Sunbury PA - Bridge over Susquehanna River (Removal Date)

[frankgaron2]

Hi All:

I was railfanning in Sunbury this past weekend, my first time back there since the late 1980's.

Much to my surprise, the entire bridge across the Susquehanna is gone. Not even a trace!
Quite a change since last time, and I'm glad I took some good photos back then.

Two questions -

1. When was the bridge removed and why (obvious answers would be for flood control wall and for scrap value?)
2. When was the line taken out of service over the river?

Thanks!

Frank

[Highball116]

About a year ago I bought a small booklet called The Bridges of Sunbury, which was published by a jeweler in Sunbury, maybe in 1991. I can't put my hands on the booklet (I just now tore the room apart), but it definitely shows a grainy picture of the Reading bridge with one or two of the spans missing, the demolition already underway. 1987 sticks out in my mind, but I might be remembering wrong. If I can find the darn book I'll scan the picture and its caption for you.

I went to college in Selinsgrove, and my coworkers told me that the bridge was supposedly demolished because it posed a "navigational hazard." Or in other words, "drunk people in motorboats were running into it." The real reasons probably had to do with its scrap value, and yes, the gap that the right-of-way left in the flood wall.

I haven't a clue when service ended on that part of the line, but I'd have to guess that once Conrail took over, there wasn't much use for the Reading trackage between Sunbury and West Milton.

Toby

[frankgaron2]

That sounds about right - both the year AND the drunk motorboaters lol!

Thanks for the add'l info,

Frank

[PennCentralfan]

Hello, New here, The Bridge was taken down in 1992. It was removed due to opening up Lake Augusta with no obstructions and also due to flooding debree. The tracks were taken out of service in 1977. They were removed in the early 1990's. SF tower along with the RDG Freight house were razed in Nov 1977. The connection from the former PC tracks to the RDG tracks was laid in April 1977. Hope this helps.

[frankgaron2]

Sure does - very helpful indeed. Thanks for taking the time to write!