The decision gained media attention this spring in Abbeville, S.C., where a station was torn down despite preservationists alleging they had reached an agreement with the railroad. In May, local media outlets reported that a state preservation society had negotiated with the railroad for the depot to be preserved and moved if $50,000 could be raised for the depot’s preservation.
CSX officials argued those claims, saying the group indicated it could not meet those financial requirements. The end result was the demolishing of the 128-year-old station.
Since then, the railroad has torn down Chesapeake & Ohio-built interlocking towers at A Cabin in Alleghany, Va., and CW Cabin in Hinton, W.Va. The railroad also demolished the C&O Balcony Falls, Va., station.
When asked the railroad’s sudden motive to address these historic structures along its right-of-ways, the railroad issued the following statement. “CSX is committed to being a good neighbor to the communities where we operate. In line with that commitment, we work to identify safety issues or nuisance concerns on railroad property, including vacant buildings with structural issues and overgrown vegetation,” the railroad says.
The railroad says it considers the unique challenge each property brings. “CSX is committed to keeping stakeholders informed about these decisions and working with them to balance the critical need for safety with the interests of historic preservation groups.”
When asked if the railroad had a specific list of buildings it plans to tear down this year, the railroad said that it addresses these situations on a case-by-case basis.
Another example of a far away ivory tower management moves “making enemies and ticking off folks”
Reminds me of the B+M when Pat McGinnis sold off all the railroad stations to a shell company that then took down everything. He avoided hearings on saving anything.
Maybe you need to donate time or money to get the items painted?
CSX: In other words we will not tell you anything you want to know.
While I am a huge supporter of historical architecture and it hurts to see these buildings demolished, many of them have not seen any type of maintenance or usage in years other than storage. What CSX has been demolishing has been dilapidated, boarded up structures that have no economical future in railroad or public use. An exception to this though not CSX was the Alton depot recently demolished. It was a well maintained climate controlled facility with a good roof that could have had an iron fence put up and put to use by the public. CSX in Florence still has their historic depot with a fence separating the track and the structure in use by the local medical facility.
I’m out there every day following behind CSX, we see some amazing scenery that man hasn’t ruined. Alot of these buildings and old factories are a big part of history. Removing them would take away the story of how you and I came to be. Our parents and grandparents made these buildings their lives and a way to feed their families.
The tower in Deshler is still good.The depot is past the saving point.
stay safe
joe
Oh! A Cabin was still standing like a little over a month ago. Good thing I got a last look.
This is a good move by the railroad. If they leave the buildings vacant and say a group of kids breaks in and gets hurt then they are going to be sued for allowing an attractive nuisance. Towns that want o preserve their stations and towers can always buy them from the railroad; same for historic preservation groups. But once they are no longer of use to the railroad they should be disposed of or torn down.
there is always an option. If a town wants to save their local depot, maybe CSX would be inclined to trade property tax relief in exchange for the structure. And physical structures also serve as cues to location for trainmen. This might enhance safety, much the same way France puts art objects along their super highways to give sleepy drivers something to draw their attention. Everything can not nor should be saved. Cultures and organizations that have no sense of their past may lose a sense of their future.
NA tower north of Cincy has been an eyesore for 20 years. It is devoid of windows and the gangs have covered it in graffiti and tried to burn it down. It is highly visible from I-75 but nothing has been done while real historical buildings are torn down. CSX logic again.
Resources for this but not trespassing prevention and its casualty of a graffiti covered CSX?
The Ashtabula Oh passenger station (nee LSMS) was a recent casualty, too.
The key to preservation is to be sure the group doing it has deep enough pockets to sustain it.
Many years ago preservationists in Temple, TX, accepted locomotives and cars from the Santa Fe and Katy railroads. Apparently they did not think through were they would get the money to keep up the equipment, which includes a steam locomotive, diesel switcher, two passengers cars, along with a WWII troop car, and a several cabooses and freight cars.
Today the equipment sits in front of the former Santa Fe Station, which is one of the best period structures of its kind in Texas. The equipment is in various stages of deterioration. So, passengers arriving on the Texas Eagle are treated to what looks like a railroad junk yard, which mars the appearance of the station.