OH MY GOD! I AM IN SHOCK! I HAVE RIDDEN OVER THIS BRIDGE! Thanks to Russ for sending me this site. Terrible news. Just terrible. http://www.bradfordera.com/
Johnny, be thankful you weren't riding across it yesterday. One of the true landmarks of old railroading gone (another one).
Wow. I have video of us going across the bridge and the train backing up and doing photo runs for us......... How terrible. One good thing is it was closed for repairs and no one was killed. That ride was one of the nicest I have ever been on too. I think it was 8 or 9 hours behind steam.
I saw the photos earlier today. Unreal to see a structure that size tipped over on it's side. Boxcab E50
Images?! Where!? What is worse is, like Hoover Dam, there is NO WAY it could be built today. Not with the whiny workers of today; and to an extent I'm one too. Sooo, it won't be rebuilt. Unless... It is REALLY needed.
I don't know if the bridge was a big tourist draw as it was in the past but that could be the deciding factor in rebuilding it. Russ
Aside from the cost, I wonder just how feasible a rebuild would be? From what I read yesterday, some work was actually in progress to reapir the brdige, before the storm hit. If the bridge were to be rebuilt, wouldn't some value be lost in that it would not be the original structure? I'm thinking that after the collapse, politicians, et al, will step in, and any new structure would be somewhat different in appearance in order to be stronger. Boxcab E50
I didn't see an pictures in the bradfordera.com link. Can you guys direct me to some pics? Thanks! Pete
When we rode the Konx and Kane it was as full as it could be. It was a major tourist draw. I even spoke to my cousins in Sandpatch last night and they had been planning to go up there tomorow! It's a good thing I told them. Another great similar bridge that I have seen in person is the Kate Shelly Memorial Bridge in Iowa. Anyone know if it has been worked on in the last few decades? That one carries frieght, not a once a day tourist train. It must be nearly as old as the Kinzua bridge.
from what I have heard, this viaduct wasn't doing too well with the weathering, and considering a tornado took it down, I am happy it came down before it collapsed...like under the weight of a passenger train...now THAT would have been a tragedy!!! Still a sad loss of Americn history, I just hope everybopdy got their photographs that they wanted.
