If you recall my musings on Tower Window Syndrome, you might recall that as towers age, their original windows are replaced by cheaper replacements from the local home improvement store or just plywood. The famous ZOO tower in Philadelphia wasn't the worst example of this, but it was an example as its once full compliment of windows was slowly reduced in size and number.
Over the last few years ZOO tower was given a brand new set of windows and a set of replica PRR keystones to boot. This seems strange for a tower is facing closure within the next decade or so unless someone at Amtrak is just really into historic preservation.
Well while talking with some folks at the Harrisburg Chapter NRHS I was informed that there are plans afoot to not only preserve ZOO as an ancillary railroad structure (like a signal maintainer base), but turn it into some sort of museum. I am not sure how far along these are, but it would explain the new windows and historic markings.
While certainly a possibility and also an amazing location near the actual Philadelphia ZOO where tourists could view the NEC, there would be a few hurdles creating marking from the Amtrak employee lot and providing a walkway across the active NY-PGH Subway track as well as additional fencing and whatnot for liability purposes. Still, the idea of a preserved ZOO with a restored 230 lever US&S interlocking machine and model board would be a fantastic end to a century of service.
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