Essay Tower or SA Tower is a closed Pennsylvania Railroad interlocking tower in South Amboy, New Jersey.
Contents
History
Essay Tower was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad to control traffic coming off the Camden and Amboy Railroad and the Perth Amboy and Woodbridge Railroad. The tower was in later years to control the South Amboy Engine Facilities for the New York and Long Branch Railroad. Where the electric locomotive was exchanged for a steam locomotive or in later years a diesel-electric locomotive. The tower served through the shortly-lived Penn Central, and then Conrail followed by New Jersey Transit from 1983 on. In 1986 the tower closed on a warm July 2, 1986 when a GE E60 electric handed train 104 to an EMD F40PH Diesel-Electric Locomotive. From that point onwards "South Amboy would never be the same."
Current status
Today Essay Tower is now closed following the electrification to Long Branch, New Jersey and service is now automated.