What Happened to the Worthington Tower

& A Word of Caution

          After the N&W bought the Sandusky Branch on October 14, 1964  the Worthington Tower received a coat of paint and some of the windows were blanked over.  The N&W rebuilt the diamond with electrically driven switches allowing the switches to be aligned remotely and the operator was eliminated. One night the tower burned. All that was left were the levers and switch gear sticking up in the air. 

        Today the ground has been re-graded and there is no sign that the Worthington Interlocking tower was ever there.

And a final caution       

        The tracks around Worthington have been the site of at least four tragedies over the last 60 years.  An alcoholic sleeping on the tracks, a mentally disturbed patient from Harding Hospital, a deaf man walking on the tracks, and a two year old from one of the nearby homes have all been hit and killed by trains.   

        Why I mention this is to remind the reader that railroads are very dangerous and you cannot be too careful.  In the 1950’s you could hear a steam locomotive working hard going uphill or rattling down the track when drifting down hill, .  Today the train speeds are greater and, with welded rail, the train is much quieter as it is coming toward you.  Around the Worthington crossing with its curves and heavy plant growth it is not always easy to see, and you may not hear, a fast moving train coming around the curve.  If the first indication of a train coming toward you is the engineer blowing the horn you are apt to have a heart attack.  And know that your presence may be reported to the authorities.