What is happening (if anything) with the Poughkeepsie Bridge project? Have they given up? Are they still adamantly opposed to its reuse for rail?

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2004072616493812486.jpg&bydate%3A6
ryarger@rypn.org

An article in today's local paper:


Walkway Over the Hudson gets grant
n2xjk@yahoo.com

It will likely never see rail use again. CSX has filed to abandon the "hospital branch" in poughkeepsie. This abandonment includes the portion of the maybrook line that leads to the bridge.

I hope the link works

> What is happening (if anything) with the
> Poughkeepsie Bridge project? Have they given
> up? Are they still adamantly opposed to its
> reuse for rail?


STB filing for abandonment
baniaj2@yahoo.com

I remember reading in L&RP about plans by the Walkill Valley to reopen the bridge. Did they every get beyond the planning phases? Given the recent episodes involving cast-iron structures at the B&O railroad musuem and the Kinzua viaduct, I would not want to make any serious investment to bring through rail service back to this structure. A more viable rail option for this bridge would be diesel powered light rail service linking the Metro-North with the West Shore - which would also compliment the walkway over the Hudson.



altoonaroundhouse@umich.edu

During 1995-1997 time period, I worked for a company in Atlanta who's manufacturing arm was near Poughkeepsie. Every month I rode Amtrak from Atlanta, GA to Poughkeepsie, NY and back on business.

When I first started, the road towards Pawling had to twist and wind through narrow RR bridge abutments and under bridge girders. During my visits, the bridges were removed and the highway (state 55 if I recall correctly) was widened and straightened and no apparent provisions to replace the RR bridge.

If I recall correctly, that bridge was the only eastern approach to the Poughkeepsie Bridge over the Hudson.

I would assume two items. To use the Hudson RR Bridge again, it would need to be reinforced (maybe steel members shaped like the cast iron ones) and a highway 55 overpass would need to be built.

I doubt that this would happen to put the route back into service.

If I recall wrong, please correct me. I would like to see trains on it.

DvV


douglasvanveelen@mindspring.com

The Wallkill Valley? Really? The Wallkill Valley railroad was a separate entity from the Central New England (later NH) that ran the Poughkeepsie-Highland Bridge. Could the article have actually been referring to the Rosendale Trestle, itself an impressive bridge? The Rosendale Trestle currently has a walkway about half way across it and a fair amount of the former WV r-o-w is now trails.

n2xjk@yahoo.com