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Man o' War wrote:Watchmans tower on the NYSW at Schuyler St., Utica, New York.

Man o' War

Indeed, Its the Watchman's Tower on the NYSW RR at Schuyler Street, just north of Whitesboro Street in Utica, NY.. That railroad is off the connection with the CSX/Amtrak Line.

NYSW RR run between Binghamton and Utica, NY.

Really, a wonderful place to wait for a train....if only a train would come by!

GP30M4216 wrote:Really, a wonderful place to wait for a train....if only a train would come by!

According to a menu search, they don't serve, so no worries about getting yourself in a pickle waiting for that train to come by.
*edit to add, don't serve means alcohol

Man o' War wrote:Watchmans tower on the NYSW at Schuyler St., Utica, New York.

Man o' War

Wow I can't believe you found it so soon! Yes you are correct. The track you see just came off a 6/10 mile of street running. What was your clue, I checked the photo for meta data etc. and should have been buried for a long time.
So let me ask, what is that structure? Of all the railroad stuff I've seen over the years never seen one of these.

Pixl wrote:

Man o' War wrote:Watchmans tower on the NYSW at Schuyler St., Utica, New York.

Man o' War

Wow I can't believe you found it so soon! Yes you are correct. The track you see just came off a 6/10 mile of street running. What was your clue, I checked the photo for meta data etc. and should have been buried for a long time.
So let me ask, what is that structure? Of all the railroad stuff I've seen over the years never seen one of these.

Don't know how Man o' War knew. But go to youtube and search for street running Utica NY. Quite a few videos on this real, not fake, street running. Some of the videos show the watchman tower. Real street running is where the tracks are within a legal travel lane.

DaveO wrote:

GP30M4216 wrote: so no worries about getting yourself in a pickle waiting for that train to come by.

Lolz about the pickle comment. Those who frequent a certain online webcam of a nearby crossing should know where this is. GOAT!

Pixl wrote:

Man o' War wrote:Watchmans tower on the NYSW at Schuyler St., Utica, New York.

Man o' War

Wow I can't believe you found it so soon! Yes you are correct. The track you see just came off a 6/10 mile of street running. What was your clue, I checked the photo for meta data etc. and should have been buried for a long time.
So let me ask, what is that structure? Of all the railroad stuff I've seen over the years never seen one of these.

As it happens, I was actually in that thing - many, many seasons ago now - under Erie Lackawanna stewardship at that time. Before automated crossing protection became the standard, and particularly in urban areas, those crossing towers were too numerous to count. A watchman would climb down after spying an approaching train and protect the crossing, and if equipped, would lower manually operated gates as well. The ones I remember most in SE Michigan were on the GTW between Milwaukee Jct. and Brush Street station. I think there was one in Royal Oak too. Come to think of it, they were all over the place.

Thanks Pixl, for posting that photo. Brought back some long dormant memories of chasing the EL out east...

Man o' War

Now I know the inspiration for one of my favorite HO models!

There are a few preserved crossing gate watchtowers around Michigan, most notibly two restored examples in Grand Rapids from the parallel lines on the westside.

GP30M4216 wrote: Really, a wonderful place to wait for a train....if only a train would come by!

Well I was giving others a chance to get this. It's Bangor. Those are pickle barrels/tanks int the background. That's an Amtrakesque sign which helped greatly. Drinking too much alcohol is considered pickling yourself. I've never done that to myself. That last statement might not be factual

Reminds me some of the SR freight house at Dalton, Ga where there are tables and chairs to watch the action at the diamond of the NS (SR) and the CSX (L&N). Busy spot.

GP30M4216 wrote:

Now I know the inspiration for one of my favorite HO models!

There are a few preserved crossing gate watchtowers around Michigan, most notibly two restored examples in Grand Rapids from the parallel lines on the westside.

The other tower on the Westside at the trucking company (not Bridge St) is from around the area where Van Andel Arena stands now. I cannot remember what street it was from off the top of my head. I've been told many times from where but I can never seem to remember.

GP30M4216 wrote:
Really, a wonderful place to wait for a train....if only a train would come by!

Yes, this is Bangor. The pickle barrels are a good clue. Amtrak recently upgraded the signage and platform surfaces at each station along the Pere Marquette route and Bangor got the full treatment. The depot and property looks better than I've ever seen it. Even if no trains are due, it's worth it to stop by the Railroad Cafe, where you can comfortably sip a beverage or eat a sandwich on the platform or in the old waiting room: https://www.facebook.com/RailroadCafe

GP30M4216 wrote:

GP30M4216 wrote:
Really, a wonderful place to wait for a train....if only a train would come by!

Yes, this is Bangor. The pickle barrels are a good clue. Amtrak recently upgraded the signage and platform surfaces at each station along the Pere Marquette route and Bangor got the full treatment. The depot and property looks better than I've ever seen it. Even if no trains are due, it's worth it to stop by the Railroad Cafe, where you can comfortably sip a beverage or eat a sandwich on the platform or in the old waiting room: https://www.facebook.com/RailroadCafe

Indeed, it's Bangor, MI on the CSX/Amtrak Line in Van Buren County. 60.7 miles south of Grand Rapids. Amtrak train 371, the Pere Marquette currently operating from GR to Chicago with stops in Bangor at 7:31am every mornings and train 370 currently operating from CHI to GRR with stop in Bangor at 9:49 pm every evenings.

Where be it?

I like pictures of industrial spurs. I don't know here it is yet.

~Z~ wrote:Where be it?

AARR wrote:I like pictures of industrial spurs. I don't know here it is yet.

~Z~ wrote:Where be it?

Oil refiery somewhere in west Michigan?

railrod1949 wrote:

AARR wrote:I like pictures of industrial spurs. I don't know here it is yet.

~Z~ wrote:Where be it?

Oil refiery somewhere in west Michigan?

Glad you like industrial spurs. Not west michigan and not oil, but is chemical... think SE michigan.

It looks like the NS customer between Detroit and Wayne on the Michigan Line. Might be in Inkster. They receive an occasional tank car of something there.

~Z~ wrote:

railrod1949 wrote:Oil refiery somewhere in west Michigan?

Glad you like industrial spurs. Not west michigan and not oil, but is chemical... think SE michigan.

AARR wrote:It looks like the NS customer between Detroit and Wayne on the Michigan Line. Might be in Inkster. They receive an occasional tank car of something there.

~Z~ wrote:

railrod1949 wrote:Oil refiery somewhere in west Michigan?

Glad you like industrial spurs. Not west michigan and not oil, but is chemical... think SE michigan.

Got it!! Quaker Chemical Corp. Plant on west side of Birwood Avenue , about four blocks north of I-96 Expressway, south of the former Detroit Terminal RR line, now the Conrail SA West End Spur, with the Conrail SA local base out of Conrail SA Livernois Yard, all in Detroit, Wayne County.

My 2003 map of Detroit from Trains Mag shows it as the Highland Park Industrial Track even though it had been disconnected from Highland Park.

railrod1949 wrote:Got it!! Quaker Chemical Corp. Plant on west side of Birwood Avenue , about four blocks north of I-96 Expressway, south of the former Detroit Terminal RR line, now the Conrail SA West End Spur, with the Conrail SA local base out of Conrail SA Livernois Yard, all in Detroit, Wayne County.