March 27, 1953 --- Flames Reduce Signal Tower to Charred Ruin --- Seven employees on duty escaped the flames uninjured [ Source: Altoona Mirror newspaper After that there are several more switch jobs to make the area safe,
Wow, that's fascinating thanks for sharing! I had no clue the scenario was based off of a real life event.
Did get my hands on several news paper articles. Turned out the date of the fire was not March 28 but March 27 1953.
The Rebuilding Has Begun June 11 1953 - Photo © by John Dziobko Source: John Dziobko, GodFatherRails.com Restauration Nears Completion July 10 1953 - Photo © Altoona Mirror
First three of six amazing images of the whole Altoona yard track plan . . . . all six could be pieced together to create one huge image, but I am not skillful enough to do that, sorry. But at least I put them in the correct order from left to right. Source: https://www.altoonaworks.info
Second three of six amazing images of the whole Altoona yard track plan. Rose Tower is clearly marked in the first image. . . . . . Source: https://www.altoonaworks.info
In the Altoona to Johnstown: “The Horseshoe Curve” user manual one can read: So the Altoona yard images from 1953 (see the previous two posts) should be pretty realistic for the Train Simulator route. But although being very detailed those six 1953 images in the previous two posts do not provide an easy and handy overview. So in the image below another complete Altoona Yard overview in one handy shot. Be aware that this one is a few year too early for the actual route. It is from the year 1946. The Rose Tower is clearly indicated by the red circle. The image does not show the Car Shops tracks and the Juniata Shops tracks located West of Rose Tower, for those please refer to the previous two posts. In the notes on the drawing one can read that the yard could hold a whopping number of cars. Almost 17000 ! Source: https://www.altoonaworks.info
Very interesting. This was one of the first ever scenarios I've played, wasn't aware of the real events. Always interested in history, thanks!
Yep, history is an interesting subject, especially when it is from a day and age when images are available.
Rose Tower in '1950' 1950's - From the William Barger collection , published in the Altoona Mirror of Jan 26 2020 Source: Altoona Mirror, https://www.altoonamirror.com/life/community/2020/01/yesteryear-150/ William Barger of Altoona submitted this photo of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Rose Tower, circa 1950. Helen Varley, a clerk, is the little woman who is fifth from the left. Rose Tower, which was at Eighth Street in Juniata, was built in 1907 and demolished in early 1985.
Inside Rose Tower in 1969 Sept 1969 - From the Altoonaworks.info collection Source: Altoonaworks.info , www.altoonaworks.info Altoonaworks.info wrote: This look inside Rose tower shows the panel board up top with the switch and signal levers below. This large tower stood at 8th Street where the small Rose relay shanty stands today. Rose controlled many switches on the freight mains and in the yard and was a yard office as well.
Rose Tower in 1972 Nov 1972 - From the Adam Klimchock collection Source: Adam Klimchock, https://www.flickr.com/photos/adamklimchock/ Adam wrote: ROSE Tower was a combination tower/yard office. This large structure sat between the Westbound Classification Yard and the Westbound Departure Yard and was directly adjacent to the 8th Street bridge. A major fire in the late 50s destroyed part of the tower, requiring a rebuild. ROSE housed yard offices, dispatcher's offices, and locker rooms. ROSE lasted until April of 1974 when ALTO Tower took over its functions.
Rose Tower in 1984 Sept 1984 - Photo by Mark S. Wurst Source: Mark S. Wurst, https://www.flickr.com/photos/135904349@N02/
Rose Tower Year by Year 1907 - 1985 Illustration by www.hendersongdi.com 1907 November 17 - RV (Rose) Tower is placed in service in Altoona. This large building housed several different railroad offices from yardmasters, to crew callers. 1953 March 27 - Fire partially destroys RV (Rose) tower. Seven employees on duty escaped the flames uninjured. Summer - The rebuilt is started. August - The restored tower will be ready for occupancy about Aug 15 1974 1982 A new yard office goes into service, closing the old Rose (RV) tower which stood between the passenger and freight mains. 1985 Early in the year - Old Rose tower is demolished. Source: Altoonaworks.info , https://www.altoonaworks.info/timeline.html , http://www.trainweb.org/altoona-ry-museum-club/S_Alto.htm and others.
