Apparently, EMD had to go to the flared radiators in the SD45 because there wasn't enough room to mount them vertically. Then, they reverted back to vertical radiators in the GP50 and GP60. I wonder how they were able to do this. More efficient radiators? Doug
An Ns train departs NS Inman Yard in Atlanta GA with UP power leading the way and adding a little flare - June 2004
Bridge over the Niobrara River outside of Valentine, Nebraska. Once part of the Chicago Northwestern Cowboy Line it is now part of a hike and bike trail known as the Cowboy Trail. Hey, at least they kept part of the name.
That's really cool Russell. I'm probably mistaken, but I may have read somewhere that the C&NW long ago considered a west coast route, jumping off from its westernmost outpost at Lander, WY with a route through southern Idaho and into Oregon. If it's true, I suppose we should be happy that the C&NW thought better of the plan. I'm not sure if the C&NW's study coincided with the MILW's, but another transcontinental route would have likely met with failure.
TVRM 2879 - Formerly NS 2879 - Southern 2879 - TAG #80 "The John A Chambliss" unit - after being donated to the TVRM by NS. It was in the process of being prepped for new TAG paint.
The SAL found its plans blocked by the SOU when it arrived in Columbia, SC in about 1903, so the SAL was forced to build a long viaduct across the city, elevating its mainline above the SOU. A civic project in the late 1980s re-engineered Columbia's railroad map and brought an end to the historic viaduct. Here's an NS freight working underneath it at Lincoln Street in February 1991 shortly before it was removed.
I can't find the actual length in writing anywhere, but I figure it was a mile long. It ended south of town at a huge fill, where it then looped toward the Congaree River to make its crossing. The re-engineering project of the late 1980s was quite ingenious, putting the SOU, CN&L and SAL lines in a ditch and adding a junction where none existed before. The project, commercial development and overgrown vegetation have made it impossible to determine where things once were. Here's a 1991 image of the "ditch" when it was new. NS is on the right. It looks like the space between the tracks was provided for maintenance vehicles, though a third track would fit well if it were needed someday.
The wide spacing may also be due to safety regulations for track workers. If the tracks have the typical ~13' spacing, then work has to stop on one track whenever a train passes on the adjacent track. If the spacing is wider, as shown above, then work can continue uninterrupted while a train passes on the other track.
In reference to the viaduct length, this is what I did. Here is the original alignment of the Seaboard bridge, called the Lincoln Street Viaduct. This photo shows the southern end of the viaduct, from Bridgehunters.com. I believe the Ra Obelisk (which is a repainted bridge pier) is the concrete berm to the right of the signal, where the viaduct begins. The white house in the original photo can be seen in front of Heyward Street, now repainted beige with a tree in front. The wide, sweeping curve of trees in the third photo (in the attached files at the bottom of the post) is unmistakably an old railroad alignment. Lincoln Avenue has a 'greenway' that runs down the middle, obviously where the old viaduct was. If you look at Hardcoaler's photo of the viaduct with the 'Seaboard' name on it, you can see that white building (SC DOT building) with all the rectangular windows. In my fourth photo, you can see the same building and parking garage. Lincoln Avenue is now on a hill. It looks to level off halfway between Pendleton and Senate. The viaduct looks to be a bit lower in elevation than the second level of the parking garage, based on other Bridgehunters photos, which also lines up with the top of the hill on Lincoln Avenue. I measured from the alleyway between those two buildings and the Ra Obelisk to get a total length of 5,112 feet.
A very neat analysis Trainiac. I'd forgotten about the 'Obelisk' and yes, you're right -- that's where the viaduct ended and the fill began. I added a red line to the map below that shows where the mainline was once located atop the fill running from the base of Lincoln Street. The old mainline stub end near Olympia Ave. was left intact to serve a nearby quarry.
Depot at Willis, Texas in 1915. The rail line was built by the Houston & Great Northern Railroad in 1872 and eventually became part of the Missouri Pacific Lines. Now it is operated by the UP.
In just one hundred years we have trucks, large and small, replacing mule carts, and container transship yards replacing local depots. Ah yes, progress reigns supreme. I hope I can keep up.
