Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
Something I have started. Hopefully things start to heat up soon! Follow the progress here!
https://www.facebook.com/Restore-the-Br ... 12/?ref=hl
https://www.facebook.com/Restore-the-Br ... 12/?ref=hl
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Bridge Street Tower Build Year
I know I have been posting a lot about this tower lately, but with things heating up on the possibility of a restoration I am looking for some important information that I am still lacking.
Does anyone know when the current tower at Bridge Street was built? It replaced an earlier structure that I have seen photos of. It oddly enough resembled a lighthouse in many ways. Most indicators that I can find say that the existing tower was built by the PRR after the takeover of the GR&I using leftover materials. I have gone to the Grand Rapids Model Railroad Club in Comstock Park, Michigan to find information on the tower and they do not seem to know when it was built either. Does anyone have an idea who might know when it was built or where I could find build information on the structure?
Does anyone know when the current tower at Bridge Street was built? It replaced an earlier structure that I have seen photos of. It oddly enough resembled a lighthouse in many ways. Most indicators that I can find say that the existing tower was built by the PRR after the takeover of the GR&I using leftover materials. I have gone to the Grand Rapids Model Railroad Club in Comstock Park, Michigan to find information on the tower and they do not seem to know when it was built either. Does anyone have an idea who might know when it was built or where I could find build information on the structure?
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- Saturnalia
- Authority on Cat
- Posts: 15450
- Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:54 pm
- Location: Michigan City, IN
- Contact:
Re: Bridge Street Tower Build Year
When is the last photo of the old tower that you're aware of? That could provide a clue.
I'd be wondering if this structure replaced the old one after the big floods...but that's just a wild guess.
I'd be wondering if this structure replaced the old one after the big floods...but that's just a wild guess.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Bridge Street Tower Build Year
The photos I've seen were all taken around the same time. Model T's were everywhere, and those are the only photos I've seen. The next photos I've found of sister towers such as Leonard and Cherry St all have EMD F7's in them, so there is a fairly large gap in there that I have been unable to fill.Saturnalia wrote:When is the last photo of the old tower that you're aware of? That could provide a clue.
I'd be wondering if this structure replaced the old one after the big floods...but that's just a wild guess.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Bridge Street Tower restoration official
We didn't get the deal, tower was bought last night.
http://www.mlive.com/business/west-mich ... ll_be.html
http://www.mlive.com/business/west-mich ... ll_be.html
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
We have partnered up with the new owners on restoring the tower!
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
Thanks for posting. I didn't even know it existed. I'll defiantly check this out the next time I'm in GR.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
Follow the Facebook page to watch the restoration! Search "Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower"!NS3322 wrote:Thanks for posting. I didn't even know it existed. I'll defiantly check this out the next time I'm in GR.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
Are all those posts under the name "Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower" from you?MQT1223 wrote:Follow the Facebook page to watch the restoration! Search "Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower"!NS3322 wrote:Thanks for posting. I didn't even know it existed. I'll defiantly check this out the next time I'm in GR.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
The majority. There are a few others with permissions to post on the page. It should show under the posts who posted what.J T wrote:Are all those posts under the name "Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower" from you?MQT1223 wrote:Follow the Facebook page to watch the restoration! Search "Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower"!NS3322 wrote:Thanks for posting. I didn't even know it existed. I'll defiantly check this out the next time I'm in GR.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- iKJames
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 293
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 10:56 pm
- Location: Michigan, US
- Contact:
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
Facebook only shows who posted what to the people running the page, not to the general public.MQT1223 wrote:The majority. There are a few others with permissions to post on the page. It should show under the posts who posted what.
Re: Bridge Street Tower Build Year
Are there any digital copies of this image you are able to post to the forum? Users may be able to pick out specific points of their own interest that may help date the photoMQT1223 wrote: The photos I've seen were all taken around the same time. Model T's were everywhere, and those are the only photos I've seen. The next photos I've found of sister towers such as Leonard and Cherry St all have EMD F7's in them, so there is a fairly large gap in there that I have been unable to fill.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Bridge Street Tower Build Year
I will take and copy and paste a photo later to the historical Q&A board to see if it can be dated. I'm currently not home so it's a tad harder to do on my phone.iandt wrote:Are there any digital copies of this image you are able to post to the forum? Users may be able to pick out specific points of their own interest that may help date the photoMQT1223 wrote: The photos I've seen were all taken around the same time. Model T's were everywhere, and those are the only photos I've seen. The next photos I've found of sister towers such as Leonard and Cherry St all have EMD F7's in them, so there is a fairly large gap in there that I have been unable to fill.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
The Bridge St. tower was erected between 1870 and 1880. and was still in use in October 1977 as per the article I have. Let me know if you still want it, PM 1223.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
The year I've commonly heard was 1890, because the rail that is holding the entire thing up is dated 1889.Tom Train wrote:The Bridge St. tower was erected between 1870 and 1880. and was still in use in October 1977 as per the article I have. Let me know if you still want it, PM 1223.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
All I know is what is stated in the feature story in the GR Press. I am looking right at it.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Bridge Street Tower Restoration to begin later this week
The Tower's wood cabin is scheduled to be lifted either Thursday or Friday to be loaded onto a flatbed and shipped away for restoration while the metal tower and foundation work begins at a later date.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- Saturnalia
- Authority on Cat
- Posts: 15450
- Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:54 pm
- Location: Michigan City, IN
- Contact:
Re: Bridge Street Tower Restoration to begin later this week
admin edit: thx saturn, merged his new thread yet again with his existing.
Don't you already have a thread concerning this restoration process?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33265&hilit=bridge+street+tower
There's a reason I use one thread for CSX updates. Much easier to follow along in the long term. I know you don't care right now, but you will in 15 years when you're trying to find everything again!
Don't you already have a thread concerning this restoration process?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33265&hilit=bridge+street+tower
There's a reason I use one thread for CSX updates. Much easier to follow along in the long term. I know you don't care right now, but you will in 15 years when you're trying to find everything again!
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
Tower lift has been rescheduled to next week due to stability concerns of the wood cabin during the lift.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4154
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Restore the Bridge Street Signal Tower
Tower is now set to have the wood cabin removed on the morning of June 9th. No set time yet, but Rockford Construction is building supports to fasten to the wood cabin to keep it from collapsing in the lift.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.