Bluegrass Railroad Museum line opening to "The Bridge"

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

jcmark611 wrote:

One major issue facing Young's High Bridge is access. On the east end of the bridge, it's only accessible by rail. On the west side, it's property of Wild Turkey distilleries. The only ground view of the bridge is near a rock quarry.

Your mention of the Wild Turkey whiskey distillery jarred my memory. Someone (perhaps on my ride on the BGRM) told me that the distillery was reached from the rail line by a rather steep spur down to it. Which made for some interesting switching, including some accidents. I think the loss of rail shipments to/from Wild Turkey, might have hastened the lines demise. Or perhaps it was the other way around.

Les

jcmark611 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:23 am

Les Beckman wrote:

jcmark611 wrote:

One major issue facing Young's High Bridge is access. On the east end of the bridge, it's only accessible by rail. On the west side, it's property of Wild Turkey distilleries. The only ground view of the bridge is near a rock quarry.

Your mention of the Wild Turkey whiskey distillery jarred my memory. Someone (perhaps on my ride on the BGRM) told me that the distillery was reached from the rail line by a rather steep spur down to it. Which made for some interesting switching, including some accidents. I think the loss of rail shipments to/from Wild Turkey, might have hastened the lines demise. Or perhaps it was the other way around.

Les

The steep spur actually went to the Kentucky Utilities Tyrone generating plant. It was between 4% and 6% and had two runaway spurs. Southern used to take loads of coal down the hill to the plant. It actually survived until the late 90s and connected to BGRM's track near the end of the line at Young's High Bridge.

There was some talk in the mid 00's of hauling coal to the plant after a spike in natural gas prices. RJ Corman had plans to build a conveyor belt from BGRM down to the plant, but they were scrapped.

The line has a fairly interesting history, and if it hadn't been for some short-sighted engineers it would have likely remained a mainline. Instead, it was almost DOA as the locomotives built just a few years after the bridges were finished were already too heavy for the bridge.

At the same time, the BGRM has some history. I was always told they were offered the C&O from Lexington to Winchester, which at the time was a 40mph main line. I've never heard why it was turned down.

jhamilton · **Joined:** Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:00 pm **Posts:** 6

BGRM did not turn done the C&O line. They had financing lined up to purchase the line,
a very nice site plan with blueprints for a museum drawn up, and where even trying to get an N&W A to run on the line when the financing was withdrawn due to pressure from outside influences that did not want the rail line to remain.

The middle section of the LL then became available and that is where the museum ended up.

James Hamilton

jcmark611 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:32 pm

jhamilton wrote:

..and where even trying to get an N&W A to run on the line...

James Hamilton

Are you serious?

jhamilton · **Joined:** Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:00 pm **Posts:** 6

Yes. It surprised me when I first stumbled across the correspondence regarding it. After reading the letters, there has many of a time I drove along 1927 thinking of what might have been as I looked at the abandoned right of way. I dug through the archives at the house to find my copy of the letters to find out which engine it was but I am guessing the paperwork is out in the storage building. Remind me in the future and I will dig them out.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

joenugent986 wrote:

There are absolutely no plans to ever extend operations onto, or beyond Young's High Bridge. The bridge is still today as it was constructed, never upgraded, and was never suitable for anything but the light engines and rolling stock of its day. The rail has already been removed from the bridge and into Lawrenceburg by a scrapper who bought the line. We looked at estimates just to re-deck the bridge for pedestrian traffic and that alone is in the millions. There are very few things I say we will never do at BGRM, but crossing Young's is one of those things. It's simply not something that can become a reality. The cost of liability insurance alone to own the bridge was why the museum didn't accept it's donation from NS years ago, they even offered up a locomotive to take it.

The Rails to Trails groups have long looked at this bridge and a path to Lawrenceburg. We'd be more than happy to support those efforts and work with them, but taking on the bridge and its issues is not something BGRM can accomplish without running finances into the ground. It's just not obtainable, or sensible.

We will however be building facilities soon in Tyrone at the property line for loading and unloading of passengers to allow them the opportunity to view the bridge and learn of its history and significances. The bridge owner has also expressed willingness to allow an elevated viewing platform to be built alongside the bridge out from the hillside for better viewing, but none of that is confirmed or finalized. We'll keep working on that over the next few months.

Joe Nugent
BGRM

Joe -

How has the BGRM season gone thus far with the new operations out to Young's High Bridge? Have you had any luck with the construction of the viewing platform out from the hillside? Thanks for any info.

