Eastern Railroad Discussion > MG Tower on NS Horsehoe Line Design?

I was watching the Highball Productions show about the NS Horsehoe Curve trackage earlier and in it noticed that the MG tower is unusual looking and even appears to have had a bay window located on one side of the tower at ground level at one time. Is this tower unique in design and possibly was it a station of some kind also in the past? As I can't get out to that area again for a couple of years at least to try to see the tower in person (if legal access is even still possible) and learn more that way I thought I would ask here on TO instead. Thank you for any information and help.

GP30

If you want to see the tower legally, take AMTRAK's Pennsylvanian either eastbound or westbound between Johnstown and Altoona. It will be on the north side of the train. Try to see it from the rear of the train.

MG tower was built in 1944 to assist in handling bloated war traffic, such to provide crossovers Mid Grade; its design is unique and it was never a station. No reason for a station at this isolated location. You may have taken the section of glass block wall in the first floor front as onetime bay window?- probably built that way (with glass block, not a bay window) to provide some light into a probable electrical room there.

http://www.thebluecomet.com/cr_MGtower.jpg

Props to Barnard-Roberts book PRR Triumph I (author Charles Roberts) for a little of this info ; the definitive history for Altoona-Pittsburgh. Beg, borrow or steal a copy...

But don't go there except by train, it's a long hike in, and NS will be happy to write you up if you're found there. Unfortunately.

I was mistakenly informed that there was a public hiking trail that went to within close sight of the area before I posted so thank you both for the information and the clarification as to the illegality of being in the area. Now I need to see if anyone has out plans or an affordable model of the tower as I am a bit of a tower fan and that would be a nice one to build and have.

GP30

I'm not sure what you consider affordable, or what scale you model in, but someone
is doing MG in both N and HO: http://merchandise.pennsyrr.com/ms_prr.html
it's under the "Coming soon...reserve now!" heading. I don't know if they're the
one making it, or if they're just a distributer, but there ya go, a model of MG tower :)