(Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza)
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| Just like it was yesterday: Retired railraod operator leverman Clee J. Sprague demonstrates Saturday how he switched the railroad tracks from Haley Tower during the tower's reopening as part of the Wabash Valley Railroaders Museum. |
By Jason Hathaway
As rain sprinkled down Saturday, retired railroad worker Clee J. Sprague cut the red ribbon opening Haley Tower, his former workplace, to the public as Phase One of the Wabash Valley Railroaders Museum.
Once inside the old manned interlocking tower, which provided track switching for CSX trains passing through north Terre Haute until closing last year, Sprague, 70, was like a fish in water. He sat down at his old desk and began to reminisce aloud. This was the first time, though, that he officially was allowed to let other people come in and visit.
"This is pretty neat," Sprague said. "Through the years, I was never supposed to have visitors, but I did. I always had railraod officials around, but they never said anything."
It's quite possible if Sprague hadn't let children visit him at work that the 76-year-old Haley Tower may not have been saved from demolition after all. It was two of his young friends, Bill Foster, 37, and Scott Withrow, 35, who established the Haley Tower Historical and Technical Society two years ago to save the aging tower.
Clinton resident Sprague, who retired from a 29-year stint at the tower in 1989, invited the young railroad enthusiasts in, told stories and answered questions about life as a railroad switch operator.
"If it was not for Clee J., we wouldn't be here doing this," Foster said to those in attendance at the ceremony. "He got us interested in Haley Tower."
The Haley Tower Historical and Technical Society also received support and approval at the ceremony from CSX, which sold the society the tower last year. CSX director of corporate communications Gary Wollenhaupt presented the society with a check for $5,000 to go toward the cost of renovations and upcoming projects for the museum.
CSX is glad to see efforts made to preserve the railroad history, Wollenhaupt said.
"We don't always do a good job preserving our heritage, and this is a nice way to help the people preserve it," he said. "The railroad has a lot of history in it. Our focus now, though, is on the future and serving our customers. We just don't have enough funds to put towards perserving our history. That's why we try to support groups like this, who are committed to preserving the railroad history."
Inside the old Haley Tower control booth are such original items as a board of several large track switches, typed letters from Haley Tower operators from its opening week in 1924 and old phones used by the operators to contact other railroad personnel.
As Sprague gave somewhat of a tour of the small control booth, other retired railroad workers shared their memories with him, while intrigued children asked questions. Withrow said the tower not only will be for railroad enthusiast adults, but also children interested in learning railroad history.
"There are a lot of youngsters here today," he said. "It's something that will leave an impression on them."
The day after CSX closed Haley Tower last October, the Haley Tower group and a construction crew had their new treasure moved to an adjacent lot at 1316 Plum Ave., which they also purchased, and have worked on setting the building's new foundation since then.
Future plans include moving 89-year-old Springhill Tower from its spot on the south side of town to the new lot and building a railroad museum building, which will resemble a railroad roundhouse.
For now, Foster, president of the Haley Tower Historical and Technical Society, is just happy to have Phase One taken care of.
"It's feeling pretty good," he said. I'm kind of numb because it's been so much work. "I'm looking forward to the response we'll get from the public. I think they'll like it. It's something different for Terre Haute."