Les

BGRMJames · **Joined:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:32 am **Posts:** 19

Les Beckman wrote:

Joe -

How has the BGRM season gone thus far with the new operations out to Young's High Bridge? Have you had any luck with the construction of the viewing platform out from the hillside? Thanks for any info.

Les

Les,

From what I understand, passenger count is down a little from last year. But due to the increased fares in effect since the beginning of the year, we're ahead on our deposits.

We're a little behind on our improvement plans across the museum. The track work contractors took most of the summer (which was all extra time over what was allotted) to cut and remove brush and trees, and dealing with them has required quite a bit of our attention.

But we run our normally popular Halloween Trains beginning this week, and have added an extra one. Then in December we're hoping to run our Santa Trains with 6 coaches, and hopefully those two events will continue to be strong sellers.

Last year we ran our then new ex-CNW coach for a fifth coach for Santa, and each of those trains broke our previous ridership records. We now have an ex-ACL coach on site, which we are hoping to have in service for Santa this year. Those two, along with our standard consist of Lackawanna and CNJ coaches, will bring our train to 6 possible coaches.

James

joenugent986 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:13 am **Posts:** 13

Hey Les,

I'll add just a bit to what James already detailed. The viewing platform at Young's High Bridge is still in the plans, but may be altered slightly from what was originally conceived. They delay in contractors leaving the grounds held up several things we may have gotten to, including the platform. That may actually wind up being a good thing as there is the possibility of a non-BGRM party making use of the bridge or its associated properties. I won't go into details other than that. Our land lease will transfer if the property does change hands and at the very least we will further clear the areas around the bridge for better viewing once the foliage leaves the area and build our originally planned platform in no new option emerges.

Several other projects have put the viewing platform in the back seat for the season. We've been working on getting two pieces of museum equipment painted, the Seaboard Display Car and GP8 7738. The Seaboard car already has some new Pullman Green applied and will get another large section painted in the coming days. 7738 has been prepped for primer and will get its long hood in primer this Sunday hopefully. We built an additional siding this year for display pieces which took up lots of volunteer time, several other painting jobs have been completed on non-rolling stock, there are always those small issues/projects that need addressed that no one notices, and of course members were involved with assisting contractors at times as needed.

While we hoped for increased ridership this year up to this point it simply didn't happen. As James said though revenues are roughly still the same and BGRM is in good shape to continue with further improvements along all areas of the property. Hope you and others will join us for a ride soon!

Joe Nugent

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

James and Joe -

Thanks for the information. Sounds as if things are progressing well at BGRM.

Les

joenugent986 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:13 am **Posts:** 13

Just got official word... BGRM has a new nieghbor! Youngs High Bridge has a new owner with plans for development. As soon as he has sat with us and gives us the ok we will make an official release!

Big things coming for the bridge, keep an eye out for further info.

Joe Nugent
BGRM

Metman499 · **Joined:** Mon May 09, 2005 8:16 pm **Posts:** 80

Recently had the pleasure of riding this line. A friendly group of people, a nice museum building, great scenery. Highly recommended.

Unseenthings · **Joined:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:51 pm **Posts:** 155

subscribed

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:23 pm

Update of sorts, although this could be the "new neighbor" alluded to above:

Quote:

A former railroad bridge that spans the Kentucky River from Anderson to Woodford counties will become a platform from which bungee jumpers will dive.

Young's High Bridge — not to be confused with High Bridge that spans the river between Mercer and Jessamine counties — was purchased for $105,000 by Young's Bridge Partners LLC, according to a deed filed in Anderson County.

Mitchell Morris of Springfield is listed as the organizer and member of Young's Bridge Partners. Contacted Sunday, Morris said he was general manager of Vertigo Bungee, a 23-year-old company that does base-jumping events across the country and around the world. He said the Tyrone bridge would be a marquee spot for the sport.

"It's going to be the highest platform bridge jump in North America," Morris said. "Anything over 200 feet is premium, and that one is 240 feet from the water."

Morris, a Lexington native, said Vertigo Bungee would operate the bridge as a private club not be open to the public. He said it would be the "Augusta National" of base-jumping sites, referring to Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, home of The Masters golf championship.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/02/24/2530 ... ridge.html

Is this the "new neighbor" for Bluegrass RR Museum, and do they plan to work together?

jameshinman · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:32 pm

Yes.

That is our new neighbor, and there are plans to work together.

The last I've heard are just rough "we'll work something out" plans. Until there is ink on paper, everything else is conjecture.

I've heard some ideas about it, but what I read into it isn't the same as what others think.

James

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

James -

Well, there could be worse neighbors I guess. And at least that wonderful bridge will apparently be saved.

Les

Bluegrass Railroad Museum line opening to "The Bridge"

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