moelarrycurly4, that is one great set of photos.
Rich
Alton Junction
Illinois Central bridge over the Ohio River at Cairo being replaced. sometime in the 50's
Good morning, diners. Black coffee this morning, please.
Mike, have fun with the homecoming parade. You can be proud of your daughter for the honor of being selected.
Some neighbors came by last night with their preschool son to take orders on a school fundraiser. We let the four-year-old see the layout and run a train for a while. He was in heaven. The kid loves trains. They had just returned from Omaha. They spent a night at Two Rivers State Park where UP has cabooses that you can stay in. The boy is in love with trains.
When the Chicago and North Western ran across the state on the old Cowboy Line, they used one of the tallest bridges in the state to cross the Niobrara River. Today, the Cowboy Trail uses the bridge.
Before I retired, I took some graduating students each year on a canoeing-camping trip on the Niobrara. We went up on the bridge for a good view. It was a cold day to be canoeing:
Hopefully everyone has a good healthy day today. Love the bridges.
York1 John
Good Morning Diners,
One last Chicago bridge for your dining pleasure.
To me, it is the most fascinating of all the Chicago bridges.
Back in the 1890s, a series of swing bridges spanned the South Branch of the Chicago River in downtown Chicago. But, the center spans of these bridges blocked passage in the center of the river. So, in the early 1900s, these swing bridges were replaced by lift bridges.
The railroad bridge no longer exists, but back in the early 1900s, it ran diagonally across the South Branch of the Chicago River between Taylor Street and Roosevelt. The bridge was constructed on a southwest to northeast angle, serving the former Grand Central Station on the east side of the river.
Several railroads, including the B&O and Soo Line, used the diagonal bridge initially owned by the Chicago Terminal Transfer Railway Company (CTT). In 1910 the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad (BOCT) was created to purchase the CTT upon foreclosure, giving the B&O control of both the terminal railway system as well as Grand Central Station.
This bridge was rare because it was a double leaf railroad Scherzer rolling lift bridge. The bridge was replaced by another Strauss bridge, a bascule bridge, near 16th Street when the river was straightened in 1929.
When the diagonal lift bridge was operational, trains using Grand Central Station accessed the station from the west side of the river. After the river was straightened in 1929, trains using Grand Central Station accessed the station by crossing the newly installed BOCT bascule bridge and traveling on the east side of the river to reach the station.
The first photo is of the long ago demolished diagonal railroad bridge.
Source: chicagology.com
The second photo is an overall scene of the South Branch of the Chicago River during the straightening project in 1929.
If you squint, you can see the diagonal bridge in the top center of the photo. The bend in the river is still obvious in this photo. A large volume of landfill was eventually dumped into the site of the bend an used for rail yards. To the left of the bend in the river and the railyards, you can see where the river straightening is taking place.
You can also see the St. Charles Air Line (SCAL) bascule bridge at the bottom of the river bend. This bascule bridge was moved to the left (west) to span the straightened portion of the river, and the BOCT bascule bridge was installed next to it on the north side of the SCAL bridge.
Sources: connectingthewindycity.com and Chicago Tribune
If I have managed to hold your interest thus far, here is a photo of "completed" project, although there still was a fair amount of work to still be done. The photo does show completion of the straightening of the river and the new BOCT bascule bridge in place. The SCAL bascule bridge has yet to be moved to its new position.
I cannot resist, but I promise that this is the last photo of the diagonal bridge.
After I added this post earlier this morning, I started searching for a photo of the area before the river straightening project began. I consider this a rare photo because it is the first time that I have found such an early photo of the site.
You can clearly see the diagonal bridge near the top of the photo as well as the bascule bridge near the bottom of the photo. The bend in the river is obvious as well.
If you look across the top of the photo from left to right, you can make out the train sheds at Grand Central Station, LaSalle Street Station and Dearborn Station. At Dearborn Station, you can make out several white puffs of smoke from steam engines.
Source: Chicago Maritime Museum
Good morning diners. Flo, I'm hungry but indecisive. Surprise me.
