Bradford in Miami County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Pennsylvania Railroad "BF" Tower
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., March 6, 2010
1. Pennsylvania Railroad "BF" Tower Marker
The Bradford or "BF" Tower was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad circa 1929, at the important site of Bradford Junction. It replaced an earlier wooden tower that stood to its west. From this building, operators controlled the movement of every train, aligned track switches, set the track side signals, and relayed messages to the crews in the locomotive and caboose of passing trains. The tower originally housed a desk, telegraph equipment, and the all-important railroad clock. Its core housed many steel throw-arms, known as Armstrong levers. These were hand thrown, connecting track switches and signals via pipes throughout the junction area. The operator telegraphed other outlying towers and dispatching centers in Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis and Logansport, Indiana. Railroad telephones appeared during the late 1920s and radios just after World War II. The tower was closed January 3, 1984. This is an example of the once common railroad interlocking tower that dotted railroads throughout Ohio and the United States.
Erected 2007 by Bradford Ohio Railroad Museum and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 21-55.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features
this page online
Location. 40° 7.829′ N, 84° 25.386′ W. Marker is in Bradford, Ohio, in Miami County. Marker is on Main Street, half a mile east of Miami Avenue (Ohio Route 721), on the right when traveling east. Marker and tower are about 150 feet south of Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 501 E Main Street, Bradford OH 45308, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Reading the Signs (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Signs of the Times (about 700 feet away); All Clear at BF Tower (about 800 feet away); Bradford Ohio Railroad Museum (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bradford Fire of 1920 (approx. 0.4 miles away); Bradford (approx. 0.4 miles away); Michael Ingle (approx. 3.6 miles away); World War I Roll of Honor (approx. 3.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bradford.
Also see . . .
1. Bradford Railroad Museum. Museum website homepage (Submitted on March 8, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By Robert Baughman, May 12, 2023
2. Pennsylvania Railroad "BF" Tower Marker
2. History of Bradford. Village website entry (Submitted on March 8, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on July 11, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., March 6, 2010
3. PRR "BF" Tower and Marker
Looking north.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., March 6, 2010
4. PRR "BF" Tower
Remains of Armstrong lever apparatus at base of tower.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., March 6, 2010
5. PRR "BF" Tower
Remains of Armstrong lever apparatus at base of tower.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,791 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 8, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 2. submitted on May 16, 2023, by Robert Baughman of Bellefontaine, Ohio. 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 8, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
