Railroad Forums 

  • Big 4 across the Miami & Erie Canal

  • Discussion relating to the NYC and subsidiaries, up to 1968. Visit the NYCS Historical Society for more information.
Discussion relating to the NYC and subsidiaries, up to 1968. Visit the NYCS Historical Society for more information.

Moderator: Otto Vondrak

 #1235281  by NKP1155
 
The Big 4 crossed the Miami & Erie Canal at Dawson, Dayton and possibly near Cincinnati. Were these all fixed bridges, or were some of them movable types?
 #1640444  by 262
 
Where The Big 4 crossed the Canal in Dayton Ohio at one time was a Draw Bridge. I do not know the dates and the canal fell into disuse .Around April 1913 there was a flood and after it was determined that the canal made the flooding worse. Prominent citizens advocated and formed The Miami Conservancy District which filled in the canal ,constructed numerous Dry Impoundment Dams on the Miami,Stillwater,Mad rivers and Twin Creek.the Huffman Dam on the Mad River made necessary the movemont of the Big 4 and Erie east of Dayton.For many years thereafter there was an interlocking with an NYC style tower on stilts at the site called Draw Bridge Tower after that Conrail called the signal CP Draw Bridge. i asked the same question on this site many years ago. A gentleman who claims he was an operator at Draw Bridge replied and posted a picture of the tower he said he completed his career as Train Master on the NYC Cincinnati Northern. There is a photo of CP Draw Bridge at The Miami Valley Railfan site.