July 2005
Miller Tower Project Moves Forward
Foundation Constructed for the Building
[By Allen Brougham] . . .
One of my very fondest dreams was to see Miller Tower reconstructed
as a working, interpretative display for future generations to partake
of the historical import - and the fun - that my one-time duty station
had to offer. I spent eight happy years serving at Miller Tower. It then
served the CSX (former B&O) Railroad at Cherry Run, West Virginia,
nestled amidst the splendor of the Potomac River Valley.
The tower ended service in September 2000. In fact, I was the operator
who closed it. Memories are made of such things!
My dream soon began to fall into place. To the rescue came the wonderful
folks involved with the restoration of the former B&O Roundhouse at
nearby Martinsburg, West Virginia. Shortly before the tower closed, members
and architects of the Berkeley County Roundhouse Authority came to the
tower. They took measurements. They shared, too, in the pleasures of life
in the tower, including a never-to-be-forgotten rendition of the '29 Song.'
In February 2001, just shy of five months after Miller Tower closed
(and a month and a-half after I retired from the railroad), I went back
to the tower to watch as a cadre of workers carefully disassembled the
building, and a military convoy slowly moved the tower 14 miles to the
roundhouse compound in Martinsburg where the building was spotted on the
ground in two pieces. It has been there ever since.
Each July, during Martinsburg Rail Days, I have staffed the Miller Tower
table - conveniently situated next to the two-piece building - explaining
the historic role of the tower and plans for its future. I'll be doing
the same thing again this year (July 16 and 17). But if all goes well,
next year (2006) I may actually be able to staff the tower - from within
its historic working space.
May 14, 2005, was the day in which ground was broken for the tower's
foundation, a seven-foot deep hole, 20 by 20 feet. Then, on June 7, concrete
was poured. On June 18 the work of laying the blocks began. I was there,
albeit briefly, on June 18, to witness the excitement. There I found Joe
Vanorsdale, Tommy Clevenger and Lyle Seigel, all of them volunteers to
the project, busily laying the blocks.
The foundation work will be finished in time for Rail Days, but the
tower will not be reassembled just yet. What is needed is a crane. And
rather than bring in a crane just for that project, the plan is to utilize
a crane that will find its way to the site later this year as part of construction
of an overhead walkway linking the Martinsburg train station with the roundhouse
compound. That crane will be used for both.
Joe Vanorsdale is president of the Bunker Hill Train Club, a 28-member
organization having close ties with the Martinsburg Roundhouse. In fact,
the club has plans to establish a clubhouse and train layout in the old
Fruit Exchange Building - owned by the Roundhouse Authority - located a
few hundred feet east of the train station. That effort with the Fruit
Exchange Building should see fruition in about three years, Joe says.
Meanwhile, Joe is coordinator of volunteers for the Miller Tower project,
and many of those helping out are members of his club. The project is grateful,
too, that Whiting Turner Construction Company poured the concrete free
of charge, and Cain Construction Company dug the foundation free of charge
(Jerry Cain is a Bunker Hill Train Club member). Such a response from volunteers
will help keep expenses to a minimum.
As of this moment, the fundraising effort for the Miller Tower Project
- which began in 2001 - has generated $22,468.62 in cash contributions.
Of this amount, $17,584.46 has already been spent. There is a positive
balance of $4,884.16, but likely this will not be enough when everything
is finished.
You may mail a donation, designated to 'Miller Tower Project,' to:
- Berkeley County Roundhouse Authority
- P.O. Box 5084
- Martinsburg, West Virginia 25402
For the names of those who have previously sent contributions to the
Miller Tower Project: CLICK HERE.
Photo of Miller Tower while it was still in service at Cherry Run.
The tower (circa-1910-1912) was constructed to a standard plan drawn by
the B&O's office of architect for a frame tower structure size 15 X
21 feet. The B&O annual report for the year ending June 30, 1910, includes
a cost item for "extension of track, and interlocking" at Cherry
Run and Miller. According to an ICC valuation report issued in 1919, the
tower was built and in service in 1913. But according to a B&O signal
pricing publication, the date is listed as 1912. The tower had a 40-lever
Union style #52 electro-mechanical machine, including 36 working levers
and four spares. This was replaced in 1952 by a 20-lever interlocking machine.
A Train-Order Stick Demonstration!
Kiddies Take Turns as 'Locomotive Engineer' - Get
'Orders on the Fly'
[By Allen Brougham] . . .
