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  • Tonawanda swing bridge.

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.

Moderator: Otto Vondrak

 #739345  by jr
 
A few comments from a friend who grew up in the area. He specifically refers to the bridge at the mouth of the Creek/Canal:

The bridge in question is definitely a RR bridge. It crosses Tonawanda Creek / State Barge Canal from North Tonawanda back into the City of Tonawanda. At one time there were a few industries including a large Continental Can factory near the south end of the bridge in the City of Tonawanda. There was more than one industry there, I don’t recall the names of the others. The industries were mostly shut down by the late 1960’s and the City ripped them down as part of the Urban Renewal efforts. I do not recall ever seeing a train operate over that bridge, but my Father (NYC Engineer, Buffalo 1941-1990) related a story of pulling some cars out of there. He asked if the gangways (metal planks crossing from loading docks to boxcars) had been removed. Yes, they are all out, ok here we go, BANG. Somebody forgot to pull the gangways, whoops.



JR
 #739404  by NYCRRson
 
JR, thanks for the the intro... I did indeed mature in the area mentioned and know this bridge quite well. As you related there was still some railroad served industry left in the City of Tonawanda way back in the 1960's.

From Penn Central Timetable #1, Northeastern Region. Sunday, April 23, 1968:

"New York Central RR Bridge B18-A in North Tonawanda, New York. Crossing the New York State Barge Canal.

Note 2: Stop signs and red marker marker lights located 150 feet east of bridge and 118 feet west of bridge. Trains or engines operating in either direction over the bridge must stop and be certain bridge B-18A is lined for rail movement before proceeding."

Same info in Penn Central Timetable #6, Sunday, October 29,1972 updated by General Order 616, Saturday, December 1, 1973. This G.O. also reduces speeds on the entire Tonawanda Branch to 5 mph.

Weight restrictions show up in the 1972 ETT, no cars over 220,000 lbs (110 tons) allowed on the entire Tonawanda Branch.

Strangely enough the NYCRR ETT #20 from 1966 shows this bridge as an interlocking ? But then refers to a similar note for Bridge B18-C, about stop signs and red markers. Maybe a typo, or maybe there was an interlocking and it was OOSed between 1966 and 1968 ? Seems unlikely there would be a need for an interlocking on a stub end industrial spur ? Or maybe New York State demanded an interlocking for a bridge over the ever so important New York State Barge Canal. Also, this ETT refers to the area served by this bridge as “Goose Island” even though it was no longer an island after the Original Erie Canal was filled in.

Conrail ETT #2 from 1981 no longer lists this bridge, or the other swing bridge (B18-C) that spans a branch of the Niagara River over to Tonawanda Island. So between 1973 and 1981 these bridges were OOSed, or transferred out of PC/Conrail Ownership. When exactly this bridge was OOSed was probably determined by the Tonawanda Island RR. Story is that a Conrail Foreman was injured on the job and accepted the Tonawanda Branch in Lieu of a cash settlement for his injuries. Seems like maybe he should have held out for the cash ?

Interestingly enough Railroad Bridge B18-C was until sometime in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s also the only road bridge over to Tonawanda Island. This bridge was covered with planks and was essentially a one way road / rail bridge over to the Island. Sometime in the late 1960’s, or early 1970’s the planks caught fire and the bridge was OOS for road and probably rail traffic. It was rebuilt and the high road bridge (Taylor St) was built later. I have fond memories of fishing off of Bridge B18-C in the 1970's. Probably not allowed now.

Exact dates can probably be found in the Library or Historical Society. Not sure how they got back and forth to the Island while the bridge was OOS. Also, if you ever get to the Naval Park in Downtown Buffalo, you can find some pictures of newly built Landing Craft being launched from the shores of Tonawanda Island into the branch of the Niagara River during WWII.

An individual I worked with had the unfortunate luck to run his cabin cruiser under bridge B18-C thereby ripping the upper deck clean off. There is quite a current there. He was forever after known as the “ADMIRAL”.

Also, the large two track Bascule draw bridge that still carries the Niagara Branch over the canal is not listed as a drawbridge in the 1966 NYCRR ETT #20. This seems to confirm the old stories that New York State made the NYC RR put in that bridge because of Albany’s dreams of much more traffic on the barge canal. The story is that the bridge was built in the late 1920’s. It was operated once or twice for testing and then after a while the operating mechanism was removed and it became a fixed bridge in the 1930’s or 1940’s. I never ever saw it open while I grew up over there during the 1960’s, 1970’s or later.

Cheers, Kevin
 #739552  by JoeS
 
Charles, take a look at this map:

http://railsandtrails.com/Maps/Buffalo/ ... ap-100.jpg

This shows the International Railway splitting off from the Erie about a half mile south of the creek/canal crossing and taking a more easterly route. This is the line I was referring to; there is (or was) a bridge abutment from this line remaining on Young St. just south of the old Erie RR crossing. There were also abutments either side of Ellicott Creek but I don't know if they still exist.

