24 Hours in the Tower

[setxrailfan]

A long time favorite area of mine was Tower 74 located in Beaumont, TX. A joint MP/SP operation that later became UP/SP which ultimately would become an all UP operation. A great area to photograph trains and visit with the tower operators. All of whom were very friendly toward me and would let me sit in and watch them operate the ctc board and look at train line-ups they received from their dispatcher.

Tower 74 recorded it's last train movement on March 27, 2000 at 10:05AM clearing BNSF train I-LANOJ 24. Dispatching was transferred to the UP Lafayette Sub dispatcher located in Spring, TX in the moments thereafter.

Tower 74 was razed about 5-6 years ago by a contractor hired by the UP after vandals had basically destroyed the place.

http://www.towers.txrrhistory.com/074/074.htm

1-5-1996; 24 Hours of train movements:


UP/SP Tower 74 Station Records by Mark St. Aubin, on Flickr

UP/SP Tower 74 Station Records by Mark St. Aubin, on Flickr

UP/SP Tower 74 Station Records by Mark St. Aubin, on Flickr

UP/SP Tower 74 Station Records by Mark St. Aubin, on Flickr

 

[tiegang]

I see lot's of "fallen flag" railroads on there. SP paid my bills for a long, long time.

 

[SP8197]

I still remember when my dad used to bring me there. I loved helping Wade operate the ctc board.