Moonlight Bike Rides have become a tradition along the Heritage Rail
Trail in York County, Pennsylvania. As part of each event, some sort of
educational demonstration is conducted. Often it is about railroads. After
all, the Heritage Rail Trail was constructed along the Northern Central,
a very historic right of way.
Such as it was June 20 at Glatfelter's Station prior to the monthly
moonlight ride. It was attended by about 30 people. Four youngsters from
the group - ages about seven to 14 - lined up for a chance to learn how
communication was made to moving trains in the days before radios. Each
was shown how to receive a train order from a train-order stick, and then
they ran at top speed - shouting 'toot, toot' as they approached - and
got the order as they passed the operator.
I was the operator.
But the kiddies did all the work.
There were no dropped orders, either. They all did their job splendidly!
And they had a lot of fun!
Following the train-order demonstration, participants biked northward
to Brillhart Station, passing through Howard Tunnel, and returned to the
point of origin making a stop at the tunnel to read the interpretative
sign near the south portal. The moon shone brightly in the southern sky.
It was great! Moonlight rides typically occur two days before the actual
full moon to take advantage of the moon's earlier appearance just before
dusk.
Biking the Western Maryland Rail Trail
Third Section is Now Open
[By Allen Brougham] . . .
Several weeks ago, Maryland's Department of Natural Resources opened
a two-mile extension - from Poly Pond to Pearre - of its Western Maryland
Rail Trail in Washington County. This effectively completes the project
envisioned in August 1990 when the state acquired from CSX the portion
of the abandoned Western Maryland Railway right of way over which the trail
is now situated.
The trail - which is paved - now runs about 22 miles from a point about
half a mile west of Fort Frederick, through the town of Hancock, to Pearre.
The first section from Fort Frederick to Hancock was opened in 1998; the
second section from Hancock to Poly Pond was opened in 2002. I had biked
both sections before, and I took advantage of my earliest opportunity to
bike the new section on June 22 to acquire its mileage. To reach that section,
I began my adventure at Hancock and biked westward toward Poly Pond, and
then on to the end of the newly-opened third section. Now I've done the
entire trail.
The trail was not at all crowded. In fact, I had gone about three miles
from Hancock before I saw anyone else on the trail. In all, I saw but about
a dozen users. It was a Wednesday; many more can be expected on weekends
if the weather is favorable. On this particular day there was a hint of
rain in the air (it's only water!), but the rain (for me) held off until
the precise moment I got back to Hancock. What timing!
The third section has no significant characteristics to make it different
from the second section - a pristine, well-shaded corridor amidst mountains
on one side and the Potomac River on the other - but there is a sprinkling
of history along the way as explained by interpretive signs marking the
spot.
Poly Pond, where the new section begins, had been a storage and maintenance
lake for barges of the C&O Canal.
Woodmont, about a mile west, was once the site of a rod and gun club
said to have been visited by seven U.S. presidents. The 3,400-acre property
is now owned by the state and designated the Woodmont Natural Resources
Management Area.
Pearre, near the end of the trail, was the site of a train depot serving
the once-thriving community with outbound shipments of apples, and wildlife
(including deer and bison) on behalf of the Woodmont Rod and Gun Club.
The trail ends abruptly a short distance west of Pearre at a gravel
pathway leading downhill to canal lock 56. This offers access to the C&O
Canal towpath; optionally users could hike or bike to this point on the
rail trail and return to their starting point on the towpath, or vice versa.
There are several points along the trail with easy access to the towpath.
The rail trail is ideal for biking and roller blading; the towpath is
ideal for horseback riding. Hikers will be equally happy on either.
Another feature of both the trail and the towpath - the sound and occasional
glimpse of CSX trains using the busy x-B&O line on the opposite side
of the Potomac River.
Poly Pond, from an aerial view from the C&O Canal days displayed
on an interpretive sign at that location, shows the Potomac River to the
left. At this point, the river has been impounded by a dam (Dam No. 6)
constructed by canal engineers to supply water to the canal east of this
point. Similarly, a number of other dams - some of which are still standing
- supplied water to other segments of the canal in order to provide a deep
enough pool to accommodate the draft for the fleet of canal barges. The
barges were pulled by mules; the barges were crewed primarily by families
who lived aboard. The canal itself can be seen just to the left of the
railroad. The railroad now serves as the route of the Western Maryland
Rail Trail. The scene is looking west toward Woodmont and Pearre. To the
right of the railroad is Poly Pond; barges could access the pond beneath
a bridge. The canal is no longer flooded here, but at some locations -
such as Georgetown, Great Falls, Williamsport and Old Town - it has been.
