this year.

Thats a good estimate, unfortunately the timetable has always been changing. I'd say, do your stuff now while you can. It will probably be a matter of a day or two notice when the axe falls.

If they don't remove the tower, It appears to be in a location that if it's fenced in the tower could be restored by the museum and opened to the public to see what it was like in the old towers and watch some trains from there as well.
Has there been any interest in saving the tower for historical preservation?

That I don't know. The plan as I have heard is that the tower will be moved to the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. Now, if they can keep the tower in good condition and put it along the portion of their property close to the mainline, with a view of the trains, it may serve the purpose you describe.

I was in Altoona over President's Day Weekend and got a few photos of the tower. I have heard early May is still the target date for the tower.

Major story in the July issue of TRAINS on the tower.
The Railroader Museum is working with NS to save
the display boards, interlocking machines, etc and
also the building itself. The article mentions a
closure date of "this summer" is mentioned. Get
those photos now, as preservation efforts of rail
artifacts, rolling stock, locomotives and buildings
sometimes don't pan out in the end.

End of an Era. Alto has closed...Thanks to the Akron RR Club for the details...

http://akronrrclub.wordpress.com/tag/alto-tower-closes/

Feature stories on the closing of ALTO tower in the August RAILPACE and the
September RAILFAN and RAILROAD, for those members of the list that may be
interested.

It is ironic, that the article in the Altoona Mirror was located in the "Obituaries" section of the paper that day: http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/conte ... 62717.html

Anyone have an update on Alto tower.
Last report that I saw back in August
was that NS "was considering its options".
Thanks...