Re: SVR/OLC Bates water tank

I, too, thought it was a little close to Austin to be of much use to the SVR, but its placement right between the tracks made me wonder. The only pictures I can see of the water spout are on the OLC side of the tank. Was the joint ownership just another ruse by the companies to muddy the tax waters? I remember a photo of the water tank with the new town of Bates in the background, captioned as saying the town was new but the water tank was around from when the SVR pushed through to Prairie City. With a tank in Austin, don't know if that's true or not, but per the photo, it does look like the tank was there before the town of Bates. When did the OLC start laying rail down the middle fork? I can see them needing a tank, but the placement seems strange.

Brian