Help save Grasselli Tower

[rbarcus]

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum recently began the work necessary to get Grasselli Tower moved to North Judson. Check out the website for further details: http://www.grassellitower.com.

[rbarcus]

I've posted some photos of the work progressing at Grasselli Tower. The second floor of the tower has been removed and we're getting closer to seeing Grasselli in North Judson! http://www.grassellitower.com/moving-grasselli.htm

[indrr]

Wow, that's really cool.  Interesting way to move a building.

[rbarcus]

The second floor of the tower was delivered to the tower site in North Judson on Saturday. The first floor with the interlocking bed should arrive next weekend. I must admit that there were quite a few 'lookie-loos' traveling past the museum - I've never seen so many people on Mulberry Street (of course that will be trumped by the arrival of 765 later this month!)

[rbarcus]

The move to North Judson is complete, now comes the fun part of refurbishing the structure and getting it ready for visitors!

http://www.grassellitower.com/moving-grasselli.htm

[itm426]

So what is the age of the tower exactly? and where was it located?

[rbarcus]

The tower was originally in East Chicago, Indiana along Kennedy Avenue - at the junction of the B&OCT, EJ&E, and IHB.

As for the exact age of the tower, I think its still open for debate. However, we've recently uncovered several documents that show Grasselli in operation just after the turn of the last century - forgive me since I have since forgotten the date, but I'll find out tomorrow (if I don't forget again). I want to say its between 1904-1908.

[CSX_CO]

Which B&OCT line went through there?  I know it was situated on the NYC's former Egyptian Line and protected a branch with that mainline that the EJE or IHB used during the week.  Though, technically, didn't the IHB ownership take hold down at the NKP's diamond just south of Gibson.

Practice Safe CSX

[rbarcus]

I'm pretty sure that it was just an industrial track that the B&OCT had which crossed through Grasselli. If you take a look at the track diagram from 1916 on the Grasselli Tower website (http://www.grassellitower.com/images/grasselli-interlocking.jpg), you see where the B&OCT comes in from Whiting/State Line, crosses the EJ&E, then the IHB, and continues on "TO INDUSTRY". If you look at this B&OCT map from 1963, you can see just north of Gibson (http://www.2-8-2.com/wabash/b&oct-map.jpg) where a B&OCT track runs south to Grasselli, crosses the IHB and EJ&E and then ends abruptly. I think we can safely say that this line only served as an industrial spur.

[CSX_CO]

Huh...fascinating.  I knew the B&OCT had the line that went north at E. Chicago, but didn't realize they had one that went south also. That industrial area was a mess of spurs and trackage that only a shell remains today.

Practice Safe CSX

[itm426]

sorry, now that I have visited the tower, I was told that it was built in 1906. Which falls right in your guess of the age of the tower rbarcus

[rbarcus]

And what did you think of our tower? Pretty nifty, I would say...

[rbarcus]

Since we're nearing the end of the year, I'd like to remind everyone that their tax-deductible contributions to their local non-profit railroad museum would make a welcome present this holiday season. If your employer has a matching gifts program, I encourage you to take advantage of that as well - in many cases you can double your donation. http://www.grassellitower.com/donate.htm

[rbarcus]

Work is slowly progressing on Grasselli Tower. Several boards are being replaced, primed, and readied for painting into "NYC green" as we're calling it. A piece of tar paper under the old boards revealed a connection to Elkhart - the tar paper (and probably some other stuff) came from the New York Central store house there. I'll try to get some updated pictures this weekend to share with everyone.

Also, I added a new "tower story" about Spring Hill tower in Terre Haute yesterday - it's a good read! Check it out - http://www.grassellitower.com/stories.htm