Farewell to BO Interlocking Tower - Kalamazoo, Michigan

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Michigan Central's Botsford or “BO” Tower was opened on October 2, 1914. The tower was named after the Botsford Paper Mill Company which located its tracks east of downtown in 1892. Michigan Central built a new yard to handle the paper mill traffic around 1904. It too was named Botsford and is still in operation today.
The 44-lever interlocking tower was responsible for handling trains on the Grand Trunk Western, New York Central, and Pennsylvania Railroads, as well as an interurban line. The present-day lines are operated by WATCO's Grand Elk Railroad and Amtrak. WATCO renamed the yard to “Gearhart” a few years ago after a longtime railroader who retired with the Grand Elk.
In 2018, we interviewed historian Graydon Meints, the author of “Railroads For Michigan,” to learn more about BO Tower. Meints actually worked at BO in the mid-1950s.
At the time this video was recorded, BO was one of only two manned interlocking towers remaining in Michigan, with the other being on CSX rails at Delray, just outside of Detroit. It was also the oldest still in use within the State. Norfolk Southern personnel operated the tower until it was closed on October 24th, 2016 when Amtrak took over dispatching of the Michigan Line. The interlocking was upgraded to remote control so that the junction could be operated by the Amtrak Train Director in Chicago.
After closing, several preservation efforts began with the intent to move the tower to another location. MDOT wanted the building relocated due to its close proximity to the mainline. One such proposal included transporting the structure to Greenfield Village in Dearborn. Ultimately, the cost to move the building exceeded $100,000 and it was determined to be too costly to move the structure. On Tuesday, December 28th, 2021, the structure was demolished.
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[@tonimoore5841]

Growing up in Kalamazoo, 2 of my friends and I at the age of 10, took the route past that tower..on our way to a bicycle shop. The guy in the tower let us go up in there and pull the lever to stop the cars with the red lights. Never forget it. Im over 70 now😊

[@Pancreaticdefect]

I dont know if you still live in the area, but that old cluttered bike shop was torn down in 2011. A lot of the old businesses in that part of town have gone away over the last 20 years.

[@hoganrichard9627]

Sad to see many of these workhorse buildings are threatened by the wrecking ball. Too bad it can't be saved as an historical site so future generations a place for a"hands-on" experience. Toni, I'm sure you remember (as we are both children of the 50's) the great field trips we'd go on in grade school. Nothing captures a young mind like a "real" historical place instead of bits and pieces in a museum exhibit.

[@tonimoore5841]

I do remember what fun we actually had in grade school. I went to St. Augustine and Woodward. I was in the area when the bicycle shop on Harrison closed because some idiot thought the old man who ran it....(and fixed our bikes for free.. or showed us how to fix it.)..killed him because they thought he had alot of money in the store. Kalamazoo is #1 on the list of best cities to live in. Have to wonder who made that list!? Thank God for memories and photos...I liked the place "back in the day". Enjoy "wherever" you live and love your friends and family. They are your real "home"😊

[@trreb1]

I grew up in Kalamazoo for the first 6 years of my life. Lived on Hayes Park back in the early 70's. I remember down on the east end there was a wax factory and me and my cousins would go down behind there and watch the trains moving on all the tracks. Fun days back then.

[@bobozo389]

I spent countless days and hours in that tower, from 1975 through 1980 and made my final visit when Walt retired in 1991. Seeing those levers on the ground really tears at my heart, as I can tell you to this day, to line up a west bound train down the main you pulled 19,18,32, 10, and 24. East bound 21, 17, and 23. Around the wye 20,17, and 9 and you would select 9a or 9b on a control box by the desk depending on which direction you were lining up for the signal. There were many more moves, but it has been many years for me to remember it all! I used to tie train order strings for hours and hang train orders for the train operator. It was a young rail-fans dream. I would skip school ride the metro transit bus down town and hang out there as much as possible. I would get cab rides south home to my neighborhood once in a while, on a lucky day.

