I am trying to put a data package together on ACL and SAL wooden, two-story interlocking towers to submit to a manufacturer for future kits. Can anyone assist with the following: 1) Can anyone confirm that the original wooden interlocking tower at Dunlop VA still survives? I seem to recall reading or hearing that the tower in question was moved off the right of way into someone's back yard and would like to get a couple of detail shots. Any other survivors elsewhere on the ACL?

2) Can anyone confirm the existence of an SAL wood tower? Not sure if the one in Raleigh NC still stands. Likewise, any other survivors elsewhere on the old SAL?

3) Does anyone have a set of blueprints for either ACL or SAL towers? We need an elevation drawing for a wooden ACL tower and a complete set of plans for a wooden SAL tower.

4) While we're asking for blueprints, does anyone have a blueprint for an SAL water tank?

Thanks in advance for any help or leads. Buddy

-- Buddy Hill (palmettoLTD@hotmail.com), July 31, 2000

Answers

Moncrief Tower was at the Southern crossing north of Moncrief. It was a two story wood structure and was torn down around 1973.

-- Riley Kinney (rkinney@admin.fsu.edu), August 08, 2000.

ACL had a wood tower at the junction of the Jesup Short Line in Folkston, GA. It was still active in June and July of 1964.

-- Harry Bundy (y6b@aol.com), August 08, 2000.

Thanks to all who took the time to respond. Too bad the tower in question has been razed instead of being preserved. Several of the responses did mention towers that I did not know about nor are listed in the employee timetables. Here's a list of ACL and SAL towers that I know of. Can anyone add to it-especially any towers in AL,GA,FL. Hopefully the formatting will hold.

Atlantic Coast Line Towers

Name Location Function FA-Falling Creek Manchester VA ?? Dunlop Petersburg VA ?? BX Petersburg VA ?? BG Petersburg VA ACL-N&W Jct.

CO (modern) Rocky Mount NC N end R.M. Yard YD Rocky Mount NC S end R.M. Yard ??(ACL or NS tower?) Wilson NC NS X ACL Contentnia S. Wilson NC ACL Jct. ?? (brick) Fayetteville NC A&Y X ACL

Dillon Dillon SC SAL X ACL Pee Dee Pee Dee SC ACL Jct/Pee Dee Riv. WN-Winona Winona SC Pee Dee Riv. FY Florence SC Florence Yard RA (brick) Florence SC Florence Yard North End (Etta) Williamsburg Co. Santee River Santee Bluff Berkeley Co. Santee River The Farms N. Charleston Sou X ACL SY-Ashley Jct.(brick)N. Charleston Sou X ACL/ACL Jct. BN-Bennett Yard N. Charleston Bennett Yard Southern Connection Charleston Sou Jct/X ACL Magnolia Charleston Signal Tower Town Creek Charleston SAL X ACL Vardell Charleston Columbus StYd/CUS ?? (old) Charleston Columbus StYd Yemassee Yemassee SC C&WC X ACL ?? Hardeeville SC Sou/ACL Jct.

Chatham Chatham GA Savannah River Central Jct. Savannah SAL/CG/S&A X ACL North Tower Savannah Southover Yd. South Tower Savannah Southover Yd. Burroughs Burroughs GA SAL X ACL

?? Moncrief ?? ?? Callahan FL SAL X ACL Beaver St.(brick) Jacksonville SAL X ACL ?? TN Tampa SAL X ACL

Seaboard Air Line Towers

Name Location Function D Denmark SC ACL X SAL ?? Fairfax SC SAL X C&WC ?? Charleston SAL X SOU

?? (SAL or Sou tower?) Everett GA SAL X SOU

-- Buddy Hill (palmettoLTD@hotmail.com), August 07, 2000.

The old Dunlop Tower was relocated many many years ago to a site at the end of Orange Ave. in the city of Colonial Heights. It was the last house on the northside of the street at the deadend. It was renovated into a residence with some exterior modifications. Today, while checking out the site, I learned from a long time resident of the neighbhorhood that it was torn down about 2 years ago and duplex apartment now occupies the site. I attempted to locate a family member of the former resident, however, was unsuccessful. I'll keep you in mind should more information develop or locate a photograph.

-- Herman Wilkins (Railrdn@aol.com), August 06, 2000.

There was also a small tower at Apex at the Durham & Southern crossing in 20's/30's.I think the picture is Mac Connery's collection.I have a picture of a wooden tower that is short controling the crosssing at Bonsal N.C/ Norfolk Southern/ Durham branch.The picture is from the

-- Robert Alan Ashworth (Tarheelrrds@aol.com), August 02, 2000.

In addition to the NS facility at Boylan Avenue, which controlled the NS-SAL crossing, the lead to Union Station, and the north end of SAL-SOU joint track, there was also a tower at Edgeton at the NS-SAL crossing north of Raleigh Yard. This became an unmanned "semi-automatic interlocking" in the late 40's.

-- Harry Bundy (y6b@aol.com), August 01, 2000.

Buddy, The tower in Raleigh NC was built by the original Norfolk Southern, not SAL. SAL did have an operator in one end, at least through WW2. John

-- John Edwards (anjedwards@enter.net), August 01, 2000.

Buddy, I've traveled most of the SAL north of Jacksonville and to my knowledge no interlocking towers are still standing. The one in Raleigh was knocked town about 15 years ago (and it was a non- standard design, besides). I know of no standard ACL interlocking towers standing either. However, I got a tip recently that an ACL interlocking tower still stands near Petersburg. It was taken off the ROW and moved to an austere location. To quote my friend, "If you don't live down there you'd never find it." I'll dig up the info for you and hook you up with the fellow who lives down there. It shouldn't be a long trip for you if you're in Richmond. It was supposedly the tower that controlled the junction between the Petersburg Belt Line and the old City Line. I don't know anything about the tower or have any details of it's construction...only that it exists. More to follow! JG

-- Johnny Golden (Golden1014@yahoo.com), August 01, 2000.