Kinzua Bridge Collapses

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....It seems we rebuild all kinds of structural losses for many people in this world so mabe it's time we do some of it for ourselves.

And the people will be grateful instaed of backbitting us.[:(!]
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....It seems we rebuild all kinds of structural losses for many people in this world so mabe it's time we do some of it for ourselves.

And the people will be grateful instaed of backbitting us.[:(!]
stay safe
joe

[Modelcar]

....It seems we rebuild all kinds of structural losses for many people in this world so mabe it's time we do some of it for ourselves.

[Modelcar]

....It seems we rebuild all kinds of structural losses for many people in this world so mabe it's time we do some of it for ourselves.

[Anonymous]

Initial estimates for rebuilding the bridge are 46 million. The original 1900 plans have been retrieved from the Smithsonian.

If FEMA disaster funds are available, there will be serious consideration made to rebuilding.

[Anonymous]

Initial estimates for rebuilding the bridge are 46 million. The original 1900 plans have been retrieved from the Smithsonian.

If FEMA disaster funds are available, there will be serious consideration made to rebuilding.

[Anonymous]

I could not even imagine how much$ it will cost to rebuild it. Its a damn shame some one relised to fix it earlyer. Then again you cannot stop a train..or a tornado :(

[Anonymous]

I could not even imagine how much$ it will cost to rebuild it. Its a damn shame some one relised to fix it earlyer. Then again you cannot stop a train..or a tornado :(

[boomer44]

My wife and I spent our 25th wedding anniversary at the Viaduct. Wonderful memories in a caboose at the Park in '92. Knox, Kane and Kinzua crew dropped us off for the night. We got to walk the viaduct all by ourselves. So peaceful and quiet. The following day they picked us up and we continued across the valley. We showed off "our " caboose to everyone. The kids loved it. Great people in the area add to fond memories.
Gordon and Jeanne Spalty

[boomer44]

My wife and I spent our 25th wedding anniversary at the Viaduct. Wonderful memories in a caboose at the Park in '92. Knox, Kane and Kinzua crew dropped us off for the night. We got to walk the viaduct all by ourselves. So peaceful and quiet. The following day they picked us up and we continued across the valley. We showed off "our " caboose to everyone. The kids loved it. Great people in the area add to fond memories.
Gordon and Jeanne Spalty

[Anonymous]

Read about the impending abandonment of Kinzua Bridge in the Erie Railroad employees' magazine as a teenager and so had to see it. Buffalo NRHS chapter ran a passenger special out of Buffalo via the B&SW sub division to Dayton, N Y then backed over onto the Erie's Dunkirk Branch for a faser than expected run into Salamanca, N Y and finally down the Bradford subdivision to the Kinzua Bridge. That first time I rode over it I don't ever remember feeling so vulnerable. It was an emotional experience. That was the Fall on 1958.

There were two or so trips to the bridge the following Spring of '59 from Meadville. I rode one of them from Salmanca and then just before abandonment I had the good fortune of being introduced to Patty O'Brien the legendary Bradfore Div. conductor on the Johnsonburg turn. This was a daylight local on the Branch. Patty stopped the train on the Bridge for lunch so I could climb part way down to get a better perspective on things. Shortly thereafter Erie trains began using a connection north of Bradford to access the BR&P and used it all the way into Brockway until Conrail and the demise of the EL.

There was an all-night through train that went to Brockway, Pa with traffic for local customers in the area but most went to the Pittsburg & Shawmut, often 100 cars mostly of coal. In the dead of night I can only believe that crews must have wondered whether the bridge was going to be there. Those were the days. Sorry to hear the news.

WJM

[Anonymous]

Read about the impending abandonment of Kinzua Bridge in the Erie Railroad employees' magazine as a teenager and so had to see it. Buffalo NRHS chapter ran a passenger special out of Buffalo via the B&SW sub division to Dayton, N Y then backed over onto the Erie's Dunkirk Branch for a faser than expected run into Salamanca, N Y and finally down the Bradford subdivision to the Kinzua Bridge. That first time I rode over it I don't ever remember feeling so vulnerable. It was an emotional experience. That was the Fall on 1958.

