coaling towers

[NW Mailing List]

On Sat, Aug 6, 2016 at 8:31 PM, Frank wrote:

Grapevine says it's a combination of the expense to take them down and
> asbestos issues.  And unless you're in a state that taxes your total assets
> (including structures)they aren't generally bothering anybody.  At least
> that's the conventional railfan wisdom. The reality.......
>

Word is (and it may be apocryphal) that an attempt was made to take down
the tower at Vicker. Contractor applied an explosive charge that should
have been sufficient to do some damage and only managed to loosen some
concrete chips. A fluoroscope was done on one of the legs and the
contractor gave up. In addition to the concrete (when real men knew how to
mix and pour concrete), the leg was filled with all manner of steel thrown
in to help reinforce the tower -- tie plates, pieces of rail, and other
large items that would have made it near impossible to use anything short
of a suitcase nuclear bomb to bring down the structure. Since there wasn't
anything left that could hurt anybody and there was plenty of clearance all
around, the N&W officials called it "good" and left it alone. It (and its
brethren) will probably be among the few things standing after the
apocalypse.

Bruce in Blacksburg
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