Tuckahoe Tower

[glennk419]

I was out to Tuckahoe today and noticed that renovations have begun on the tower. The staircase has been replaced, the old signal maintainer's shed removed and the north side of the tower has been very faithfully re-sided. Does anyone know who is undertaking this project and for that matter, who currently owns the tower? I was absolutley delighted to see this work going on and can't wait to (hopefully) get up in the tower once again.

[chuchubob]

Cape May Seashore Lines is rehabbing Tuckahoe Tower.

http://www.subwayspot.com/gallery/album42/04_05_03_09

http://www.subwayspot.com/gallery/album42/04_05_03_08

[JJMDiMunno]

I was out to Tuckahoe today and noticed that renovations have begun on the tower. The staircase has been replaced, the old signal maintainer's shed removed and the north side of the tower has been very faithfully re-sided. Does anyone know who is undertaking this project and for that matter, who currently owns the tower? I was absolutley delighted to see this work going on and can't wait to (hopefully) get up in the tower once again.

I have been told that it will house CMSL offices once the work is complete. They're leaving the interior structure intact however...so no physical modifications (good thing)...preserving history...

Mike DiMunno

[Steam man]

I'm glad to see Tuckahoe being restored,it was one of my favorite towers to work when I was a block operator for the Seahore Lines. The whole tower would shke when using the 'Armstrong" machine to throw any levers for the turnouts. I wonder if they'll let an old railroader see the inside when they're done?

[glennk419]

Thanks for the information guys. I had an opportunity to go up into the tower several years ago when a very friendly Conrail C&S guy came by to check the repeater and I happened to be there. It was amazing to see that all the levers were still intact although the tower had been OOS for many years. Although the interior was a mess, I still got a good flavor for what it was like when it was open. The bonus of the day was while we were up in the tower, a local showed up and dropped a couple of boxcars. It was definitely one of my better days at Tuckahoe.

PS. Mike, I haven't forgotten about those Crook Horn pictures, still haven't been able to get them scanned for you.

[JJMDiMunno]

Thanks for the information guys. I had an opportunity to go up into the tower several years ago when a very friendly Conrail C&S guy came by to check the repeater and I happened to be there. It was amazing to see that all the levers were still intact although the tower had been OOS for many years. Although the interior was a mess, I still got a good flavor for what it was like when it was open. The bonus of the day was while we were up in the tower, a local showed up and dropped a couple of boxcars. It was definitely one of my better days at Tuckahoe.

PS. Mike, I haven't forgotten about those Crook Horn pictures, still haven't been able to get them scanned for you.

Do you remember what year that was that you were there? Geez...boxcars on the Cape May Branch...I don't know when that last could have been. It MUST have been between 1990 and 1995...when SFL was serving Tri-County in Courthouse...but I had thought those were all lumber cars. Maybe not...otherwise, it would have had to be pre-1983...

Mike DiMunno

[glennk419]

This was definitely in the early 90's, probably 1993-94. I think I have some pix of that as well, I'll dig them out, hopefully the slides are dated.
I remember the power was a pair of GP38-2's, one of the cars could have been a lumber rack but I know there was at least one boxcar as well.

[JJMDiMunno]

This was definitely in the early 90's, probably 1993-94. I think I have some pix of that as well, I'll dig them out, hopefully the slides are dated.
I remember the power was a pair of GP38-2's, one of the cars could have been a lumber rack but I know there was at least one boxcar as well.

Ah, apparently Tri-County got boxcars too then...or maybe someone else was using the team track down there in Courthouse at the same time. Anyway, I can definitly tell you that the train you saw was WPCA-51, a local from Camden that used to run to Winslow 4 days a week, and to Tuckahoe 1 day a week to serve the Cape May Branch. 5 days total...their on-duty time used to be 0700, they'd be out of Camden around 9:30AM, which would have put them down there in Tuckahoe at, say...2:00PM or 3:00PM? That sound about right as to when you were there by that tower?

They've since changed their reporting times...they now come on at 10:30AM...don't leave Camden until almost 1:00PM in most cases now...and they don't even run to Tuckahoe anymore. Well, I should say "not yet"...CMSL is preparing to bring back freight service to Woodbine...

Mike DiMunno

[glennk419]

Yep,

That's exactly right on the time they were at Tuck.