[@JawTooth]

Awesome video! I like those signs that say "Use AAR Radio Channel 9393. Since there are not that many channels I had to look it up. It just means to use Channel 93 to transmit and receive on. Channel 93 is 161.505. That is interesting to see that posted.

[@potatohead5910]

My grandpa was the foreman for the rebuild project of Kalamazoo station, as a resident I was distraught when I heard BO was demolished. Thanks for making this video

[@thomasmackowiak]

Thank you for documenting Tower BO, Drayton! It is sad that another piece of railroad history had to b destroyed. It is a shame thaat there was no way to preserve the tower.

[@kevinballuff1164]

What a shame, American history is going down the pipes

[@b-chroniumproductions3177]

@Account NumberEight our country is full of barren deserts made not of sand, but concrete and steel...

[@scotthite1089]

The attic was full of vermiculite insulation that was contaminated with asbestos.

[@thomasmackowiak]

@@scotthite1089the asbestos contaminated vermiculite would have caused problems with any restoration attempts of BO Tower. The removal of the asbestos contaminated vermiculite would have been a cost that could have prevented any restoration efforts.

[@edwardhammer5427]

I was in awe when I first stepped foot into the BO tower back in 2015. I'd just finished track riding from CP Gord to BO with the Amtrak guys as part of me territory qualifications. It really takes you back in time! It's sad they wouldn't save that amazing piece of history! Thanks for the video Drayton!

[@bennyg6115]

Guitars and video games a plenty in there

[@lickkittysplit3871]

I've rode trains all my life and passing those types of buildings always brings a smile to my face. Reminds me of the good ole days of being young, free, and not a worry in the world. Liked and Subbed. Damn Fine Job Boss!

[@dodoboodrough6044]

Growing up in southwestern Michigan I rode the Wolverine many times from Niles, Mi. east to Detroit, and west to Chicago. I also rode NYC from Elkhart In. to Chicago where my parents, and I rode the Illinois Central "City of New Orleans" south to New Orleans, La. Great adventure for any young person back then during the 50,'s, 60's, and 70's.

[@rachelblackgrove5091]

I love those P42 genesis engines. Some of my favorite. Really a great looking locomotive. ❤️

[@shaunrobertson1857]

Just like u lol

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Ladies and Gensets, my wife. -Drayton

[@joshthehollow7132]

@@DelayInBlockProductions 😂😂😂😂😂

[@shaunrobertson1857]

Lol lucky man

[@copper7136]

@@DelayInBlockProductions Yea player!!!

[@CentralPennRailProductions]

Really good video, nice mini-documentary. Shame these events of history disappearing seem non-stop but at least they go well documented. Sadly watching this on the same day Progress Rail cut up the last SD80MAC on their property, more history gone...

[@TurnindatidesWX]

Living in Kalamazoo, I don’t really remember this tower, kinda sad but I love learning history about Kalamazoo thanks for the video.

[@whammy3323]

I'm sad that it was demolished. I enjoyed looking at it while waiting for the Wolverine at the Kalamazoo station... The view will never be the same..

[@chesterraybon3442]

What a shame to tear that tower down. They can find money for everything else but the heck with saving historic buildings for our grandkids. Thanks for another great video.

[@Pancreaticdefect]

That curve in the tracks right by the tower that you see starting at 4:11 had two derailments in 2018.

[@michaelhewitt258]

Sad, That a piece of Michigan history Is gone

[@twofoottaylor1]

Fantastic video, that is sad and unfortunate that they could not save the BO Tower. Thanks for sharing your video with railfans near and far.

[@user-vh1uc6in7b]

Thank You so much DIB.❤

[@iiigraghu]

Enterprising Presentation. Construction and Demolition are part of periodical changes. The Tower served greatly 107 years. Excellent Service.

[@Bhil3]

You always have such informative videos. I really enjoy them.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Thank you so much. That means a lot!

