Grafton, OH: CSX/Big Four vs. CSX/B&O

(Satellite, the tower has been moved to get it away from the tracks.)

Tony Marre shared
[ That is probably the depot in the background given the bay window for the agent.]
Richard McGill: Our gas station was on the other side of the tracks across from the tower... When a train would go through and it had a "Hot Box"(flames shooting out of the bearing boxes) on our side we would go over and report it to the guy working in the tower... I used to enjoy going up in the tower at night when things were slow, it had a fantastic view all the way down main street... We used to put coins on the track and then hope that a slow freight was coming through so we could find the flattened coins... Passenger trains were usually going at 60 mph, so you could kiss your coins goodbye !!! Great Pic Jim Huber, thanks for the memory!!!
Across from the tower was also the US mail pick up and drop off... A canvas bag was hung on an upper and lower hooks, A crank was provided to raise and reposition the bag at the proper height at 90 degrees of the corresponding mail car pickup... Also there was a back stop made of rail road ties used to stop the thrown off mail bag, now this was all happening between 60 and 70 miles an hour!! More than once I helped the postoffice worker pick up mail off the tracks after the canvas bag broke... The mail would get sucked under the passenger cars and some would get cut up by the RR cars wheels... Talk about "Undelivered Mail"
John Ux: identical to the one in New London

Jim Bobel posted a 1982 photo when it was still in its original position and train orders are being grabbed.

5 images

Street View

George Siss III posted
Grafton, Ohio. The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St, Louis ("The Big Four") Railway/New York Central Railroad switch tower. Built in 1890. Located about 75 yards east of North Main Street (Ohio Route 57), perpendicular to Cleveland Street, by the CSX Corp railroad tracks. Friday afternoon, November 5, 2021.
Dan Davidson: Moved from it's original location at the SR57 crossing.
Tom Davidson: I believe the supports are reused rail.
Thomas Wentzel shared

The B&O was always just single tracked.

1979 Grafton Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

I'm a little surprised that Conrail and CSX has kept the double track in the Big Four route. The two connections have been removed.

Satellite