RR Bridge Fire

[NYC_George]

This is what did in the NH railroad branch line that passed by my house. The trestle that crossed the Hudson river in Poughkeepsie, NY caught fire and was never used again.

 

[wheeler1963]

A very tall bridge, probably too much money to rebuild it George?

 

[dave1905]

It also killed the L&HR RR. Most of the railroads that used it were in bankruptcy or near it.

 

[logandsawman]

Hard to believe a spark could cause a fire like that, wonder if flammable liquid had soaked into the ties or something?

 

[NYC_George]

I'm not sure who owned the bridge at the time but Conrail ended up selling it for one dollar.

George

 

[logandsawman]

I see scrap iron was at a premium in 1974. I suppose not many outfits were equipped to undertake such a project?

 

[NYC_George]

I see scrap iron was at a premium in 1974. I suppose not many outfits were equipped to undertake such a project?

The person who bought it never got around to selling it for scrap. The state took ownership for unpaid taxes. Then the state made it a part of it's railtrail network.

 

[wheeler1963]

Glad they re-purposed it rather than tear it down.

 

[logandsawman]

Glad to hear they didn't have to tear it down.

In Ashland, Wisconsin there is an old coal dock reaches out into Lake Superior. Was quite a landmark and when the mines dried up some they wanted to take it down.

Well, it was quite an attraction after they threatened disassembly and I think they actually kept part of it as part of the local history. As recent as 20 years ago it was still complete. I think some part of it was dismantled but the locals wanted to turn it into a park or something.

I am glad they don't tear down every old thing.

 

[J.Albert]

Back on my days working the Poughkeepsie switcher for Conrail, we'd come right up to the gate on the east end of the [burned] bridge, but wouldn't actually go out onto it. I hired out after the fire, so I never got to work across it, but guys I worked with did.

I also worked "on the Maybrook side" on the Campbell Hall local, 1985-91 off-and-on. Dave1905 mentions the L&HR -- got to work to Warwick and ran the work train that rehabilitated the L&H for the Susquehanna in 1987. Also laid down the switch that became Hudson Jct., so the Susquehanna didn't have to run into Maybrook and then run around their trains to get to the Southern Tier line.

Campbell Hall was a great place to work local freight in the late 80's...

 

[NYC_George]

Have you ever been to Maybrook Albert? There's a sign there that reads, Maybrook Yard 1,500 people use to work here.

 

[J.Albert]

"Have you ever been to Maybrook Albert? There's a sign there that reads, Maybrook Yard 1,500 people use to work here."

I'm the last man from the east side of the river who hired out as a fireman in New Haven, and worked in Maybrook yard (on the Campbell Hall switcher up until Mach 1991).

There won't be any more who trod that path.