Does anyone have any info on or pictures of the FA (Falling Creek) Tower just South of Richmond in Chesterfield Co.?

-- Randolph Grigg (rwgrigg@aol.com), December 06, 1999

Answers

The "last" FA tower was a standard ACL single story brick building (built to replace a two-story wodden one). The brick one was leveled about five years ago, but the concrete floor still remains. The only remaining example of the brick towerof which I know is BX just north of Collier Yard. (At this writing it still standing, but is slated for demolition like the one at Weldon). FA tower controlled FA "Fallling Creek" interlocking where the old, old ACL double track main used to run north, cross the James River and connect with the RF&P at Byrd Street Station until Broad Street Station was opened in 1919. Later, the double tracked "belt line" was extended from Meadow (MP A 1) to FA (MP A 5.5), and while all passenger trains and most freights used it, up until the early 1980s, some road switchers, yard jobs, and an occasional through freight would be routed from Meadown, down the old line to Clopton, and back out on the main line at FA. The track from Meadow to Clopton was taken up about 10 years ago, and all of the old main line north of Clopton (including Shops Yard) disappeared at about the same time. At one time, the operator at FA also controlled the interlocking at Meadow.

-- Doug Riddell (railroaddoug@erols.com), December 06, 1999.