Old railroad bridge Catskill NY?

I was up with the family visiting my wife's family in catskill NY, and happened across a small bridge that sure looked like a former RR bridge to me, although it was now a walking bridge. (and completely closed off as per police due to structural issues) I asked my father-in-law and he had no idea, but said it seemed too narrow for a train. (it's located off of W main st. across the street from catskill middle school) So if it was a RR bridge it was before they moved up there. Now I know the Castkill Mountian branch had 2 branchlines run off of it and one of those was a narrow gauge line. So did I stumble across a bridge from that former narrow gauge ROW? If not anybody have any idea what this is?

If I'm looking at the right spot, yes there was a railroad there.

This map shows the Catskill Mtn and Cairo RR had a bridge on that spot
http://docs.unh.edu/NY/cats95nw.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yep, thats the 3-foot gauge "Catskill Mountain Railway" bridge..
Trains last ran in 1918.

Scot

The abutments and piers still also exist where Catskill Mtn and Cairo RR recrossed "catskill creek" (or Kaaterskill / Cauterskill Creek back in the day) a bit further west at N 42.22450 W 73.88119 on bing maps.

Some info on the CM&CRR at http://www.udrrhs.org/html/catskillmountain.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catskill_Mountain_Railway" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Two good books on the Catskill Mountain Railway if you're interested, some coverage in the Delaware & Ulster book and a newer hardcover who's name escapes me that exclusively covers the CMR.

In addition to that bridge, there is also a tunnel portal in the marina south of Main Street. It went underneath Main Street and River Streets. I've never located the eastern portal of that tunnel.

Russ, never noticed that, but the Western portal sure still very evident at N 42.21295 W 73.85962

RussNelson wrote:In addition to that bridge, there is also a tunnel portal in the marina south of Main Street. It went underneath Main Street and River Streets. I've never located the eastern portal of that tunnel.

Upon a cursory inspection I think I might have found your elusive tunnel portal. If you look straight across Main Street (about 128 Main) where the western portal is, you might notice a small garden with a very old railing and concrete set into the ground approximately on a property line. Maybe it's just me, but it looks quite suspiciously like a very buried tunnel entrance. Would this be a safe assumption that it was the tunnel you were mentioning? If so it would not in fact pass beneath River Street, so that makes it a bit suspect.

I looked on a 1912 Sanborn insurance map. it is a bit difficult to make out, but it seems to show that the tunnel just went under Main St itself. River St. crossed the tracks on a bridge. Hope the upload is visible. JS

Oh, now THAT is very interesting. Now I have to go back there and try to see how long the tunnel is. If it's just barely long enough to go underneath Main Street, this thesis is possible. The marina is using it for storage.

I was re-reading Rip Van Winkel Railroads, by William Helmer. He has a picture of the tunnel. It's extremely short ... just long enough, as was said and depicted above, to go underneath Main Street. It also shows River Street going over the cut on a bridge.