Poughkeepise Railroad Bridge Awarded Grant

The House transportation bill adopted yesterday includes over $40 million work of projects in Congresswoman Sue Kelly’s district and $10 million in the eastern portion of Congressman Maurice Hinchey’s district.

Hinchey grants include almost $1.1 million for the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge.

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/trans ... 1Mar05.htm

Somewhat stupid question on my part. What is the money going to be used for on the bridge?

Non-profit group Walkway Over the Hudson is trying to preserve the bridge as a pedestrian corridor.

http://www.walkway.org/

-otto-

Forgive me for asking what may be a basic question, but I'm just starting to get back into railfanning after a 30 year absence.
As an EL fan, I know a fire closed the bridge and served to sever the link the EL used to forward freight to New England, another nail in the coffin. I've always wondered, though, what exactly burned (I assume the decking) and how severly such that the bridge would be deemed unrepairable? Was a cause determined? H. Roger Grant hinted in his EL book that there was a feeling perhaps arson on the part of the Penn Central. Any facts or theories?

Find the book<<<>>> BRIDGING THE HUDSON by

Carleton Mabee. Great read on the sybject. He addresses the

supected "arson". in 1974.

STEAM ON
/--OOO--~-oo--oo-

If they make that bridge into a pedestrian walkway, that will be a new photo area for both Amtrak, MN, and CSX.

It was only ties and walkway that burned, and only a hundred feet or so. Congress had approved repair funds right after thr fire, but PC wanted none of it. With the bridge, PC had to send a portion of its New England traffic to E-L in Maybrook (per Fed Gov ruling) in an effort to help keep E-L solvent. No bridge meant PC could run all the way to Chicago on its own rails and make more money.

The bridge had hydrants that were drained in winter. They were inactive at time of fire. It was a windy day, blowing east to west, and fire was just far enough out to be near-impossible to reach. Also it is my understanding watchmen were abolished from the bridge not too long before.

No "proof" that PC burned the bridge, but they certainly had motive and opportunity.

And I'm sure I still won't be able to get to work in Poughkeepsie from Highland at 6AM with out a car, because that crossing will be closed off just like the Mid Hudson Bridge.

You want to see some interesting info on the bridge. Go to the New Haven forum in Fallen Flags. Then see the section "Poughkeepsie Bridge arson." Somethings in there will set you to thinking.

Thanks for the responses and the lead to the other thread. That was an interesting read!