[@robertwalsh1724]

The center of the main building in the scrap yard off M-43 in Kalamazoo is the old round house of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern. The pit has been filled in but was clearly visible years ago. Bob

[@keonikaig9247]

MOST enjoyable....Thank you

[@loganfrey4968]

Good thing I got to see it this summer

[@petej.8676]

As kids my family and our best friends family would vacation in Three Rivers....we did this for about 5 years...Every year we would make a trip into Kalamazoo..one of those years we went to the tower...i think our Dads wanted to see it.....a great memory! Actually saw the Movie Jaws in 1975 in a Kalamazoo movie theater..lol

[@trreb1]

I've lived in Three Rivers since I was 6 yrs old in 1973. The only people that vacation here now are those that don't know any better. LOL

[@amtraklover]

Sadly this reminds me of when they tore down the old Southern Railway interlocking tower in Atlanta, Ga a couple of years ago. Wasn't so much the city that wanted it gone but rather Norfolk Southern. Still glad I was able to get pictures of it over the years.

[@MoodyBlue42..]

It's sad when people have the resources and backing to save something historical and turn a blind eye unless its an election season 😕 another informative video Drayton. Thank you!!

[@kevinballuff1164]

Ain't that the truth 😏

[@georgettedebuhr2660]

You always have informative and educational videos. I love them. Always looking forward to the next one. Have a nice day 😊

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Thank you, Georgette. That means a lot!

[@ChadsRailfanExperience]

I was able to visit and operate some levers there in the early 90s.

[@peoriavideosltd6822]

Same here; there used to be some friendly operators that worked there. I got a lot of interior photos back in about 1994 or so.... At the time, one of the operator's duties included making the gates go up and down at several of the nearby grade crossings. A real throwback to the old days!

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

We had a BO tower like that in my home town. Always loved going by it as a kid.

[@jimikrentkowski4073]

Drayton nice piece on BO tower. You do great work on these videos!

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Thank you. That means a lot.

[@earl296]

I live in Kalamazoo,mi i didnt know about that

[@earl296]

@@simr2435 i dont know

[@jaquintastewartrosegold988]

Hometown born and raised good ol Kalamazoo Mi

[@TheDaf95xf]

Great video again 👍🏻 But a shame the tower couldn’t be saved 😫 The same is having in the U.K. at a quick pace with signal boxes being taken out of use and pulled down 😢 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@FowlorTheRooster1990]

It hurts to see another Signal Box go soon the mainlines around the world may loose what few Signal Boxes remain. I do applaud the preservationists that save what they can either a steam train a signal box or an entire railway. Preserving the stories and physical glory of a by gone era will help our generation and many after us make a glorious future with protecting more than a hand full of historic places and objects.

[@samuelchambers5]

Wow!! I'm glad that I was able to take a number of photos of that tower before it was demolished. So sad. Thankfully, I have been able to photograph Delray tower many times over the years, and enjoyed railfanning the various railroads there, including Conrail, GTW, Amtrak, CSX, NS, and others over the past forty plus years. Thanks for updating me on the fate of BO tower, and some of its history.

[@thefreaks3231]

When was it demolished?? I just went to Bell's a couple weeks ago and the thing was still there

[@dannygayler3164]

The Black smoke is usually caused by "Turbo Lag", great work thanks mate !

[@wrrail]

Same thing is happening with the CSX Indiana subdivison, The B&O Interlocking station is now gone, CPL's are gone and the old crossings are gone. Everything will not last long, no matter what. This is the reason why recording trains matter

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Wait, the CPLs are gone now?

[@wrrail]

@@DelayInBlockProductions Yes the CPL are down and down for a unknown future

[@wrrail]

@@DelayInBlockProductions Im not for sure if its all of them but from what i saw was 4 CPL'S down on ground im not fot sure what location but its the csx indiana sub

[@N9ICV]

From what I understand the CPL signals at Seymour, IN are what came down, so far the CPL signals east of Seymour, IN to Lawrenceburg, IN are still standing as I live a block from the CSX Indiana Subdivision.

