LV Genesee River Bridge

sd80mac wrote:
....One thing that I did not notice due to overgrown vegetation, is that there's other wall bit south of LV abutment. Is it retaining wall or ??

sd80mac - That's a foundation pier for an intermediate trestle support tower. It was originally located midway between the high stone pier and the west bank of the river. The pier was dragged out of the way and left there to provide room for the present earthen approach ramp to the wooden footbridge.

Incidentally there are several similar foundation piers scattered randomly across the flats east of the river and north of the present trail.

...FB

thanks... im surprised that someone went out of way to save them rather than knock them down and use stones for erosion control on the bank..

Here's a few before and after shots of the conversion of the lower bridge deck. Don't remember where I saved them from. Russ, are they yours?

Scott K.

sd80mac wrote:thanks... im surprised that someone went out of way to save them rather than knock them down and use stones for erosion control on the bank..

The scapper who cut up the trestles either side of the river span was interested only in the bridge iron. The stone piers and abutments were of no value to them. They were thus left intact.

Scott K wrote:Here's a few before and after shots of the conversion of the lower bridge deck. Don't remember where I saved them from. Russ, are they yours?

Nope - those photos are mine! I shot them during construction of the wooden walkway in April/May of 2004.

Incidentally the middle photo shows who I believe are the first cyclists to cross the river using the bridge. They are walking bikes atop temporary scaffolding installed prior to removal of the lower cross bracing members.

...FB

FB, are those pictures in another thread here somewhere, or did you post them someplace else? Sorry I assumed they were Russ'. Have you seen the new access trail from a small lot on West River Road? Much shorter to walk in from there.

Scott K.

First of three shots. Crappy winter day, losing the light. Thank God for Adobe Photoshop...

LV 323, 322 & 321 in the hole at Rush. Cab 95072 on the eastbound. Note the dwarf signals and the striped telephone box (opened). As soon as they get their switch lined, they're out of there - no time for a long chase.

Second of three. The view is from the southeast quadrant where the LV crosses the Genesee, with the camera turned towards the northeast. LV 323, 322 & 321 lead the westbound over the EL (now LA&L) [or the creek? - see posts below]

Last of three. The view is from the southeast quadrant where the LV crosses the Genesee, with the camera turned towards the northwest. LV cab 95103 brings up the rear of the westbound. Somewhere out in the brush is the Genesee River, and Wadsworth Junction (PRR) is on the other side. The light is gone - that's it for the day.

What great photos......thanks for posting!

Charlie

CPSmith wrote:Last of three. The view is from the southeast quadrant where the LV crosses the Genesee....

This one especially bring back fond memories. I grew up nearby and spent many happy hours as a kid watching trains roll across this bridge.

Thanks for posting!

...FB

Scott K wrote:FB, are those pictures in another thread here somewhere, or did you post them someplace else? Sorry I assumed they were Russ'. Have you seen the new access trail from a small lot on West River Road? Much shorter to walk in from there.

Scott K.

Scott - Those photos WERE indeed posted on a thread here back in 2004. Unfortunately the photo hosting site (Epson Photo) disappeared a few years ago, and with it the photos.

However tonite I located the photos out my archives and reposted them on Photobucket: http://s101.photobucket.com/user/farmal ... r%20bridge

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The new access trail is an extension of the Lehigh Valley Trail. It runs east from a small unmarked lot on River Road about 1/2 mile to the LV bridge....a nice, easy walk.

...FB

CPSmith wrote:First of three shots. Crappy winter day, losing the light. Thank God for Adobe Photoshop...

LV 323, 322 & 321 in the hole at Rush. Cab 95072 on the eastbound. Note the dwarf signals and the striped telephone box (opened). As soon as they get their switch lined, they're out of there - no time for a long chase.

I THOUGHT those looked familiar. I was standing about 10 feet to your right for this one, and mine includes the guy standing by the phone booth - you just caught his pant leg in your shot. Fired the camera at the same moment as you did.

Great pictures! Looking at Google maps, there's a deck truss over a stream between the LA&L and the Genesee River. Could that second picture be on that, given the fact there's corn stubble in both that pic and the third one of the large trestle. It almost appears that you just pivoted and got the third shot. The bridge over the LA&L looks to be a plate girder bridge. I'd put a screen shot of Google here, but my phone screen won't let both bridges be shown with clarity. Of course, I should talk, you were there, I wasn't. LOL! Great pictures and thanks for sharing!

Farmer Joe - you had me worried for a while ... what? you mean 40 year old memories aren't always accurate? <smiley face>

I went to both bing and google maps and the span over the creek has a center pylon. I don't *think* I see a center pylon in the photo, but I just don't know for sure.

If the bridge over the EL is (and was) a plate girder bridge (no reason to think they'd move them), then you are probably correct - it must be the span over the creek.

Maybe some enterprising soul can go for a walk and confirm.

No problem. I don't mean to question your pictures like that. I've always been fascinated with that area but never had a chance to see it when it was active. I'm grateful someone like yourself has pictures and can share them. Like I said, you were there, I wasn't. Thanks again!