However it also shows a second track along the Erie over the creek that seems to connect with what I would call the Erie Lockport branch. It appears this is also the International Railway. So maybe we are both right?

Sorry for the thread-jack.
 #739668  by nydepot
 
I guess we are both right for different time periods. In 1909, there was not a swing over of the Int RR like on your map. It shared the bridge with the Erie and their are no other bridges further east. There must have been some rebuilding after 1909 and the Int built another bridge.

Learn something every day!
 #739779  by NYCRRson
 
Yes, that's right in later years the INTL RR swung away from the Erie ROW, it crossed over Young St. There used to be an abutment left in front of a ready-mix cement plant (MorningStar ?) on Young St. This ROW then roughly followed the route of the current Twin Cities Expressway. This is the highway that comes off the Youngman and swings over Into North Tonawanda. It passes just south/east of Degraff Hospital. It was elevated in this area. in the 1960's big concrete abutments were still in place along each side of the cross streets like Christina, etc. The bridge sections and the fill between the abutments was gone by the 1960's. I remember them demolishing these abutments when they built that expressway.

The Erie Lockport brach came off the Erie line down in the center of North Tonawanda near the EL-3 tower and then headed out to Lockport, It runs right alside of all things "Erie Ave". I always assumed the street was named for the railroad line. But I could be wrong.

Cheers, Kevin
 #739821  by sd80mac
 
NYCRRson wrote: There used to be an abutment left in front of a ready-mix cement plant (MorningStar ?) on Young St.

Oh yeah I remember that stone block abutment!


When u drive on Twin Cities Expressway and take last exit before u go over river on bridge. The ramp lead curve down to the road and come to a stop sign, there is an abutment directly across river from you. Is that what you are talking about?

I was wondering about that abutment at these 2 places for long times. I never thought that these 2 would connect together!
 #739827  by NYCRRson
 
Yes, there were also some abutments along Ellicot creek. I checked the latest satellite images and did not see them, perhaps they have been removed, or where hidden by trees ? They were quite a distance apart, there may have been a pier in the middle of the creek, but I do not remember ever seeing one.

Funny story regarding this rail line, my Father grew up in Kenmore near where this electrified line ran on it's way into the City of Buffalo. Apparently there were poles on both sides of the ROW to support the catenary. He and some other friends used to climb up the poles and string a rope between the poles. The next trolley coming down the pike would have it's pole pulled off the catenary and the motorman would have to come out and reset the pole. Good harmless fun in the old days. I guess the statute of limitations has expired, as has he, so you can call the cops if you want to. Ha Ha

Cheers, Kevin
 #739859  by NYCRRson
 
SD80mac, I did some more satellite image searching on the abutment that is on the north side of Ellicott creek across from that exit from the Twin Cites Expressway. Yes that concrete abutment is a remnant of the INTL RR. The ROW went from the abutment in front of the Ready mix concrete plant on Young St. to the abutment that is still in place on the north side of Ellicott creek. There was an abutment on the south side of the creek, but it must have been removed when that exit ramp was installed. From the abutment on the north side of the creek the ROW continued roughly along the current expressway. There was an elevated fill in between all of these concrete abutments. And power poles.

So we have found 2 remains of the ROW, funny how something that was created less than 100 years ago seems to have all but disappeared.

Cheers, Kevin
 #739930  by sd80mac
 
NYCRRson wrote:Funny story regarding this rail line, my Father grew up in Kenmore near where this electrified line ran on it's way into the City of Buffalo. Apparently there were poles on both sides of the ROW to support the catenary. He and some other friends used to climb up the poles and string a rope between the poles. The next trolley coming down the pike would have it's pole pulled off the catenary and the motorman would have to come out and reset the pole. Good harmless fun in the old days. I guess the statute of limitations has expired, as has he, so you can call the cops if you want to. Ha Ha

Cheers, Kevin
yeah apparently your dad's not only one who had done crazy thing. My dad and uncle jumped off the RR bridge into tonawanda creek during their youth years. They said it was stupid thing to do.
 #739933  by Mr.S
 
I have always thought this bridge and rail line was part of the LAKE ONTARIO SHORELINE Railroad Co.,then ROME WATERTOWN and ODGENSBURGH Railroad then NYC&HR RR /NYC?
 #740065  by MarcMeoff
 
Here is a photo of the IRC bridge abutment in question over Ellicott Creek taken a year ago September. This was called the Buffalo-Niagara Falls "High Speed Line" and it by-passed downtown Tonawanda and North Tonawanda with all their myriad freight tracks. At the north end of the Division expressway you can still easily trace the ROW through NT back yards to the place where it followed the Niagara River and the Erie and NYC ROWs to Niagara Falls. There used to be another abutment where it crossed these two RRs near the old Demler Cider mill on River Road in NT.
 #740085  by MarcMeoff
 
Here is a photo of the Ellicott Creek abutment when the line was under construction. My brothers and I used to swim in the ponds that were created when the fill for the embankment was dug out from along the ROW. It was called "B.A.B" or "Bare A.. Beach."
 #740107  by MarcMeoff
 
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!