From the safety of the West Coast, it looks like Branford Trolley Museum might have have been in harms way... Else where I suspect that many creeks and rivers will run high enough to damage right of way and bridges.

What damage is being reported?

Randy

Wilmington and Western seems to be intact. The roadbed and bridges were mostly wiped out in 2003 during Tropical Storm Henri and rebuilt in a very substantial manner. A quick look shows the bridges I visited unscathed and the roadbed intact. There were huge piles of trees jammed up against the trestles that will have to be removed at some point. Of course a detailed inspection of the line by the W&W track people will have to be made before anyone can say that everything is fine.

Not sure what sort of damage the depot (or the Hodgkins building/schoolhouse in East Brookfield). I haven't been able to get through to Dan. I did talk to Dennis' son, Tom earlier to give them a storm update (and let them know the worst was over). I can't tell about anything else.

Just heard from a friend on the Vermont Railway that the classic covered bridge at Lower Bartonsville Road washed away. He sent a very sad video of it happening.

If you are a student of early steam preservation, you know this as the oft-photographed bridge along the Green Mountain (ex Rutland) line once used by Steamtown.

Irene trumps history.

Rob

Tom,

Good to hear that. When I heard on the news that the flooding in Manayunk and Chadds Ford was a bad as during Floyd, I did wonder how well all the new bridges and the ballast, etc., on the W&W were holding up.

I mention the Bartonsville bridge collapse becuase of its history, but there are quite a few miles of historic, though very active, rights of way under water in NJ right now. Not the least of which are the PRR through Trenton and the LV around Manville.

Rob

It is my understanding that Branford enacted their emergency plan, which included pulling a lot of the collection to higher ground, as their shops and barns are either at or barely above sea level. Any confirmation of this?

The Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum has reportedly faired well, same unforentelly can't be said for a lot of the town though.

Branford did close after the 10:00 a.m. charter Saturday morning so that they could carry out the mitigation plan. They were not sure at that time if they would operate on Monday Aug. 29, but the web site says right now:

Haven't heard any 1st hand reports from Catskill Mountain RR but they more than likely will have issues to handle. Today's high water mark at Cold Brook on the Esopus Creek was 3' above highest ever previously recorded.

Trolley Museum of New York on the Kingston Waterfront had their entire parking lot under water from the Rondout Creek and the barn pits flooded. No damage expected to the rolling stock.

Ct Trolley only suffered one tree falling on our New Haven coach and minimal roof damage to a few barns. Power was still on when I inspected the grounds yesterday afternoon after the storm had passed. Still waiting to hear about Shoreline as East Haven seems to have suffered the most damage from the storm surge with house washed away. If we don't hear soon will probably try and get Bill Wall on phone to see how they are and if they need help.

No news on the naugy either. The rivers on that side of the state seem to be causing the most flooding and will for a few more days. News video from bristol / plainville are showing cars being swept along and streets / homes under water with people being rescued. The rivers are not expected to crest for another day or so according to the news.

An earlier message said:The shop and yard area is supplied by a different electric company (Connecticut Light & Power) than what supplies the trolley wire and station United Illuminating).

Baltimore Streetcar Museum: Utterly nothing to report. A jammed roll-up door is causing more problems than Irene did, once you discount the sandbags that have to be moved out of the way now.....

The Railroad Museum of Long Island's Greenport Site came through Irene unscathed, no flooding or damage to property.

The Riverhead site suffered the uprooting of two trees in the shop area of Engine #39, Engine #1556, our tool baggage car and Engine #399. No damage to our equipment as the winds carried the trees AWAY and toward the neighboring parking lot. One 40' tree is leaning on our overhead 3 phase electric supply line. The local utilities have been advised and will remove the hazardous condition.

One tree near Riverhead's North Freeman Building split, dropping half the tree on neighboring property. Over the next few days our tree contractor will get to work and clean things up.

Unfortunately, Irene landed on the weekend of our Riverhead Railroad Festival 2011. The Festival was canceled this year and both Museum sites were closed for the weekend. I anticipate a fully functioning Museum for Labor Day Weekend.

Overall we dodged the bullet!
de Don n2qhvRMLI

Don Fisher, President
Railroad Museum of Long Island

Being rather far inland, we also dodged the bullet with Irene. While it was windy and we watched angry clouds swirling around all day, it didn't start to rain until about 10 minutes after we finished painting the caboose we're getting ready for next weekend. A few water spots, and we got a good soaking while putting the tools away.