Railroad Bridges Back When


Great article - Thanks for sharing it.

Re: "... there are numerous accounts of train crews that regularly hopped off their slow moving locomotive as it approached a high, untrustworthy trestle, allowing it to cross before they would then run across the bridge and jump back on." I still do that with bridges on the Interstate highway.

It wasn't only wooden trestles that collapsed. Kinzua bridge
 
Great article - Thanks for sharing it.

Re: "... there are numerous accounts of train crews that regularly hopped off their slow moving locomotive as it approached a high, untrustworthy trestle, allowing it to cross before they would then run across the bridge and jump back on." I still do that with bridges on the Interstate highway.

It wasn't only wooden trestles that collapsed. Kinzua bridge

Before the tornado destroyed the bridge, a tourist train made the bridge as the prime focus. I was
fortunate enough to have taken the tour! It began at a small station in Marienville. The train
traveled north through woods, fields and open countryside. As we approached the bridge, the engineer
slowed to a crawl. Halfway across, the train stopped. We exited the rear car to view the
sights and the 301 feet down to the creek. To say the least, it is a memory I will never forget!
The train continued off the bridge, then stopped for another viewing. It resumed a short distance
and stopped again. The 2-8-2 steamer dropped the cars and made its way around a small loop, then
back past and rehooked for the return trip. On the south side of the bridge, there was a nice
restored caboose sitting on a short spur. The tour guide explained that it was available for small parties
and was equipped for overnight stays. I enjoyed the whole experience and wanted to return for another
tour, but the State of PA owns the bridge and deemed reconstruction too costly, so it will never be
rebuilt.

Sherrel - I return this thread back to you - thanks.
 
Last edited:
I was only a pilot for 4 years and have to say, for some reason flying at whatever height never scared me. However, walking across almost any of the trestles shown in the photos above and if I could do it, I would likely be down on my hands and knees; or, refusing to go out on it at all! However, if I can get up on a high place, I love the view! A few years back the wife and I visited the Grand Canyon. She could walk right out to the rail, no problem, to look down into the chasm, without batting an eye lash! I, on the other hand, noticed every crack in the pavement of the walkway out to the overlook and had to walk slowly with my hands outstretched to grasp the railing and try not to surpass the crush strength of the steel pipe railing!!!
 
Mark - I'm the same. I especially like smaller single engine Gen Av aircraft over jetliners. But I always wanted fly in a P-51 Mustang.

Ray - That's like me (well maybe not that bad) the day on the Kinzua Bridge.
It would be interesting to see a video of the glass bridge being built!
 
I like Mark and Sherrel have no problem being in an airplane, but walking on a bridge or on the roof of a tall buildings scares me. Driving over highway bridges I automatically slow down and hope to get over the bridge.

When I was young and on my Honda 500 I drove over a high bridge on Milwaukee's downtown interchange. I couldn't look down and the thought of the bike's front wheel running into a sewer grate crossed my mind. The worst is crossing Michigan's Mackinac Bride with its open grate center lanes and on our tall Honda 1500 Gold Wing and looking down over the bridge's railings to the water some 200 feet below. Longest five mile trips I've done were over that bridge drive down and back to Lower Michigan.

Please don't ask me about that bridge and driving over on motorcycle on windy day. Been there...done that!

Greg
 
I like Mark and Sherrel have no problem being in an airplane, but walking on a bridge or on the roof of a tall buildings scares me. Driving over highway bridges I automatically slow down and hope to get over the bridge.

When I was young and on my Honda 500 I drove over a high bridge on Milwaukee's downtown interchange. I couldn't look down and the thought of the bike's front wheel running into a sewer grate crossed my mind. The worst is crossing Michigan's Mackinac Bride with its open grate center lanes and on our tall Honda 1500 Gold Wing and looking down over the bridge's railings to the water some 200 feet below. Longest five mile trips I've done were over that bridge drive down and back to Lower Michigan.

Please don't ask me about that bridge and driving over on motorcycle on windy day. Been there...done that!

Greg

Biggest beat down my younger brother ever got was when we crossed that bridge. Mom had a stick to whack 5 misbehaving kids in the back seat. She hated crossing that bridge, so my S.A. little brother popped off "what happens if the bridge breaks??" Mom turned around and started whacking, 'don't ever say that...don't you dare..." 45 years later it's funny.
 



Back
Top