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Although the entire $55,000 needed for moving Grasselli Tower from East Chicago to North Judson had not yet been fully raised, moving the tower to North Judson was completed in May of 2009. The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum's Board of Directors approved a request from the Grasselli Tower Committee to utilize general museum funds to finish the move to North Judson. Several work days were established and a number of HVRM members were on-site at Grasselli to prep the tower for the move to its new home.
Work stops briefly as a south-bound IHB freight passes Grasselli Tower on a cold workday in December 2008. HVRM crews worked at the tower removing many outside appliances in preparation for the move to North Judson.
Photo by Robert Barcus |
During the winter of 2008-2009, HVRM members began removing various hardware inside and outside of the tower in preparation for the move. In order for the moving contractor to transport the tower, everything on the second floor that isn't attached will have to be removed so that the tower can move down the highway on its 60+ mile journey to North Judson. Most of the outside appliances used to control the switches and signals along the IHB were removed.
With the assistance of a Bobcat and the strong backs of several members, cleanup around Grasselli Tower is nearly complete.
Photo by Robert Barcus
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During the week of March 9, 2009 a foundation contractor arrived at the museum to dig the hole, setup the forms, and pour the foundation for Grasselli Tower. The tower will be located just west of Mulberry Street between the ex-C&O mainline (now operated by the Chesapeake & Indiana Railroad) and the museum's ex-Erie mainline.
The footer as been poured and the forms are in place for the foundation walls. Grasselli Tower will be located just west of the HVRM depot between the ex-C&O and Erie mainlines.
Photo by Todd Flanigan |
Contractors have arrived and have begun pouring the concrete foundation for Grasselli Tower. The move to HVRM has begun!
Photo by Todd Flanigan |
There's more to moving Grasselli than, well - just moving Grasselli! It takes the hard work and dedication of volunteers to make the project a success. Our volunteers from the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum have been working to remove certain appliances, equipment, and components of the tower so that our mover can cut the building in half and move the tower to its new home at the HVRM in North Judson. One interesting note worth of mentioning - while prepping the tower, crews found evidence of an apparent fire inside of the tower years ago. As work progresses, Grasselli will undoubtedly reveal more of her secrets!
Several HVRM members pose for a photo at the end of a hard day of work at Grasselli Tower in East Chicago. Pictured from left to right are: Steve Newland, Les Beckman, Mark Stanek (on the stairs), Fred Boyer, and Nelson Hurt.
Photo by Mark Stanek |
Our moving contractor, Dillabaugh Inc., began the work in April of 2009 preparing Grasselli Tower for its move to North Judson. With the help of Central Rent-a-Crane, the second floor of the tower was removed and placed on cribbing so that it could be prepped for the long haul to HVRM.
Indiana Harbor Belt NW2 #8814 switches a local industry while crews prep the tower for the move. The steel i-beams will be used to lift the second floor off of the structure.
Photo by Fred Boyer |
With track-and-time authority granted by the IHB dispatcher, crews work quickly to lift the second floor off of the tower on May 4, 2009.
Photo by Fred Boyer |
An Indiana Harbor Belt train switches an industrial siding in the background as crews shore up the top section of Grasselli Tower.
Photo by Fred Boyer |
It may look like overkill, but safety is always the primary concern when moving anything heavy! Crews lifted the century-old tower's second floor off of the first floor so that this historic structure can be preserved at HVRM.
Photo by Fred Boyer |
On Saturday, May 9, 2009, the second floor of Grasselli Tower arrived at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum. Early in the morning, crews from Dillabaugh carefully transported the top half of the tower from East Chicago.
Our moving contractor delivered the top half of Grasselli Tower on May 9, 2009. The bottom half should arrive within the next week.
Photo by Robert Barcus |
The second floor of Grasselli Tower sits in North Judson. The hard work and dedication of museum volunteers along with many donations made the move possible.
Photo by Robert Barcus |
On Sunday, May 17, 2009, the first floor of Grasselli Tower arrived at HVRM after some delays on Saturday. Once again, crews from Dillabaugh carefully transported the heavy bottom half of the tower from East Chicago with the interlocking bed in place.
The first floor of Grasselli Tower sits in the background awaiting delivery to HVRM in North Judson while the remains of Grasselli's foundation sit in a pool of water. According to IHB employees, the foundation had been flooded for several years. The old i-beams supporting the tower were rusted away, so new i-beams were purchased and readied for installation at HVRM.
Photo by Fred Boyer |
The first floor of Grasselli Tower has safely arrived at the museum in North Judson. The top half (which arrived a few days beforehand), sits to the left while an Erie 3-light signal stands guard over the tower foundation.
Photo by Fred Boyer |
On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, crews placed the bottom half of the tower on the foundation. Heavy cribbing was placed in the foundation hole and the entire bottom half of the tower along with the truck drove across without incident.
Work crews from Dillabaugh work diligently and carefully to drive the bottom half of the tower across cribbing that had been placed in the foundation hole. The tower was then lowered onto new i-beams the museum purchased to replace the ones that had rusted away.
Photo by Fred Boyer |
On Thursday, May 21, 2009, crews from Dillabaugh and Central Rent-A-Crane worked to reassemble the top of bottom halves of the tower. The previous day, Nickel Plate Road 765 had arrived at the museum in preperation for the steam excursions and was sitting near the depot. It was quite a site to behold with all of the activity!
A heavy-duty crane prepares to lift the top half of Grasselli Tower onto the bottom half at HVRM. It was a beautiful day for the crews to work, even though it was slightly windy.
Photo by Robert Barcus |
Workers guide the top half of the tower onto the bottom half. The floor of the second level remained with the bottom section for transport. The reassembly process was a well orchestrated event.
Photo by Robert Barcus |
Nickel Plate Road 765 is being serviced in front of the depot while workers continue to guide the top half of the tower into its final resting place. The day was filled with activity!
Photo by Robert Barcus |
Just one day after Grasselli Tower was reassembled, a members-only excursion train led by Nickel Plate Road 765 rolls past Grasselli Tower. There is a great deal of work yet to be done, but Grasselli is finally resting in it's new home at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson!
Photo by Fred Boyer |
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