Railroad Forums
Moderator: Otto Vondrak
MarcMeoff wrote:OK, here's the last one. This is the bridge over the "Little River" in the 1970s. This was also a popular hang-out/swimming place for my brothers and I in the '50s. The international Paper mill along with RT Jones lumber was in full swing on Tonawanda Island in those days and the train used to go over to switch them at least twice a day. There was a bridge tender in attendence full time, but I only ever saw the bridge open once. A tug tried to push a barge through, but the current was so strong that he couldn't make it. Almost took out the bridge in the process of trying to go up-stream.
I also remember seeing trains go over the bridge over the canal (that started this thread). There was a small yard on the north (NT) side and on the Tonawanda side the tracks mainly served the Continental Can factory. They also occasionally took a carload of coal to a location near what is now the Tonawanda City hall. I always thught that was an incinerator, so I don't know why they needed coal. Maybe it was something else, or maybe the coal helped the grbage burn. Oh well, it was a long time ago. Too bad I never took pictures of that part!