Delray Tower Shutdown / To Be Torn Down

[ns8401]

Basically as long as you watch yourself down there, and know your surroundings you are gonna be fine, been down there and never had a problem or a hooker for that matter...

[hoborich]

The only trouble I ever had at Delray came from a CSX railcop.
Most crime in Detroit isn't random. Many shootings are drug related, or neighborhood disputes. Many robberies are suburban kids looking to buy drugs in the neighborhoods, or some guy who pulls into a party store for a pack of cigs and a Mountain Dew, and jumps out of his car, despite four or five thugs hanging around outside the store.
If you are alert and paying attention, you shouldn't have any problems.

[willardgarrett]

Never heard of "Dro".

Pretty sure it's hyDROponically grown cannibis.

[GP30M4216]

Well, it'll be a sad day when a couple little metal relay boxes take over for the venerable brick tower which has soon at the corner of Carbon and Dearborn since 1944. Despite the fact that interlocking towers may be antiquated equipment, they have put a very human element in one of the busiest railroad locations in the state. A metal box cannot do a roll by inspection. I admit that once the tower goes, I probably won't railfan there much. Not because of the neighborhood, but because the reason why it was an interesting place is no more. There are plenty of other interlockings in the shadow of an overpass and with plenty of power lines and billboards/telephone poles around. I know of other places on all the lines that converge at Delray where I can get other photos. I'll make a point to get over there this winter a few times to get some good pictures.

[hoborich]

It will be sad to see it go. But it's not going to affect the train traffic at all. Most people go there because it's a busy place.

[GTW6401]

Was down around Delray for a bit yesterday. You really have to keep a eye out when driving on Dearborn Avenue. There are large potholes in front of the tower and a manhole cover appears to be missing underneath the I-75 overpass.

[hoborich]

I don't think road repairs on Dearborn ave are much of a priority for the City of Detroit. It's not a state highway, so I think the city is responsible for it. And those double bottom semis and cement trucks aren't helping the situation either.

[willardgarrett]

Double bottom semis and cement trucks aren't helping the situation either.

You mean double trailers? Or are you talking about false bottoms used to smuggle stuff?

[GTW6401]

I realize that Dearborn Avenue is beat to a pulp, and has been for years. I just figured I would say something so that people who usually dont go down to Delray that often not destroy there cars and rims.

[hoborich]

I realize that Dearborn Avenue is beat to a pulp, and has been for years. I just figured I would say something so that people who usually dont go down to Delray that often not destroy there cars and rims.

Just observe the 2 mph "slow order" and you'll be OK.

[trainjunkie47]

I've never had any problems down there, except with some over agressive NS Cop. I have dealt with the hookers almost every time I've been there though (well over a dozen times). Its more nauseating than frightening, though.

[PAT.C]

LOOK AT THE SECOND PIC DOWN FROM THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM PIC.

THE HOLE YOU SEE [1/2 IN. ABOVE THE Y AT 1 O'CLOCK POSITION ] WAS MADE BY A HIGH POWER RIFLE BULLET THAT ENTERED THRU THE STEEL DOOR ON THE OPPOSITE WALL AND EXITED THRU THE WINDOW.

THERE ARE ALSO SMUDGES ON THE GLASS FROM PISTOL BULLETS [ THE PISTOL ROUNDS ARE USUALLY STOPPED BY THE BULLET RESISTANT WINDOWS ] BUT THEY USUALLY REACT DIFFERENTLY WHEN HITTING PEOPLE..

NICE NEIGHBORHOOD ???

[M.D.Bentley]

The only part of Dearborm ave that sucks is right at the tracks. The rest was resurfaced a few years back. One of the reasons that the section by the tracks and the entrance to St Marys Cement was never done was who was going to pay for what portion and the routing of the trucks in & out of St Marys. For the work to be done the road would have to be closed for a couple of months. Which can not be done because it is am Emeregency Route ( Believe it or NOT ). There are alot of underlying utilities and alot of companies that would have to cooporate to get it done. AND who would we give the kickbacks to these days with almost everyone in jail . And not to mention the impact to the local economy ( i.e. hookers )

[hoborich]

AND who would we give the kickbacks to these days with almost everyone in jail

Shame on you.

[M.D.Bentley]

IT"S funny because it's TRUE

[GTW6401]

Dearborn Avenue is an emergency route for the fire department. They are so worried about being cut off by trains around Delray that they fill-in the firehouse on West Jefferson each time that truck is on another call for over 15 mins.

They also do the same thing for the station at Fort and Schaefer because of the Rouge drawbridge.

[hoborich]

The main reason I feel the tower should be preserved is because it is a piece of our history. That's why we have museums like Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum.
Other cities and states save their historic sites. In Detroit,nothing is saved.
Mich Central depot will soon be torn down. It's just a matter of time. Hudsons, gone! Tiger stadium,gone.
I don't understand this mindset, that wants to erase all traces of our past!

[KenB]

Yes, woulds be nice to preserve the tower. The best tower to keep was Milan. It was orginally an interurban tower, had a armstrong machine and had plenty of room for tour groups and a nice "railroady" style but its gone as will Delray some day.

Preservation is nice but MONEY is the big problem and lets face it, this area really has no money. Look at Fort Wayne. Any other city that has a pre Civil War era fort has it all fixed up for toursim, what has Detroit and Wayne County done with Ft. Wayne.

What other City had a nice little tourst trolley that has been romoved, Detroit. The Washingtom Blvd line. The City of Detroit Mistersky Power Plant would make a great museum on industry but will it ever be done? No, no money.

It would be nice if Henry ford Museum aquired the interlocking machine from the NS rouge River bridge and some day when Delray is closed to aquire that interlocking machine so one could see the progress in railroad controls.

Another machine that should have been saved were the NYC built machines controling Bay City Jct and 15th St. Actually very modern NX machines that were designed and built by NYC. But it all comes down to money and this State is going broke.

[KenB]

Yes, woulds be nice to preserve the tower. The best tower to keep was Milan. It was orginally an interurban tower, had a armstrong machine and had plenty of room for tour groups and a nice "railroady" style but its gone as will Delray some day.

Preservation is nice but MONEY is the big problem and lets face it, this area really has no money. Look at Fort Wayne. Any other city that has a pre Civil War era fort has it all fixed up for toursim, what has Detroit and Wayne County done with Ft. Wayne.

What other City had a nice little tourst trolley that has been romoved, Detroit. The Washingtom Blvd line. The City of Detroit Mistersky Power Plant would make a great museum on industry but will it ever be done? No, no money.

It would be nice if Henry ford Museum aquired the interlocking machine from the NS rouge River bridge and some day when Delray is closed to aquire that interlocking machine so one could see the progress in railroad controls.

Another machine that should have been saved were the NYC built machines controling Bay City Jct and 15th St. Actually very modern NX machines that were designed and built by NYC. But it all comes down to money and this State is going broke.

[Fred]

Schaefer Tower was the one that would have been the most appropriate for Greenfield Village