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11/13/03:
Josh breaks this sad news: "I
recently made the trip to visit the house and someone had cut the “w” from
the post. Just some FYI. It looks like someone
carved it out and took it as a trophy."
7/5/04:
Magick Maker from Georgia (!!)
also agrees that this is a railroad whistle marker, and offers some valuable
tips in locating abandoned rail lines. He writes:
"Seeing that W sign and the
various explanations made me chuckle to a degree, but I would like to
explain exactly what it is and why it's there. (Considering I'm in Georgia
myself, this may seem hard to believe, but trust me here.). The marker
you have, is as has been suggested, is a whistle marker. Looking at the
picture, I'd guess that you are maybe ten feet to the right of the tracks
old location.
Finding abandoned rail lines
is something of a hobby of mine, and I can offer you some advice on how to
check if one is near that location. First, check the ground around such
markers. Finding bits of limestone, coal, and metal are a good sign.
Remember, granite and limestone were used in the early days of railroads as
ballast. And trains burned coal.
Next, look for a rise (even a slight one) to the left of the marker.
ONLY the left. The reason is simple: railroad engineers drive on the
right hand side of the locomotive. So, this signal had to be on the right
side, with the track to its left. Just looking at the picture, it
seems to me that there is a rise to the left of the marker.
Third, remember, these things
are usually 200 feet from the crossing's actual location. If you suspect
there is a crossing, always move down from the marker and look there, not
right at it.
Finally, the style it's made in, makes me think that it is an old PRR
(Pennsylvania Rail Road) marker. First off, it looks to be made of concrete,
with a slight taper from the base. The letter would have been bronze or
brass, to reflect light at night. Not likely someone could have carted it
off, since the PRR had a habit of making these things to STAY. Probably
weighs something around 500 or more lbs and is three feet taller underground
than what you see. Normally, when seeking an old rail line, you can check
the trees. They'll be smaller along the alignment (line) than the
surrounding area. Problem is, as trees grow, this becomes harder and harder
to do."
Webmistress Note:
An excellent analysis, but we must respectfully disagree on one point--we
have it on good authority that the "rise" next to the W marker is actually a
witch's grave.
8/14/04:
Well, it's about
friggin' time! Dead Ohio's railroad expert,
Fast Freight, provides his
opinion on this god-forsaken marker:
I must say all this hoopla and analysis on the damn
W-post are classics! I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned it's
a whistle stop while riding that long black train on the way to hell!
The latest submission explanation
from Magick Maker is definitely getting closer, but not close enough to
satisfy old Fast-Freight. Those damned things are placed exactly 1500 ft
from a road crossing. If they were only 200ft. from the x-ing, by the
time I'd see it and grab the handle to blow the horn while traveling at 50
mph, I'd be a mile past the crossing. This marker is a New York Central RR
concrete W-post! The Pennsylvania line basically used 2 distinct types of
W-posts: 1.) the classic Keystone-shaped type with the W in the center made
out of cast iron that fit over a pc. of 3" pipe with a set screw to hold it
in place, and 2.) a solid cast iron flat post that is slightly tapered
towards the top with the raised W cast into it.
Brass or Bronze is usually affixed
to the marker.
Those W-posts do have a tendency,
though, to travel around and get relocated by people for use around the
homefront--such as next to one's driveway or a centerpiece in the yard with
flowers planted around. I have about 5 around the house here!
I'm not sure if there are any witches graves beside, next to, or underneath
them!
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