Join the discussion on the following article:
Former Boston & Maine Waltham Tower closes
Trivia; it’s not pronounced wall thum…on good authority it’s wall tham (last syl rhymes with lamb) and has only a mild accent on the last syl.
But my 1920’s Waltham Crescent railroad watch is a WALL- thmm.
It lasted so long because the route drops to a single track through the town and has multiple railroad crossings that idiots have a habit of stopping in the middle of for traffic lights. The tower provided extra eyes and ears.
I hope they don’t knock it down–it is a landmark in Waltham.
I once lived on Crescent Street, just down the road from the watch factory, on the Charles River. I’d phonetically spell it WALTH-ham.
I used to see this during the drive through town when visiting family as a kid. Another part of railroading for the history books. For pronounciation: It’s more like Walth-ham.
I only hope that, as with everything else rail related in the area, the tower is not torn down. Massachusetts claims to be so historical, and yet it seems most towns could care less about saving their history. Granted, if the MBTA retains ownership of the land the tower is on, they can do whatever they want with it. BUT, why not just sell it to the town, or the nearby industrial museum?
WHAT TOOK SO LONG!