I was one of the kids Denny mentioned that threw levers, starting in about 1954 when the PE still crossed the SP. We all lived on Gardena Avenue about 6-8 houses from the tower. Never could move No. 2, which was a dwarf signal near the depot (Glendale) that was used for some rare oddball move. I remember Jim Mahan would jump on the base rails or whatever the level slid on and at the same time released the hand lock and pulled the lever, all in one motion. Almost like ballet. And Herb got a new Olds every year and was always cleaning/polishing it between trains.

The night the tower closed for good, one of the signs fell off. I donated it to Orange Empire last year. You could see Tropico Tower through the Glendale lettering on it. Tropico was the original name of the area before it was annexed to the City of Glendale.

An interesting note is that the Seventh Day Adventist Church (I think it still is) located right by the tracks to Topock Street, was built using wood from the dismantled tower. A minister named Larrimore bought the tower from the SP, and took it apart and used the wood to frame the church he was building right next to it. So, if you could get up in the attic of the church you should find some wood in SP yellow and brown.

Great memories...and if Jim Mahon should see this: Jim, I still remember you taking us up to the Ravenna wreck in your 56 Merc.