My oldest had another follow-up with the surgeon this week. Not much healing progress, but there is a little. Repacking of the incision continues for at least another 2 weeks. We had homecoming rehearsal the other night. Pretty straightforward, but one MAJOR annoyance was that they want the court members to go through the homecoming parade with each pair riding in convertibles. The school does not have a list of people that can help. You have to find your own convertible. They are not exactly common. Certainly less so now than in years past, and in a small town in northern Michigan to boot. My wife was in a panic. I suggested the fix was to put a couple chairs in the bed of my pickup for them and I'll drive them through the parade in that. A truck-vertible! For some reason I wasn't taken seriously. My wife put a request out to all of our friends and coworkers on facebook and word started to spread. An acquaintance of ours contacted us and said her dad has a convertible 65 mustang she can get and will drive our daughter. Truly blessed.
This little offset swing bridge is in Manistee MI. Still in use, and still has to open regularly to let freighters through the river.
Mike
Good morning Diners. Tea and toast please, Flo.
A few days of rain and strong winds.
Lovely pictures of Forth Rail Bridge, Dave.
Today I have chosen the Royal Albert Bridge, which links Devon and Cornwall.
What has become symbolic in the world of both railways, engineering and the UK as a whole is Isambard Kingdom Brunel's famous Royal Albert Bridge, the gateway to Cornwall. Built in 1859, the cantilever structure was built to carry the Great Western Railway across the River Tamar at Plymouth, finally bridging the gap between the two counties and allowing the railway to proceed west into the heart of the rural Cornish countryside without having to make a lengthy diversion to the north like the London and South Western Railway. Crossing the river at an altitude of 100 feet, the bridge provides passengers with panoramic views of both counties.
70000 'Britannia' crossing the bridge.
The Tamar Bridges Through Time.
The Diners missing, a speedy recovery to whatever challenges. May you return soon.
Thoughts & Peace to All who Require.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Here is a video of modern bridge construction techniques. I'm not sure if any of these are railway bridges, but it is still interesting to watch them defy gravity!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Forth bridge in Britain. Here is the approach from an engineers view:
A night view of this spectacular structure:
I'm not sure where this bridge is, but seeing it under construction shows just how amazing the bridge engineers and builders are:
— Looks almost like a model!
150705_37_lanesboro by lmyers83, on Flickr
Be careful when you step off the engine at night
Here's one from TF's neighborhood:
Busy times at Taconite Harbor by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Shamu over the water:
10-5279 by George Hamlin, on Flickr
Fall chores have me busy. Gathering firewood, moving loads of fill dirt, generally taking advantage of the excellent weather around the Great Lakes recently.
I hope everyone is doing well...
Cheers, Ed
Good evening .
Dave, Ed, and Rich .... Thanks for posting great looking photos of brdges.
JR .... Good to see you. You seem very busy. Thanks for posting images of bridges in NZ and Australia. I wonder if BEar has been on the NZ brdge.
David ..... Thanks for posting the intersting videos.
Kevin .... The brass 4-8-2 looks very nice.
...
Non-model-railroad .... Today, we put solar powered lighted caps on the posts for the railing of the deck. Some of the 24 of them did not work, and it was frustrating fixing them. They are cheaply made.
Model railroad ..... All I did was run trains today. It was fun of course.
Cheers.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
DSCN1095 (1) by J.R. Mitchell, on Flickr" alt="" />Bridges - no problem. Here is one one the Dunedin line South Island New Zealand
DSCN1044 by J.R. Mitchell, on Flickr" alt="Dunedin bridge" />
And the Wallhalla gold line in Victoria Australia
2016-11-08 21.59.19 by J.R. Mitchell, on Flickr" alt="Wallhalla bridge" />
J.R.
This morning, BrassTrains Dot Com listed a Key Models NEW YORK CENTRAL 4-8-2 Mohawk for under $300.00! I seem to remember this model selling for double that price.
Yesterday they sold a Key Models USRA Heavy 4-8-2 for only $225.00 on their site. That is less than the Sunset version usually sells for.
There seems to be a fire sale on Key 4-8-2s right now!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good morning. Bacon, eggs, and black coffee, Chloe.
It's a beautiful morning. It was cool enough that I needed a hooded jacket for the walk, but it will be in the 80s this afternoon.
I saw the blue heron again. I hadn't seen him in a while, and I was starting to wonder if he had moved away. However, I spotted him under a bridge on my trail walk. It's like spotting an old friend.
More work on the house and yard today, getting ready for winter.
If I have time, I will try to find some photos of bridges. I don't think I have very many, so I will have to look online.
Have a good day, everyone.
Good Morning All,
A regular and the English Breakfast please Zoe.
Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, Elkhart Lake, Long Beach, back to Lime Rock. Now a couple of weeks in the shop before Daytona and COTA in Austin. Can't complain, lots of activity beats the alternative. And of course the always expanding honeydo list at the new digs.
Sorry to hear of your layout damage Dave. Hopefully your roofer makes good on the cause of the leaks. We suffered through that for years at our two shops before we finally bit the bullet and replaced both roofs and the entire decking on one. Much better now not worrying about it.
Welcome back Sparky. The Steaming Tender in Palmer Mass is similar as it is on the main line into Boston and sees a lot of traffic past the old station now converted to a restaurant.
Mike that is not a problem I have. Currently the new garage is full of the CFO's woodworking tools and machines and we can barely navigate it. I don't get a home garage until we build her a new shop in the side yard. That won't happen until the old house is sold and closed on (we are now on the third set of buyers ).
I haven't been keeping up on news but I wish you all well. All for now. I have paperwork to catch up on then a full day in the shop. Tonight I have a Bob Sharp Racing reunion dinner so that will be good. I guess there are 18 of us scheduled to show up. Cheers, J.R.
Good morning Diners. Tea and toast please, Janie.
Yesterday's torrential rain has caused a large amount of damage in the area. 'Mopping up' is in operation. Personally our new roof has let water in and caused damage in the train room. We are awaiting our roofer to arrive.
Maidenhead Railway Bridge.
Brunel expressed supreme confidence in his ability when designing a two-span railway bridge with the widest and flattest arches that remain world records. His ability confounded his sternest critics; in this case, they wrongly predicted the bridge would collapse.
Ex-LNER Thompson B1 61306 'Mayflower' crossing Maidenhead Rail Bridge.
Trains and Boats at Maidenhead Railway Bridge
Thoughts & Peace to All who Require
Heartland Division CB&QSparky .... Good to see you in the Diner. I have been to LaGrange, KY. There is a restaurant where you can eat a meal and watch a CSX train running on the street in front of the building. I have done that.
Thanks for the welcome back Garry
That had to be quite an experience when you took that picture. I will get back there with the wife next summer and will catch a train for sure. When I was there I saw some people just sitting in lawn chairs on the side of main street, probably just enjoying the evening and wiating for a train. It was very Mayberry-like.
good Tuesday afternoon peeps.
just checking in. I was out of town most of last week and ran out of data on the phone plan so I had not been checking in.
been on call this week , been busy so far. I present a talk on old radios Saturday
I need to finsih up some radios, but work is getting in the way.
it is time to start planning my office desk layout for the hoildays this year. I need to expand it. add some buildings cars, snow
time to go home now.
Mike - Do you need an extra blanket for sleeping in the dog house tonight?
At a former j*b, a cow*rker (female) and I were discussing a issue with a customer item. (She told the customer we had it, and asked for help to get it from the back room, but once back there realized they were "set aside" for some upcoming planned display.) As I was stating that as the customer was informed, correctly, that we had it, as there was no restriction to prevent the sale of it, we had to sell it to said customer.
During the discussion, another cow*ker (married man) walked by, and said "Rick, you're still single, let me give you some advice when dealing with women - Just smile and say 'yes dear' as it goes way smoother."
Immediately I started smiling and said "Yes, you are right. But you told the customer we have it, dear."
The discussion went smoother before I resorted to the smiling 'yes dear' part...
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
My wife (in a bit of a temper tantrum over not being able to find sandpaper in the garage) declared I needed to sell all that "stuff" in the garage as there was too much of it. The stuff in the garage = my tools. The conversation did not go well for her, especially when I explained that all these tools allow me to do work that would otherwise cost us a lot more, in turn freeing up money that she always seems to find a way to spend! My tools are still where they belong.
Good afternoon Diners. A large Americano please, Chloe.
Skerne Railway Bridge. The oldest Railway Bridge in the world and is still in use today.
The GF, too, wants stuff cleaned out. We have guys coming to replace the hot water tank heater with a tankless model, so she thinks that's a reason to get everything out of the garage, where the tank is. In truth, they could get the tank out just the way it is.