[@josephhadawaysr5352]

Great video. So glad I watched it.

[@JackCarsonsRailroadVideos]

Another excellent Video!

[@thomasbritton640]

Delay in Block DIB your videos are second to none really first rate i haven't seen anything that compares thanks so much anybody reading this help spread the loved 💜 the man's work should have at least 200k subscribers i for one will do my best !!!

[@dwkcamman611]

Great work as always!

[@dmorgan28]

That was a really cool video. Thanks 👍👍👍❤️

[@KevinBourgeois]

Great video Kzoo native so sad that we weren't able to save it. Huge landmark for Kzoo gone. Used to always meet my friends there before heading to Bells or Shakes. Another piece of history lost :(

[@DDavis-co9ck]

I really enjoy your video's and have been missing your live video's from Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia area's.

[@andrewp6387]

I don't know why people complain about the P42'a looks. I love the P42 Genesis

[@harrisonofcolorado8886]

Well, a lot of people don't like the looks of the Chargers either. And believe it or not, railfans initially hated the F40s when they were new. Railfans also hated the Genesis when they were new too, and it appears some still do today. It's common for people to hate something when it's new, and eventually get used to it over time. At least, that's what I heard.

[@StephanieLondon]

I love living in Kalamazoo. So much history here

[@wiley-harris-anderson]

You mean like the history that was just removed? I'm almost certain this place is going to turn into another homeless camp.

[@TolgaEastCoast]

Great video man. So sad to see the tower go.

[@richarddrum9970]

It is sad that piece by piece America's history is being demolished. Future generations will never experience the greatness of our nation in real form. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@PGHammer21A]

The same thing will likely happen with Paoli (PA) Tower - already removed and closed.

[@PGHammer21A]

The only reason the station is safe is because it is multi-use - and it goes back to the Age of Steam.

[@PGHammer21A]

It is getting harder and harder to save history from the wrecking ball.

[@Retired88M]

That black smoke on the last train departing is reminiscent of the old Alco’s turbo lag

[@Robbi496]

While it is a shame to see the tower go away, but the track sure looks better now than it did in 2015!!

[@amyramsdell2910]

So does the station!!

[@regisbrooks8064]

Great video

[@hoscalecsxgrandrapidssubdi3437]

Freaking loved it 👊🏽✌🏽🎬🎥

[@elliotthamilton1361]

Delay in the block it’s me Elliott from the Stream!

[@roberttrains8696]

Good video Drayton thanks for sharing....Robert Trains

[@UPDetector]

To say the structure lasted over a century was a good feat for that tower. Nice catches

[@techguy9023]

I remember passing a tower early in the morning with my parents when I was a kid. I can still remember seeing a man in it smoking. Cincinnati 1973-near Proctor and Gamble. It looked like a lonely place. Ivorydale?

[@kohnaRL]

Nice video bro! Please go back to the PAL in Kentucky, Its really interesting!

[@Erick-ve1jx]

Great video,its is a shame no one could step up to save it

[@daviddelaet8116]

I've been on this train several times. Jackson to Chicago and back.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Cool, I’m originally from Jackson.

[@daviddelaet8116]

@@DelayInBlockProductions me to, I lived in birdland. I'm in Green Bay now.

[@daviddelaet8116]

@@DelayInBlockProductions I enjoy the videos very much.

[@danielkennedy1524]

Sad indeed. So historic for over 100 years. A park for watching would have been perfect.

[@thecollapseexperiment]

This is what Kalamazoo does, destroys what makes it special while spending money on crap that doesn't matter. So glad I moved.

[@b-chroniumproductions3177]

That's what this entire country does anymore

[@tuber2635]

I'm from Kalamazoo and have seen that tower.

