Abandoned BR&P Orchard Park Springville bridges blocked

I just drove by Kissing Bridge today and saw that chainlink fences and concrete barriers have been placed on both sides of the abandoned rail bridges in the area. Does anyone know if this may mean the Rails-to-Trails idea is dead? From a safety standpoint I can understand blocking the bridges (which in some cases were unstable and didn't have railings on either side, thus creating a dangerous situation) and the KB area was having perhaps some problem with snowmobiles going through the property, but this is just conjecture on my part; anyone with an update on this?
Thanks-Dave

Sounds like a liability issue to me, on the part of the current owners.

Assuming the trail think continues to progress, that fence will come down once the appropriate protections are in place on the bridges themselves.

If the RR ties are in any condition like the WSRR ties were on the trestle over Ellicott Creek between Transit Rd and Genesee St, liability issues are certian. That trestle which still stands is completely fenced off. The ties are in such poor condition that even walking on them you risk falling through. On the other hand, the Gardenville line trestle just south of Broadway in Cheektowaga has ties that are in very good shape when I walked it about 2 years ago. I never walked the BR&P.

The ties would really be that bad?

Once the snow flies how long do you think its going to take bubba and jimbob to grab a sawsall and cut them down? That route has been a favorite of snowmobilers for 10+ years now. Without rails its going to be a superhighway for them

If you're referring to the WSRR, it would almost be instant death if they took a snowmobile over the trestle. The ties are very rotted. The idiots who ride motorcycles over it before they fenced it off used a guardrail to ride on to displace the weight of the bike.

If your referring to the BR&P, I"ve never walked it so I don't know the condtion of them.

This thread should probably be re-opened:

viewtopic.php?f=128&t=58254&hilit=springville&start=210" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Until then:

http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/rails-to ... n/27484342" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rail-to-trail project gets major donation

9:14 PM. EST January 31, 2016

SPRINGVILLE, NY - A rail-to-trail project in the Southern Tier got a major boost this weekend as a check for more than $12,000 was donated.

The project will use property that was once owned by the Buffalo Pittsburgh Railroad running from North Street to Cascade Drive.

Springville's Mayor William Krebs says the donation opens many possibilities for the future.

“We could have art along the trails, certainly historical markers, environmental signage -- we will improve that.”
The nearly 2 mile trail is just the first part of a much larger, 27-mile corridor that Mayor Krebs says villagers hope will connect many of the south towns.

The project is expected to be completed sometime this year.

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This will just be for the grade through the village of Springville.

It won't result in any blocked bridges being reopened.

I want to hike soon and take pics of the former B&S abutments over the BR&P grade near Colden: http://binged.it/1NUg1wy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

thebigham wrote:This thread should probably be re-opened:

viewtopic.php?f=128&t=58254&hilit=springville&start=210" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Okay.

-otto-

From Mallets dragging coal and ore, to a trail with art and environmental signage. It's enough to make you sick!

I agree, it's rather ridiculous, IMHO. But at least they're not completely forgetting about it, or worse yet, bulldozing it off the face of the planet for eternity.

But what is up with using a huge donation (well huge for this area) on just 2 miles of the 27 mile goal ? Not including bridges ? So are they really expecting 160k for the next 25 miles of the line in the next half a decade ? Yeah... Good luck with that !

These people are so out of touch. I could think of so much more to do with $12k... than put up plaques, signs, and art within a 11,000 ft stretch of hiking !!! Like spend $1,500 average on each rotted bridge ! Boom, 8 bridges would be good to go for another 10 years. SMH