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  • B & O RR bridge over the Grand River, Fairport Harbor, Ohio

  • Discussion relating to the B&O up to it's 1972 merger into Chessie System. Visit the B&O Railroad Historical Society for more information. Also discussion of the C&O up to 1972. Visit the C&O Historical Society for more information. Also includes the WM up to 1972. Visit the WM Historical Society for more information.
Discussion relating to the B&O up to it's 1972 merger into Chessie System. Visit the B&O Railroad Historical Society for more information. Also discussion of the C&O up to 1972. Visit the C&O Historical Society for more information. Also includes the WM up to 1972. Visit the WM Historical Society for more information.
 #968029  by terry03
 
Attached is a picture of a Baltimore & Ohio bridge over the Grand River in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. Can anyone tell me what year this bridge was built? It looks like its still standing on Google Earth and that they are using it as a bicycle path.
Attachments:
(198.37 KiB) Downloaded 11082 times
 #975042  by TrapperY
 
I am looking for info on this bridge too. Didn't find the year bridge was built but line began in 1870 according to the link below.
It doesn't look to cross the river any longer, viewing from birdeye satellite map.

http://www.abandonedrails.com/Fairport_Branch
This line began in 1870 as a narrow-gauge line connecting Farmington to Fairport Harbor, named the Painesville and Youngstown Railroad. In 1873, it became the Painesville, Youngstown and Pittsburgh Railroad. In 1886, it was leased to the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad, itself acquired by the Baltimore and Ohio in 1890. It was standardized in 1900, and later became the B&O's Lake Branch or Fairport Branch. At some point, it was extended to Warren. It was operated by the B&O until 1982. Despite opposition from shippers and local governments, the line was ultimately pulled up.
Today, most of the line has been converted/in the process of being converted into rail trails; the Greenway Corridor in Lake County, and The Maple Highlands Trail in Geauga County.
Thanks to Aaron M. for contributing information about this route.
Attachments:
fairport rr bridge.jpg
fairport rr bridge.jpg (10.06 KiB) Viewed 11449 times
fairport bridge birdseye.jpg
fairport bridge birdseye.jpg (125.76 KiB) Viewed 11449 times
 #975279  by terry03
 
TrapperY wrote:I am looking for info on this bridge too. Didn't find the year bridge was built but line began in 1870 according to the link below.
It doesn't look to cross the river any longer, viewing from birdeye satellite map.

http://www.abandonedrails.com/Fairport_Branch
This line began in 1870 as a narrow-gauge line connecting Farmington to Fairport Harbor, named the Painesville and Youngstown Railroad. In 1873, it became the Painesville, Youngstown and Pittsburgh Railroad. In 1886, it was leased to the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad, itself acquired by the Baltimore and Ohio in 1890. It was standardized in 1900, and later became the B&O's Lake Branch or Fairport Branch. At some point, it was extended to Warren. It was operated by the B&O until 1982. Despite opposition from shippers and local governments, the line was ultimately pulled up.
Today, most of the line has been converted/in the process of being converted into rail trails; the Greenway Corridor in Lake County, and The Maple Highlands Trail in Geauga County.
Thanks to Aaron M. for contributing information about this route.
TrapperY. I don't think this is the bridge I am looking for. If you go to Google Earth look to the right of the bridge you are talking about. Probably 1/4 mile. The bridge I'm looking for is right next to where High Street crosses. It is now a bike path. There are 3 piers under the bridge you are talking about and the one next to High Street has only 2 like the one in my picture.
 #975361  by TrapperY
 
You are right, sorry I am looking at a different bridge indeed, though they are quite close to each other.
I found another lead on fairport railroad bridge stating a plan to complete summer of 1908, but it is refers to the "big bridge over the Grand River at Fairport Ohio", so I think it's the one I have been investigating not the one you're interested in.

Anyway here's a link, if there's any clues, (Library of Congress webpage that you can keyword search old newspapers which is kinda cool).

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/ ... d-1/seq-3/
Attachments:
fairport big rr bridge.jpg
fairport big rr bridge.jpg (206.04 KiB) Viewed 11439 times
 #976053  by shlustig
 
Both bridges were B&O.

The one closer to the highway led to the lower yard and engine terminal.

The other one was from the upper yard.

The tracks met north of there and became a single track main going across the NYC.

You need an older map to show the trackage arrangement that used to be here.
 #1026270  by Scott Nixon
 
Hello terry03,

Regarding the bridge you are talking about (and the yard that it used to lead to), I have found two references that give a clue to when it was built:

In Fairport, Painesville & Eastern's Time Table #1, it shows that there was a Bulletin issued on Sept. 24, 1929 that said:
"Effective at 12:01 P. M. September 25th, 1929, the crossing target signal at the F. P. & E. Railroad Crossing, at grade with the Baltimore and Ohio, F. P. & E. Railroad Main track and the lead track to the new B. &. O. Railroad Coal Storage Yard, Fairport, Ohio, will be moved to a point mid-way between the Baltimore & Ohio Crossings."
Then when I was doing a Google search the other day, I came across this blurb from a Railway Age magazine dated January 3, 1931, which said:
"New coal-storage yard and drawbridge over Grand river, Fairport, Ohio, $364,000 (completed)."

So based on these little bits of info, I think it is safe to assume that this secondary line between Painesville and Fairport--of which this bridge was a part--was built between 1929 and 1930.

I call this line the 'secondary line' because the main line went over the bridge that TrapperY is talking about. Although I believe that later, after A.E. Staley shut down their facility in Grand River in 1969, the secondary line became the main line.

Anyway, if you go to this webpage ... http://www.multimodalways.org/archives/rrs/B&O/B&O.html ... then click on the Track Chart file named "B&O Akron-Chicago Div TC 1966.pdf" and then go to page 31 of that document, then you can see how the track layout was in that area--though it is difficult to get oriented since it is not geographically correct. Basically, the bridge you are talking about is on the line that shifts to the right.

Hope this helps!
 #1081371  by Kinter2
 
I drove past the bridge last Friday (9/7/12) and it's still there with fences at either end to prevent people from using it. Additionally, there is a power generating plant to the south of it where part of the original yard was. The tracks still exist south of the bridge with crossing signals but no train has used that crossing since 1982.

The Fairport, Painesville and Eastern serves the only customer in Fairport Harbor with lots of covered hoppers. The road bed has been improved. It is a switchback from the plant located @ 4th & High Streets that connects to the CSX east of Painesville. I don't know if the FP&E still exists or if it's just a branch of CSX. Much of the Fairport Branch of the B&O has been converted to walking/bike trail.
 #1081743  by shlustig
 
The FP&E is part of NS.

Only connection with CSX is at Perry where the FP&E trackage is between NS (x-NKP) and CSX (x-NYC).

Originally, FP&E had a wye connection with the NYC just east of the NYC's Grand River Bridge, both legs of which crossed US-20 at grade.