The biggest piece of my layout is still in the garage because it couldn't be moved upstairs due to its size. I'm finally taking it apart. Most of the rest of the stuff in the garage is hers, but there's no place in the house for it. Good luck.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Sparky Rail gmpullman Today I went to the Great Berea Train Show in NE Ohio. Not too bad of a turnout. Maybe a third of the dealers were absent and the crowd was about half of what it was in 2019. So my current garage project is a 1968 C-10 pick up truck. I went down to Nashville Friday to the C-10 nationals to get some ideas for the build. On the way home Saturday I stopped by the Kentucky Railway Museum to look around. Then I went on to Legrange to see the downtown street with the CSX track running right down the center. I've always wanted to see that. Didn't wait for a train beause I had a room in Cleveland waiting for me that night (but I'll be back). Hit Berea Sunday morning. I reeeaallly enjoyed it, as it was my first show since c19. I knew I was in your back yard Ed and guessed you would be there.
gmpullman Today I went to the Great Berea Train Show in NE Ohio. Not too bad of a turnout. Maybe a third of the dealers were absent and the crowd was about half of what it was in 2019.
So my current garage project is a 1968 C-10 pick up truck. I went down to Nashville Friday to the C-10 nationals to get some ideas for the build. On the way home Saturday I stopped by the Kentucky Railway Museum to look around. Then I went on to Legrange to see the downtown street with the CSX track running right down the center. I've always wanted to see that. Didn't wait for a train beause I had a room in Cleveland waiting for me that night (but I'll be back). Hit Berea Sunday morning. I reeeaallly enjoyed it, as it was my first show since c19. I knew I was in your back yard Ed and guessed you would be there.
Sparky .... Good to see you in the Diner. I have been to LaGrange, KY. There is a restaurant where you can eat a meal and watch a CSX train running on the street in front of the building. I have done that.
I took the last photo myself. I was in the restaurant.
Kevin .... As usual, you did a great job of starting the Show Me thread. I do have a suggestion to solve problem of what to do if a contributor fails to make a request. Include the following rule: .... "If someone posts a contribution without making a new request, the previous request remains in effect." ...... At one time, we did have that rule. ...Thanks.
Good morning, diners. Just black coffee right now.
I will finish the work on the cabinet under the kitchen sink today, and then I will have a sore back for three days.
I'm trying to finish a list of jobs before the weather changes. The fall weather is great, but it is partially canceled out by the number of insects.
Strangely, my wife has started cleaning the basement storage room. For 20 years, I have complained about it, and she wanted to keep everything. We actually got rid of some stuff yesterday.
Hope everyone has a good day today.
"I'm the boss in my house, and I have my wife's permission to say so!"
Good morning diners. Zoe, a large coffee and a side of cinnamon toast please.
Not much going on in my neck of the woods lately. Won't complain about that.
Have a good day guys.
Good morning Diners. Tea and toast please, Brunhilda.
It is wild and wet with heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Bridges.
gmpullmanToday I went to the Great Berea Train Show in NE Ohio. Not too bad of a turnout. Maybe a third of the dealers were absent and the crowd was about half of what it was in 2019.
This is the Canadian Pacific bascule bridge at La Crosse, Wisconsin. The bascule was built in 2004 but the original bridge dates from 1876. It is the only draw bridge on the Mississippi river.
Good Afternoon, Diners.
This is the Pennsylvania Railroad vertical lift bridge at 21st Street, crossing the South Branch of the Chicago River. It is 5 blocks downstream from the double bascule bridges that I posted earlier today, just after the river turns west from its north-south route.
The bridge is still operational today, and is primarily used by Amtrak and Metra commuter trains. In its heyday, it carried all of the PRR passenger trains (and Chicago & Alton RR) into and out of Chicago Union Station.
Source: industrialscenery.blogspot.com
Thanks for posting the video of the Sault Saint Marie lift and bascule bridges, Dave.
I've never seen so much clever engineering in one structure such as these. The bascule counterweight nested inside the vertical tower! The "split" counterweights on the vertical lift with the sheaves at a 45° angle.
The bascule trusses meeting in the center at the widest part of the span? Never saw that before, that I'm aware of.
If a modeler had something like these examples on a layout I'll bet visitors would say "that could never happen"!
Here's a nice wood and steel combination:
TC, Harriman, Tennessee, 1965 by Center for Railroad Photography & Art, on Flickr
And this vertical lift is sized just right to frame a van:
CN, St. Lambert, Quebec, 1980 by Center for Railroad Photography & Art, on Flickr
Note the framing of the zig-zag stairway inside the left tower! Also note that only one tower has bracing, the other leg is simply a straight "beam".
The bridge that crosses over Parry Sound in Ontario is impressive. It goes right over the west end of the town and the harbour. It is amazing to be able to stand close to the bridge and watch the trains go overhead: