Telegraph Poles

[Golfcoach]

I regularly drive I-70 west from St. Louis. The highway parallels a Union Pacific railbed. I am puzzled by the telepgraph poles that are long that railbed. These poles are new. They have new cross-members and some have insulators. None have wires. I have contact Union Pacific to find out why they maintain these poles but were dismissed with the explanation that "contractual matters are proprietary". What gives? Why do they maintain these poles? I wonder if part of their right-of-way was originally contingent upon maintenance of telegraph service back in the day when it was a vital form of communication. Help! What's the answer?

 

[bnsf971]

As the person you spoke with alluded to, UP probably has a maintenance contract with the telegraph company to keep those poles up for a set period of time.

 

[Golfcoach]

I have no doubt that someone is paying someone to erect these new poles. My question is why are they being installed. What is the underlying reason money is being spent to put these poles up? Thanks