I have the sad duty to report the demolition of ESSAY (aka SA) tower in South Amboy, NJ. Nominally a CNJ tower on the jointly PRR/CNJ operated New York and Long Branch commuter line, it entered in service on Jan, 7, 1942. Since its closure around 1990 the tower had a second life as a maintenance base and had been kept in good shape. Unfortunately it ran afoul of the Raritan Bay Drawbridge replacement project and was demolished on August 29, 2023.
A few years ago I had caught a report that ESSAY was on track to be demolished, but looking at the EIS plans, it did not appear that the new bridge alignment would impact the tower. Unfortunately it appears that the initial reports were correct and we have lost yet another good condition, late model, brick interlocking tower.
This was unfortunately a more recent example of me not acting on intel of an impending demolition with literally years of advance notice. Unfortunately the location was both off my usual path and was not immediately accessible for photos, especially with all of the bridge construction activity.
ESSAY controlled a modern interlocking plant with a Model 14 interlocking machine and pneumatic signals. It was located at the south end of the drawbridge and the junction with the electrified PRR Jamesburg Branch. It was also notable for overseeing the largely hand operated power change between electric and non-electric at the South Amboy station where the last operational GG-1s wound up their careers in 1983.
The good news is that NJT is generally supportive of its towers as I, in hindsight regrettably, took the time to visit those at SUMMIT and DENVILLE on the DL&W side back in June.
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