Bridge Abutment in Unexpected Location, Atlanta, NY

I came across this bridge abutment recently, on Atlanta Back Road in Atlanta, NY just south of Main Street. The former DL&W, current Bath and Hammondsport tracks run right in front. The Erie railroad also ran through this area, roughly parallel to the existing tracks, so I don't see how the Erie could account for this bridge abutment. Can also be seen on Bing Maps.



So, what was this bridge abutment?

It is the bridge abutment for the Atlanta Back Road when it used to cross over the railroad.

The crossing in the foreground to the photographers left replaced the overhead I would say during the 1980s.

The north abutment and the accompanying gradient for the highway would have been to the right in the picture and was also removed.

Many of these old overpasses became a responsibility football between the railroads and the municipalities involved in later years.

Here's a topo showing the old bridge: http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=42.55016,-77.47649&z=16&t=T

Wait a minute... I have notes on my maps that the Lehigh Valley also ran into Atlanta, from the northeast, to connect into the Erie or DL&W. This is the same LV line which ran from Geneva - Stanley - Rushville - Middlesex - Naples . How it connected in Atlanta, I have no detailed idea. So it is still possible this abutment was leftover from LV and then used for a highway. I'll have to check into Russ Nelson's maps of LV roadbeds later to make sure he has record of this line all the way into Atlanta.

Flat-Wheeler wrote:So it is still possible this abutment was leftover from LV and then used for a highway. I'll have to check into Russ Nelson's maps of LV roadbeds later to make sure he has record of this line all the way into Atlanta.

from looking at the picture, we can see that abutment is perpendicular to the steep hill and there is no way that RR could make sharp right turn at 90 degree. and the abutment is too small for the "angled" abutment

Flat-Wheeler wrote:Wait a minute... I have notes on my maps that the Lehigh Valley also ran into Atlanta, from the northeast, to connect into the Erie or DL&W. This is the same LV line which ran from Geneva - Stanley - Rushville - Middlesex - Naples . How it connected in Atlanta, I have no detailed idea. So it is still possible this abutment was leftover from LV and then used for a highway. I'll have to check into Russ Nelson's maps of LV roadbeds later to make sure he has record of this line all the way into Atlanta.

The Geneva to Naples branch ended in Naples. It never went further than that.

Several accounts have stated that the LV had projected to extend from Naples to Wayland in order to facilitate a connection with the PS&N as the major goal.

Those accounts also outline as to how Lehigh Valley interests owned large tracts of coal fields in the western PA territory served by the PS&N.

Ultimately the connection was never made.

Relative to the bridge, it was for the highway. I walked back there in 1968 or so and saw it first hand.

VTM

looks like it was a narrow single car bridge from what I can see.