There were two or so trips to the bridge the following Spring of '59 from Meadville. I rode one of them from Salmanca and then just before abandonment I had the good fortune of being introduced to Patty O'Brien the legendary Bradfore Div. conductor on the Johnsonburg turn. This was a daylight local on the Branch. Patty stopped the train on the Bridge for lunch so I could climb part way down to get a better perspective on things. Shortly thereafter Erie trains began using a connection north of Bradford to access the BR&P and used it all the way into Brockway until Conrail and the demise of the EL.

There was an all-night through train that went to Brockway, Pa with traffic for local customers in the area but most went to the Pittsburg & Shawmut, often 100 cars mostly of coal. In the dead of night I can only believe that crews must have wondered whether the bridge was going to be there. Those were the days. Sorry to hear the news.

WJM

[Anonymous]

If somebody desides to take any thing, it is considerd a federal crime and they will be punished because it is goverment property and you will by all means arrested. You could also see where there were severe rusted out spots from below the bridge earlier this year .
Shawn

[Anonymous]

If somebody desides to take any thing, it is considerd a federal crime and they will be punished because it is goverment property and you will by all means arrested. You could also see where there were severe rusted out spots from below the bridge earlier this year .
Shawn

[adrianspeeder]

Bad news, it seems that some people are now taking parts of the bridge for themselves. Even though it is old rusty junk, it's the states old rusty junk. I guess somebody wants to make a buck on ebay.
The article in the paper quoted a park official saying it is not safe around the bridge because of unstable trees and rocks called "widowmakers"!!!

Adrianspeeder

[adrianspeeder]

Bad news, it seems that some people are now taking parts of the bridge for themselves. Even though it is old rusty junk, it's the states old rusty junk. I guess somebody wants to make a buck on ebay.
The article in the paper quoted a park official saying it is not safe around the bridge because of unstable trees and rocks called "widowmakers"!!!

Adrianspeeder

[Anonymous]

It was a spectacular bridge. My dad used to take me fishing down to creek below when I was little and you would look up at it just be amazed, perhaps that is the moment i took an interest in model railroads and railroading in general. And to just stand on it and look around was the best feeling in the world. Too bad i was going home in August and wanted to show it to my daughters, the last time we were on it was 10 years ago when they were only a few years old. I hope that there would be a way to justify rebuilding it.

Bill

PS here is a link to an excellent powerpoint slide show with very close up photos from on the bridge and park and you will see how the tornado just blew it over and it didn't really collapse on itself.

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/ctp/pictures/Potter_0721/mckean_kinzua.ppt

[Anonymous]

It was a spectacular bridge. My dad used to take me fishing down to creek below when I was little and you would look up at it just be amazed, perhaps that is the moment i took an interest in model railroads and railroading in general. And to just stand on it and look around was the best feeling in the world. Too bad i was going home in August and wanted to show it to my daughters, the last time we were on it was 10 years ago when they were only a few years old. I hope that there would be a way to justify rebuilding it.

Bill

PS here is a link to an excellent powerpoint slide show with very close up photos from on the bridge and park and you will see how the tornado just blew it over and it didn't really collapse on itself.

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/ctp/pictures/Potter_0721/mckean_kinzua.ppt

[Modelcar]

....To jrimer: An excellent account of bridge collapse in that article...and those photos are great..! That photographer had real guts...

Yes, vote to rebuild it.

[Modelcar]

....To jrimer: An excellent account of bridge collapse in that article...and those photos are great..! That photographer had real guts...

Yes, vote to rebuild it.

[Anonymous]

jrimer-------Excellent data and pictures of the bridge. Vote to save it.

[Anonymous]

jrimer-------Excellent data and pictures of the bridge. Vote to save it.

[Anonymous]

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030722/ALLEGHENY07/307220030

[Anonymous]

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030722/ALLEGHENY07/307220030

[Anonymous]

WOW that sux!

[Anonymous]

WOW that sux!

[Anonymous]

A confirmed F1 Tornado brought it down with winds of approximately 100mph. Thousands of trees were also down.

[Anonymous]

A confirmed F1 Tornado brought it down with winds of approximately 100mph. Thousands of trees were also down.

[zardoz]

As of this writing, (21:15 CDT) the Weather Channel is showing footage of the collapsed bridge. The item will surely repeat a few times throughout the evening.