Some of the lock houses have been restored as well.
Melvin Butts Dies - Retired B&O Operator
[By Allen Brougham] . . .
Melvin Leonard Butts, retired B&O tower operator, died June 6 just
a week prior to his 80th birthday. Melvin spent his entire 43-year career
working in the towers of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, first
at Miller Tower within walking distance of his home, and later at West
Cumbo and Martinsburg towers. He began his career at the age of 17, according
to his wife Dorla, but he was drafted into the service a very short time
after that. He returned to the railroad in 1945. For one 17-year period
he served as the relief-shift operator at West Cumbo. He knew and used
Morse code communication, something that disappeared from the scene about
midway through his career. Recalling an experience at Miller Tower in 1954,
as he related it in an item published in the October 2000 issue of the
Bull Sheet, Melvin became trapped for a while in the tower following a
train derailment when a train picked a switch in front of the office causing
cars to pile up, taking out the steps. He was unhurt, but he had to be
rescued through a window using a ladder. He retired at NA Tower in Martinsburg
in August 1985.
Martin O'Rourke Dies - Washington NRHS President
[Washington DC Chapter NRHS] . . .
Martin Francis O'Rourke of Fairfax, Virginia, president of the Washington
DC Chapter National Railway Historical Society, died June 14. Born in Keyser,
West Virginia, he was the son of Hugh Martin and Frances Ann Shugart O'Rourke
of Westernport, Maryland. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he spent
the majority of his career working in the Washington, DC, area. He ended
his career with Bell Atlantic Corporation and retired in 1994. Before his
retirement and up until his death, his favorite organization was the Washington
DC Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, which he joined
in 1979. In 1988 he became the chapter secretary and served in that office
until 1996. In 1997 he became the chapter's senior vice president, an office
he held until he became president in 2001. He remained president until
his death. Along with his duties as a chapter officer and president, he
was instrumental in the restoration of the Chapter's 1923 Pullman railroad
car, the Dover Harbor. Since 1983, he accompanied the car on many trips
over the East Coast and across the country as the Dover's mechanical officer.
Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery, July 18.
CSX Wants to Sell its Ludington Subdivision in Michigan
According to news reports late last month, CSX is planning sell to its
127-mile Ludington Subdivision in Michigan to the Marquette Rail Corporation,
and to lease its 48-mile Fremont Subdivision, also in Michigan, to the
Michigan Shore Railroad. Details are being negotiated, according to the
reports.
Union Stations Across the U.S.
Denver, Colorado
[By Beryl Frank] . . .
As early as the 1870's, there were at least four railroad stations in
Denver. This was especially sad for passengers who had to transfer from
one line to another. The streets in Denver were dusty and muddy. Transfer
of both freight and passengers had to use them.
The building which brought Denver trains under one roof was the Union
Station at 17th and Wynkoop streets. Here the tracks could accommodate
both narrow and standard gauge trains. (The narrow gauge was primarily
for mountain-bound trains.)
The first Union Station was two and one-half stories. It was made of
pinkish gray lava stone and trimmed with pink sandstone. It was topped
by a Victorian gothic tower which included a clock. The original plans
called for finishing the railroad offices with black and French walnut,
but this decor never came to be.
In 1892, two wings were added and the station then measured 880 feet.
The section between the two wings housed the passenger services. When
this section was burned out, it took two years to replace. The new section
was built in red sandstone and the new clock tower was 40 feet taller than
the original.
The Welcome Arch gave a look of elegance to Denver's Union Station.
It was erected in 1906 in front of the central portion of the depot.
After the new portion was completed in 1915, the arch was still standing.
But the arch was taken down by the city in 1931.
In 1914, the original terminal company was disbanded. A new group of
six railroads demolished the center section and built the Beaux Arts version
still in use today. This building was made of Colorado granite on a steel
frame.
A postcard with the stamped date of mailing in 1937 described the Denver
Union Station as "one of the most convenient stations to be found
and handles an immense passenger traffic."
CAPTIONS.. (Left) Union Station in Denver, circa-1907..
(Middle) Welcome Arch, erected 1906. It was removed in 1931 (photo courtesy
Denver Public Library).. (Right) Union Station in Denver, 1937.
.