Long time visitors sense 1993. We just learned this weekend that the tower was gone as we passed through on the Amtrak. We use to be able to walk across the tracks and get up close before the hwy was upgraded.
The tower was taken out of service circa 1990 and control of the junction remoted to a dispatcher. My understanding is that it was then used as a glorified outbuilding by the railroad. Looks like they didn't need it even for that anymore. It housed a large General Railway Signal Model U2 pistol grip interlocking machine on the top floor. There haven't been any staffed towers in the Lone Star State for many years now. The last one was Tower 17 at Rosenberg which closed in 2004. Tower 17 has been moved and preserved as a museum, but there was no moving a three-story brick building like Tower 55. Trains Magazine did an article in the mid-1980s called "The View From Tower 55", when there wasn't' quite so much interstate highway around the junction.
I passed that building for years. Its such a shame they tore it down. Today I was able to get a video of a military train passing right through that exact spot where the eclectic building was located.
Born and raised here my whole life, i remember watching live as bigboy passed virtual railfan's camera then racing to go meet it, as well as all the memories in forth worth railfanning ive done over the years, tower 55 was from the same era as my grandmother and like her I will miss but always remember for the rest my life
Long time visitors sense 1993. We just learned this weekend that the tower was gone as we passed through on the Amtrak. We use to be able to walk across the tracks and get up close before the hwy was upgraded.
Your drone shots give a broader understanding of the area. Thanks for sharing!
The tower was taken out of service circa 1990 and control of the junction remoted to a dispatcher. My understanding is that it was then used as a glorified outbuilding by the railroad. Looks like they didn't need it even for that anymore. It housed a large General Railway Signal Model U2 pistol grip interlocking machine on the top floor. There haven't been any staffed towers in the Lone Star State for many years now. The last one was Tower 17 at Rosenberg which closed in 2004. Tower 17 has been moved and preserved as a museum, but there was no moving a three-story brick building like Tower 55. Trains Magazine did an article in the mid-1980s called "The View From Tower 55", when there wasn't' quite so much interstate highway around the junction.
I passed that building for years. Its such a shame they tore it down. Today I was able to get a video of a military train passing right through that exact spot where the eclectic building was located.
Born and raised here my whole life, i remember watching live as bigboy passed virtual railfan's camera then racing to go meet it, as well as all the memories in forth worth railfanning ive done over the years, tower 55 was from the same era as my grandmother and like her I will miss but always remember for the rest my life
Beautiful Shots! A perspective I’ve never seen before! I will miss Tower 55 very much!🥹
Great video and narration. New to the DFW area and learning areas where to railfan
Instead of paying real estate taxes on properties,the railroad would level said properties. Example Roundhouse at Rigby SoPo ME.
Great video. Thank you.
Past it often.
Was it torn down to avoid taxes? Was any equipment saved for posterity?
RIP Tower 55...
Sad.
why was it demolished now? is there a new one coming?
Why would they replace a building that hasn’t had a real purpose for 30 years?
UP was foolish to demolish Tower 55
I agree
They could of used it for train watching
@@brandonyerby7143 or could've done what was done to a depot and donated it to the train museum in Frisco
Now the pigeons will have to do their business elsewhere ;-)