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  • The Sayre Walkbridge

  • Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.
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The Sayre Walkbridge

Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.

Moderator: scottychaos

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 #162222  by DElder
 
Major cool stuff Scot.....thanks for sharing these!!
Doug Elder

 #162259  by jmp883
 
Scotty,

Some great pictures.....I was born in Sayre and even though I grew up in Clarks Summit, PA I spent many summers in Sayre visiting family. Unfortunately my cousins didn't have the interest in trains that I did so I didn't get to spend as much time on that bridge as I would have liked.

I still have a large amount of family still in the Sayre/Athens area but I don't get home as much as I should. It is sad to see how much is gone now.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

 #162262  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
I might be wrong, but when I was there, in '86, the walkbridge was still there. When I returned in '88, it was gone. I will have to check my photos, but I am pretty sure it was razed, the same time the last of the diesel servcing facilities were removed. There was a string old SDP-45's stored there, along with some SD-45's, and about the same time they left, so did the bridge. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but that's how I remembered it. Haven't been back, since about 92, and it was so depressing, seeing what was left, I have never returned. :(

 #162394  by scottychaos
 
Golden-Arm,
yep, you are right..
the Sayre yard remained essentially unchanged from 1976-1986.
then between 1986 and 1988 everything was wiped out.
first the old Packer ave bridge was torn down and the new one built.
(the big yard light tower next to the Packer ave bridge also came down then)

then the sand tower and the remants of the diesel service area were removed.
the the walkbridge taken down.
and finally the Big Shops came down in 1988.

I can get exact dates for all these events next time I visit the Sayre museum..my original photos are there, with dates written on the back of all the photos.

Scot

 #163045  by Alloy
 
Thanks, Scot, I have not seen anything like the walkbridge in any of the yards I knew as a kid. What a great place to view from!

 #163105  by GN 599
 
About a year ago at a "gentlemans club'' I mentioned I worked for the railroad (BNSF) to a random guy I just met while we were burning one and he said his father and grandfather and I think maybe uncles all worked at the Sayre shops. I think he said his grandfather was a foreman. The twist, I live in Oregon small world I guess. The "Valley'' seemed like a pretty neat road its similiar in size of my fav, the SP&S and the WP. Cant forget the ALco and GP similiarity! Its too bad they tear stuff like that down, its an all too common tale out here as well.

 #164559  by dj_paige
 
Scot, I have to hand it to you ... you sure do put together great photo albums! Great work!

 #168059  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
Speaking of the footbridge, check out my Avatar. The skies are ominous, as the end looms near......... :(

 #168079  by keeper1616
 
If someone can find an old map and scan it in, (one with the bridge on it) I can find the exact footprint...width, length etc...from there we can work using the photos to find out height etc.... I have a little experience doing this sort of thing... isn't modern mapping software great!!

 #168173  by scottychaos
 
keeper1616 wrote:If someone can find an old map and scan it in, (one with the bridge on it) I can find the exact footprint...width, length etc...from there we can work using the photos to find out height etc.... I have a little experience doing this sort of thing... isn't modern mapping software great!!
Cyrus,
that sounds cool!
I will take a look for a good map..
there are several that show the bridge, but they are of such low resolution that they arent very useful.
(or I guess I mean the maps are of too small a scale..you know what I mean!)

but there should be something useful out there..
Scot

 #206600  by calorosome
 
I miss that walkbridge, I used to go there a lot when I was a wee li'l brat. A great place to watch the yard action..

Sayre walk bridge

 #206606  by Lehighrrgreg
 
I should get my measuring wheel out one of these days if I get the time and do some measuring of the foundations. All the old supports and things are still in place over there. They stick out of the ground about 6 or 7 inches.

Greg

Sayre Pedestrian Bridge

 #206844  by TB Diamond
 
The pedestrian bridge at Sayre was officially known as the Lockhart Street Pedestrian Overpass. Very sad that it is gone.
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