West End, WV: B&O West End (WS) Tower

(Satellite)

This tower was at the west end of the Kingwood Tunnel.

1 of 5 photos posted by Greg Ropp
West End, WV - 1998
CSX GP40-2 leading Q316 past WS tower and into Kingwood Tunnel on the Mountain Sub with a pair of then new SD70MACs on the rear.
Randall Hampton shared
Dave Kneisley: good old mtn. sub.

Darren Reynolds posted three photos with the comment: "B&Os "WS" tower     West End,WV."

Eric Powell: I completely forgot I shot this tower. I very much appreciate Dan Maners putting credits on most of the photos on his website. 👍🏻🙏🏻

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This Tower is twin to Newburgh Tower

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Darren Reynolds commented on a post

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Just coming out of the tunnel headed for Grafton WV.

Darren Reynold posted the above three photos again, but with better comments.

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"WS" tower was at the western end of Kingwood Tunnel

The tower Controlled all movements inside and out of the tunnel it was closed permanently by Chessie in the mid-eighties. In the warmer months It was reopen for tunnel and track work day shift only. It had a old Pennsy style interlocking machine ( Like "WB" in Brunswick MD)

Photo by: Robert Staples October 1980

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" WS" tower is still in good shape in this picture.this would have been a great museum For the mountains division and its operations.

Photo by: Dan killinger

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CSX Eng-7703 passing "WS" tower on May18,1995

Photo by: Eric Powell

All images from North American interlockings States A to Z and Canada..

Moses Zacharewicz posted four photos with the comment:

WS Tower at West End, WV.   It didn't strike me until seeing it in person that it has brown rather than red bricks.   Highly probable this will be a future kit we offer because it is similar to Tower D.

The machine has been saved and is part of the Tunnelton Historic Depot Museum collection.

Does anybody have photos of the backside?

David C Hill: what was the wooden building for in the photo?

Dan Sobieck: David C Hill coal probably.

Moses Zacharewicz shared

Bruce Elliott Railroad Slides Inc/Pocahontas Co. Society of Model Engineers: Good morning Moses; The model that your company made of D tower is in many ways similar to WS tower here at "West End". Two other towers that could almost be considered "sisters" would be HX tower at Halethorp, Md. and MK tower at Mt. Lake Park, Md. Their are others but they're not coming to mind just now. Anytime that someone builds a new B&O model, it is a blessing. Though D tower is similar, the what I will call a "bump out" trackside is an abnormality with this brick tower design. Creating any of these other tower designs should be a lot easier. A "no brainer" is that you have to have photos of all four sides. If you do consider creating WS tower, though HX and MK are extremely similar, keep in mind that width and depth of windows may in fact be different as well as landing/step locations and the chimney. If I remember correctly your work is done 3D. As I understand 3D, differences in the end are a matter of programing a location for things where you want them. In theory that sounds like it would be relatively easy to make minor changes, if need be, to WS, HX and MK towers to expand your market. Have a great day !

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David Paul commented on Moses' share
I climbed through the brush last October to take this grab shot of the back of the tower....... there used to be a mine lead that ran right where i am standing in this photo

I'm saving a satellite image because CSX likes to tear down their towers.

Satellite

borhs