KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A historic part of Michigan’s railroad history could soon be torn down.
The BO Rail Tower near Porter Street in Kalamazoo was originally built in 1888. It was reconstructed after a fire in 1914.
“There’s 44 interlocking levers within the tower,” train conductor Nate Hatton explained how it worked. “Each lever controlled a switch that directed train traffic throughout town.”
Hatton said it’s one of two similar towers in the state. A similar system is still used to control some of the tracks in Detroit.
The Michigan Department of Transportation, which owns the tower, says it is no longer needed to control the rail system — the tracks are now run remotely from Chicago.
MDOT also says the tower sits too close to the track, but officials are open to allowing a group to move it.
Read more at 24 hour news 8.