[@IdahoRailfan]

Hey that least locomotive wamx 4017 would fit in perfectly with 1 of the 2 short line railroad near me because I have seen numbers 4016, 4018, and 4019 running on them! With all being Canadian Comfort Cab gp40s

[@southernohiorailroaderYT]

Hey we need to try to save it!!

[@haylieg2780]

I could only imagine doing 110 miles an hour in a superliner. I’ve taken the Southwest chief and have done 90 miles an hour. They should do some rocking and rolling.

[@grahamsawyer831]

sad to see another old sentinel being torn down. think of all the lives saved by this technology, it should be remembered

[@iiigraghu]

Hearty Greetings from India 🇮🇳

[@v6cole]

this is hella weird i actually live in kalamazoo michigan...

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Probably the algorithm being crazy. Thanks for watching though!

[@v6cole]

@@DelayInBlockProductions np!

[@PositionLight]

I guess that the lever frame was not preserved as was stated back in 2016 when the tower closed. BTW, as far as I* am aware both Conrail "BRIDGE" tower and NS "ROUGE BRIDGE" towers are still open, although both have been re-signaled.

[@FowlorTheRooster1990]

If you can't get the building then the second best thing is to dismantle the lever frame and salvage all the remaining equipment. Then build a replica Signal box for the lever frame and equipment.

[@JasonTrew2018]

Whatever the conductor was saying was just funny

[@derekhellmann5509]

Wow that’s interesting. I was born in Botsford hospital in Dearborn. But where are the Siemens charger locos? Was this filmed a while ago?

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

This video was recorded in 2015.

[@bradolsen8629]

You are welcome

[@robertnewland8702]

Did the building somehow get closer to the tracks? Been there 100 years and all of a sudden it too close to the tracks.

[@mikehunt8997]

When you put me on the Wolverine up to Annandale, Steely Dan.

[@regisbrooks8064]

My favorite Amtrak passengers car's

[@GreatLakesStateProductions6708]

Sad they didn’t even protect the signal switches they the cut the building up 😢

[@v6cole]

While at the train station recording this, was it actually that loud? Or what.

[@RyanMisner1]

Really sucks that it wasn't saved.

[@wst8340]

You can't preserve everything just for nostalgia

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Very true.

[@Pancreaticdefect]

Yep. Nothing lasts forever. It was probably only a matter of time before some bored teenager set it on fire anyway. There are a lot of blighted structures in that part of town left over from its heyday as a manufacturing hub. Its dangerous and a huge liability for the owners to just let it stand there. For example, theres a huge brick building (used to be the Clarage Fan Company) a block over from where the tower was that sat decaying for so long it collapsed in a wind storm about 5 years ago. Luckily no homeless people were living in it at the time.

[@taslimchoudhary1253]

Nice Video 🎊🌴🇮🇳🎊🌴

[@ronwong6102]

Good bye BO Tower!

[@skyelocklear3050]

Couldn't just one engine pull them short passenger train.,or is there a reason to use two

[@justinstrickland5382]

Are superliners frequent on the Michigan services?

[@troy3052]

Yes everyday with the blue water line port Huron to chicago

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Only in the winter months. The Pere Marquette uses them daily, however.

[@michaelhband]

👍👍👍

[@mrsboxcar]

I was the first female operator at BO Tower in the early 90's or so I was told. My first day alone on the radio went like this: MAN: BO Towerr? Me: Bo Tower, over. MAN: I don't know what you are thinking of working a man's job. You should be at home cleaning house, taking care of your kids and walking 10 feet behind your man! OVER. ME: I absolutely agree. Over. MAN: You Dd? (At this point it seemed redundant to say over on a non-related rail issue) ME: Yes, it's easier to stab a man in the back that way! RADIO: Male laughter from Elhart train crews, Dearborn dispatch and the Kalamazoo yard office personnel. (I believe the culprit was in the yard, ) SYNOPSIS: I was treated as one of "them" after that one call. They were a great group of guys to work with and enjoyed my time there,

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

That is an amazing story. Thank you for sharing that here.

