Railroad Scale House and Telephone Booth
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member brwhiz
N 35° 23.532 W 119° 01.259
11S E 316453 N 3918413
This is one of many historical interpretive signs on the grounds of the Pioneer Village at the Kern County Museum in Bakersfield.
Waymark Code: WMJE42
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 11/06/2013
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member MrsMcFly
Views: 1
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Railroad Scale House and Telephone Booth

Railroad yards are highly specialized facilities consisting of engine maintenance buildings, fueling areas, track and switching areas and material storage yards.

This scale house was used in the Santa Fe Railroad switchyard in Bakersfield. A scale located adjacent to the building weighed train cars to determine the amount of freight and total weight of a train. Railroads charged a fee to haul freight based on weight. Knowing the total weight of a train was necessary to ensure a locomotive could safely move cars along the track.

This circular concrete telephone booth was located along the Southern Pacific Railroad crossing at Chester Avenue near 34th Street. Railroad telephone booths were found at strategic locations, such as spurs, siding switches and road crossings.

Santa Fe Railroad donated the scale house in 1963. Southern Pacific Railroad donated the concrete telephone booth in 1977.

Group that erected the marker: Kern County Museum

Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Kern County Museum ~ Pioneer Village
3801 Chester Avenue
Bakersfield, California
93301

URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed
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