A friend of mine sent me a picture on my cell phone yesterday and I was in total shock. The old 4-stall, 500-ton NYC coaling tower in the Collinwood yard is in the process of coming down! [:'(]
A few initial pictures of the demolition can be seen here:
I’ve been enjoying seeing this Collinwood yard icon and NYC landmark for nearly 10 years now. After hearing stories of how well-constructed it was, I never thought it would ever be demolished.
A sad day, indeed, for all NYC fans and fans of RR-related historic landmarks. [sigh]
Yep. I’m sure there’s a good reason CSX is taking it down. (Not like it’s been used in the past 55+ years - other than a sea gull roost.) Even so, it’s still saddening to see something this iconic come down.
We still have a few concrete coaling towers on former C&NW lines in Wisconsin and Illinois. This is a good reminder to the railfan photographer that that stuff that will always be there, might not always be there, so get your pictures today.
[:‘(] Many RR demolished structures that they were no longer using because it reduced their property taxes. Lots of signature and historic structures went that way. [:’(]
Railroads have to pay local property taxas on structures of this type, so they are always glad to tear them down.
There was an old two-track concrete coaling tower on the former Southern Pacific (now Union Pacific) main line at Mescal, Arizona, until about 10 years ago.
When the railroad wanted to get rid of it, they discovered that several homeless people were living in the top of it. The railroad had to go to court to have them evicted so the tower could be torn down, whcih drug thorugh the courts for a couple of years.
I can’t get the quote thing to work, but as Dave said, get your pictures now before it;s too late.
I’ve been out to Idaho, east of Boise, for military training several times at Orchard Training Area, and just before getting to the training area as you cross the UP mainline tracks is what’s left of an old watering tower, and some “house” that looks just as old. I don’t know what history the house building would have served, but I got several pics of the tower when I was out that way 1 1/2 years ago.
Every time I’ve been out there and seen that, I can’t help but think of the countless steamers that ran by there or watered there “in the day”, often wondering if the Big Boy’s or Challengers watered there as well?
Its Hard to believe this last vestage of steam in Collinwood will be no more. I know its cliche’, but it is llike a friend is dying. Not a close friend, but an old friend. One who you could always count on being there. A manifestation of what once was at Collinwood. A link to the past and all the visits that so many of us on these forums made to Collinwood as young people. We all knew it was inevitable, although I had secretly hoped that it could somehow be deemed historically significant enough that it would be preserved. I have been pretty down all day.
It’s too bad that it won’t be there for the younger generation to see in years to come - not that many of them would probably even be interested but it’s still a shame. All that’s left around here where I live of the steam era is the cement base of an old water tank next to the track at Clear Creek that all the kids call the castle because it kind of looks like a castle tower.
A lot of these old concrete monsters are just simply deteriorating to the point they are no longer safe .Can you imagine that thing falling down someday without warning?
I would like them to stand forever,but that just ain’t happening.
From what I’ve seen elsewhere, the most immediate concern is less that they will collapse altogether, than that many of them have been losing heavy chunks of concrete. The former Grand Trunk Western coaling tower in Grand Haven, Michigan is currently at risk due to this, with the city’s leadership considering demolishing it. It is part of a city-owned historical display along a riverfront.
The liability from falling concrete is the biggest threat to those that remain.