I wrote about this on my blog, Mad Jack's Shack: Question which you can read or not as it amuses you to do so. The short of it is this: I've been passing this odd looking structure for years and I have no idea what it is. This has become a sort of earworm for me, and so to retain what little is left of my sanity I implore anyone who is knowledgeable to answer the eternal question:
What is this thing, anyway?
Just South of the intersection of U.S. 23 and County Highway 195 (Linn-Hipsher Road) a railroad track goes under 23. Straddling that railroad track is a structure whose function or purpose I've never been able to discern. The thing has been there for years, and although I've pulled off the highway twice in search of a road leading to it, it seems that no such road exists. Why build something this large without a road leading to it?
The photo above was taken from County Highway 195 where the railroad tracks cross it. The overpass is U.S. 23. Here's another photo taken from the other side of U.S. 23.
The highway crosses the railroad a few miles North North-East of Marion, Ohio, in the general vicinity of the Marion Municipal Airport.
Does anyone know what this thing is?
I think it's some type of "elevator" to load something into railroad cars. I doubt that its for grain (too small). That leaves coal, perhaps from the steam era?
My best guess...
It looks to be a loading facility for either coal or grain onto rail cars.
Doesn't matter what it is. The City of Toledo will soon build a new road to it and sell it to the Chinese.
If I have the location correct on google>maps>satellite view, there is water near the east side of the tracks. Perhaps it was an old quarry and this is where they loaded stone into rail cars. The concrete "legs" and concrete corner bracing at the top of the "legs" is reminiscent of the loading elevators out at Silica on the east side of Centennial Road (if they are still there).
It is a coaling towers for steam locomotives.
Panning to the west, seems to be something that resembles a quarry. Google earth gives an even better view. If I'm at the correct location (of the object in the picture), my guess is the water is an old rock quarry. The active quarry west of the water is supporting evidence of that.
http://home.frognet.net/~mcfadden/wd8rif/bldgs.htm#bunkers_ohio
It's a coaling bunker. At one time there was a structure underneath the tracks that allowed the cars to dump their coal. A lift mechanism would take the coal into the over-track structure to fill other cars.
If you are on Reynold's Road heading north (just Angola Road), there is a structure just like this...right close to Rose City Motors. I also wondered what it was.
Madjack...I did your restaurant reviews. Good job!
Dappling, that tall structure on S. Reynolds is a grain elevator that was originally owned by Pillsbury- not sure who owns it now.
Thanks Flinty...I wonder if the S. Reynolds Road grain elevator is even used anymore?
lol..sorry for the typos in my earlier post. I meant to say, "Madjack, I dig your restaurant reviews, good job."
My sincere thanks to all who responded. My curiosity is now satisfied and I can go back to enjoying my afternoon bourbon without that nagging question in the back of my mind.
In particular I thank Brainswell for the link to Railroad Structures, and Dappling2 for the kind words about my restaurant reviews.
Thanks, and a hoist of the afternoon bourbon glass to both of you!
The place on Reynolds is owned by the Rice Grain Company and is still in use I believe. The 2010 photo from Aries show cars in the parking lot. Besides, grain is a big business. I grew up in the area and used to fish in a pond on the property.
Here's an article about it's constuction.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19530416&id=aLVOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=owAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5069,203494
It's address is 801 S. Reynolds if you want any info from Aries.