[@mrsboxcar]

@@DelayInBlockProductions There are so many more stories I could tell, but this was one from my early Conrail career, Loved your video!

[@scottynails]

5:18 is that a ghost in the window?

[@midmichiganemdrailfan.4187]

I found it funny you ride Amtrak but not the Electric Locomotives .

[@IC86]

Sad it had to be torn down, but “C’est La vie.” The only constant is change…

[@fbimaxtowfor8300]

(Lives in Michigan) always note, Michigan is not all polluted water just Flint, but really from the 4th longest bridge in the world the Mackinac Bridge makes Michigan paradise.

[@PGHammer21A]

"BO Tower" Does it refer to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad? (I ask because throughout most of the post-Monopoly (the board game) history, the railroad was also nicknamed the "Body Odor Railroad" - due to it being called that in the old Universal International cartoons - such as Woody Woodpecker.)

[@Eric-xr3xx]

No, BO stands for Botsford Yard, an old Michigan Central (predecessor to the New York Central Railroad) railyard a quarter mile to the East. The yard is still there I think, but I don't know what they call it today.

[@PGHammer21A]

@@Eric-xr3xx I saw that later. Still, I wondered, because knew about the old nickname for the railroad, but not about the old yard.

[@matthiashartge5520]

150.000 passenger per year ^^

[@joshuahiday7916]

Ask them to keep it

[@tubros]

What? With two engines I expected a massive train, not just five wagons. How come two engines was used?

[@jeffreymcfadden9403]

While in Kalamazoo, you must stop in at the BURGER KING and say hello to ELVIS!

[@farleymusclewhite411]

Hello rail fans. Why do they run 2 power units on such a short train? Is it a fail-safe insurance incase one goes down (similar to a twin-engined airplane) or is it for the snappier acceleration or what? Seems to my uneducated common sense that 8400 potential HP to pull three cars with a few dozen passengers around is unnecessarily wasteful. Thanks

[@mofamilyvalues6560]

I stayed here for 7 mths

[@GardenStateDiecast]

What a damn shame

[@rogerlaurel2363]

This is progress! If you don't adjust to the changes which are coming, you are going to be left behind. Time to automate even more & dispose of these old expensive to maintain relics! BO interlocking! Never to return!

[@FowlorTheRooster1990]

So heritage and history is not important. If you remove a working example of what life was like for railway workers then what will people learn from? Seeing a video on such a building is not the same as actually being able to operate it your self. If you remove all the old historic objects then you will have nothing to learn from, nothing to be inspired by. If this logic is real "This is progress! If you don't adjust to the changes which are coming, you are going to be left behind. Time to automate even more & dispose of these old expensive to maintain relics! BO interlocking! Never to return!" then why are heritage railways so popular around the world? Preserving your past is very important for building the future. Once your heritage machines and objects are gone it can not be brought back. I bet if you liked something that was historic, I highly doubt you would like the idea of getting rid of it in the eyes of progress and the idea of it to never return would be horrible for future generations as they may never know the stories and the history of lost historic buildings, machines and well objects. Sometimes being left behind is a good thing like when your trying to preserve something that is important to the community or the railway on which it sits.

[@rogerlaurel2363]

@@FowlorTheRooster1990 No apologies! This stuff served & now its time has come. Time changes everything! Heritage railways are not as popular as you may think! They are just another unnecessary expense! So, you put your money in this rat hole! I won't! I am not that foolish! Progress! If you won't get with the times, get out of the way! New technology is coming faster every year & these expensive follies are being vandalized & torn out! Never to return!

[@cristobalmartinez4452]

The diamonds there will be replaced soon.

[@denaboersma6983]

Could of at least taken the lever machine out before demo

[@scotthite1089]

The attic was full of loose vermiculite insulation that was contaminated with asbestos.