crossing watch box tower.

Sat Sep 20 11:04:35 EDT 2025

Carl, many had more “accessible” stairs. All five in Circleville had something similar to the attached. 

My research (thanks Ken) suggests that all of the gates, like in this photo, were operated remotely. Further on the topic, often the watchmen were invalids who were injured in other railroad jobs (missing limbs, etc.). This was true for at least one of the last men manning a watchtower in Circleville. 

Matt Goodman
Columbus, Ohio, US

> On Sep 20, 2025, at 10:20 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> Boy, o' Boy --  I sure feel sorry for the poor guy who had to keep going up and down that ladder every time a train came along!
> 
> Carl Barna
> Emmaus, PA
> From: NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org>> on behalf of NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>
> Sent: Friday, September 19, 2025 9:05 PM
> To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>
> Cc: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>
> Subject: Re: crossing watch box tower.
>  
> 
> Main Street Crossing (Highway 11) Marion, Virginia. Notice the War Time bond advertisement on the side.
> Gary P. Price
> 
> > On Sep 19, 2025, at 1:29 AM, nw-mailing-list-request at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list-request at nwhs.org> wrote:
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> > Today's Topics:
> > 
> >   1. crossing watch box/tower (NW Mailing List)
> >   2. Re: crossing watch box/tower (NW Mailing List)
> > 
> > 
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2025 08:23:15 -0400
> > From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>
> > To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>, NW Modeling List
> >    <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>>
> > Subject: crossing watch box/tower
> > Message-ID: <mailman.8954.1758201600.722595.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:mailman.8954.1758201600.722595.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> > 
> > I am looking for any/all information on N&W crossing watch boxes/towers.
> >> From the archives I have the following on actual and proposed locations:
> > 
> > *proposed watch box tower & crossing gates, State Street, Bristol Va.*
> > 
> > *Watch Box and Crossing gates Fleet Street*
> > 
> > *Hyde Park Ohio*
> > 
> > *Proposed crossing watch box tower for Boden Ferry Road X'ing, Norfolk
> > Virginia*
> > 
> > *Harrison St. Radford, VA*
> > 
> > *Proposed location of watch tower at First Street (Comers Crossing),
> > Hopewell, Va.*
> > 
> > *Proposed Crossing Gates, Ashville , OH*
> > 
> > *Proposed crossing gate and watch tower at West Ave. New Boston, OH*
> > 
> > I am particularly interested in photos of these structures, but any
> > information on them will be appreciated.  I have been told that in some
> > cases, after they were no longer used at crossings  , they were removed
> > from their towers and placed at various locations for different uses.
> > 
> > Thanks in advance,
> > 
> > Jim Cochran
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> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:09:58 -0400
> > From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>
> > To: N&W Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>
> > Cc: N&W Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>>
> > Subject: Re: crossing watch box/tower
> > Message-ID: <mailman.8972.1758217732.722595.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:mailman.8972.1758217732.722595.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> > 
> > Jim,
> > 
> > There were five in Circlevlle, at least one in Chillicothe, and at least one (almost certainly more) in Columbus before the grade separation. Other than Ashville that you mentioned, I wouldn?t be surprised if there were others in the Scioto Valley, especially Portsmouth.
> > 
> > Matt Goodman
> > 
> >> On Sep 18, 2025, at 8:23?AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>> wrote:
> >> 
> >> I am looking for any/all information on N&W crossing watch boxes/towers.  From the archives I have the following on actual and proposed locations:
> >> proposed watch box tower & crossing gates, State Street, Bristol Va.
> >> Watch Box and Crossing gates Fleet Street
> >> Hyde Park Ohio
> >> Proposed crossing watch box tower for Boden Ferry Road X'ing, Norfolk Virginia
> >> Harrison St. Radford, VA
> >> Proposed location of watch tower at First Street (Comers Crossing), Hopewell, Va.
> >> Proposed Crossing Gates, Ashville , OH
> >> Proposed crossing gate and watch tower at West Ave. New Boston, OH
> >> I am particularly interested in photos of these structures, but any information on them will be appreciated.  I have been told that in some cases, after they were no longer used at crossings  , they were removed from their towers and placed at various locations for different uses.
> >> Thanks in advance,
> >> Jim Cochran
> >> 
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