Castle Gate ( revisited)

[Miningman]

Pulled this image from SD70 Dude link to a National Geographic photo essay over on Trains on the Sahara Rwy line. 

One of Dave Kleppers favourite rail places/scenes.

... and, oh ya by the way, they blew up the castle tower on the right to widen the highway. So Castle Gate today is a Half Castle Gate.

the in formation to the bulletin-board and other points around the station, advising the 200 or more porters, baggagemen, and others on what track and at what minute the train will stop.

[SD70Dude]

I was hoping one of you would notice this, I too thought of Dave when I saw that shot.

My favourite is on page 399, the Brakeman leaning on the next car as he sets a stemwinder handbrake.  Better hope that brake club doesn't snap!

I was pleasantly surprised to find a free digital version of the article online, or else I would have had to scan and upload my own. 

As I write this I am leafing through my own copy of the April 1923 National Geographic issue, and the ads are even better than the articles!  LaFayette, Maxwell, Studebaker, Dodge Bros. and Willys-Knight automobiles, Dutch Boy lead paint, Remington typewriters and half-a-dozen different railroads promoting their vacation packages, including two full pages on Canadian Pacific's ocean liners. 

How times have changed!

[Miningman]

I'm not even sure the real reason was to widen the highway. Think maybe it was a ritualistic showing that devils and demons rule this planet and we are all real stupid thinking we are smart. 

[daveklepper]

My Yeshiva, like the Mt. Scopus Campus of Heb. U., has a beautiful view of most of Jerusalem from above.  I  was enjoying the view this afernoon, when the thought occured, what view in the USA do I miss most?  View of the Manhattan sky line or the Statue of Liberty from a Ellis Island or Staten Island ferry boat?  View of Denver down below from a train east of the Moffat Tunnel?   Others also came to mind, but I decided it was Castle Gate before its destruction.  And in truth, hardly a week goes by when I don't think about its loss.

Why does it bother me more than the loss of Penn Station, NY, some Manhattan and Brooklyn streetcar lines, the North Shore, the Liberty Bell Limited, the 20th Century and Broadway, and....?

I concluded that first, given enough money, time, and political will, all those could conceivably be restored, but not Castle Gate.

But perhaps more important it was one of a very few examples of nature (or the Eternal for religious person) paying a compliment to Humanity by imitating a work of the hands of human beings.

[Miningman]

David has asked me to post these 2 pictures to follow up on his comment 

[Flintlock76]

Blowing up a magnificent work of nature like Castle Gate was an affront to God.

[Overmod]

Flintlock76

Blowing up a magnificent work of nature like Castle Gate was an affront to God.

Then what do you call what was done to Calypso Island?

[daveklepper]

Was this island destroyed in atomic weapons testing?

[daveklepper]

Miningman actually posted a great color picture on the original thread:

[Overmod]

daveklepper

Was this island destroyed in atomic weapons testing?

Although it might as well have been ... look up the history of the Lehigh Valley and note why Calypso Yard has that name.

[Flintlock76]

Well I went looking for Calypso Island and Calypso Yard, and the only "Calypso Island"  I could find was Ogygia, where Odysseus hung out with the nymph Calypso for seven years.

I can understand why, she was supposed to be a hottie!

The Lehigh Valley's Calypso Island?  All I found out was the Lehigh Valley puchased it for 20 G's and made a yard out of it back in 1904.  

Found nothing on Calypso Yard, unless you're interested in some yard sales on various Calypso Streets.

Overmod, I love ya' bro, but the next time you want to make a point will you NOT be so bloody obscure? 

I mean, what's it tell you when you've got someone like Dave Klepper who's ridden every foot of rail in the country scratching his head wondering what you're talking about?   

[Overmod]

Flintlock76

Well I went looking for Calypso Island and Calypso Yard, and the only "Calypso Island" I could find was Ogygia, where Odysseus hung out with the nymph Calypso for seven years.

You're Googling the wrong way.  Use "Calypso Island Lehigh Valley" and the whole first page is relevant.  And far better explained than I could do with one of my word salads.

[Flintlock76]

I thought I tried that.  I'll try it again.

[Miningman]

A small 13 acre Island paradise adored by the public was sold to the Lehigh Valley who destroyed it by using the land as fill to straighten out a curve. 

Unlike Castle Rock it is conceivable but incredibly unlikely that the island could be reconstructed and in a hundred years or so once again be a paradise, won't be original ever,  but Castle Rock cannot be put back. 

Stupid is as stupid does.

My immediate neighbour clear cut 200 feet of old growth timber, huge Spruce, Poplar, Aspen and Tamarack, right along my fenceline. Followed by 3 days of a bonfire the size of a bus, this very weekend. I am sickened by it, my house smells of strong smoke, as does everyone else in the hood. Looks gawd awful now. Suppose they think they are masters of the their land now. I called the village office 3 times and got no reply.

Stupid is as stupid does. 

 

[Miningman]

Seems at one time the Lehigh Valley appreciated the Island. 

https://archive.org/details/journalofenginee03unse/page/18

[Miningman]

But apparently changed their mind 3 years later in 1904

https://archive.org/details/LVRR_1904_Report

[Flintlock76]

Well look at it this way.  The Moravians made $20,000 from the sale, so they were happy.  Bethlehem residents found other places to go, so they didn't miss Calypso Island in the long run.

And as Vince said, it someone wanted to Caypso Island could always be restored.  How do you restore something like Castle Gate?  

[Deggesty]

How do you restore something like Castle Gate?

It is impossible. A pinnacle could be built--but it would not be the same.

I became aware of what had been done when my wife and I were on our way from Denver to Salt Lake City in July of 1972; the conductor commented that the highway department had torn their side  down.

[Miningman]

Lego. 

[Flintlock76]

Miningman

Lego. 

 

Well, yeah.  I suppose a huge Lego Castle Gate would be a tourist attraction in it's own right!

[Deggesty]

Absolutely, Wayne--to Lego fanatics.