young's high bridge

[Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR]

growing up in Lawrenceburg the bridge was always an awe inspiring sight to me, just imagining an engine or short train going over it seemed unreal at the time.  I now have had the honor of working with a few guys that have traversed that bridge, and the stories they told were awesome, none of them seemed to like it and they had "special" ways of getting the engine over the bridge without being scared to death in later years.  I personally never got to see a train on the bridge but a few years ago I stumbled onto a shot online of what I believe to be "my" 1002 and a handful of cars on the bridge.(it is no longer online)  Its my favorite shot ever, although the weather isnt too hot for photography. As a kid, railroaders seemed like hero's to me, and this shot wouldve made me believe they couldve flown had I seen it as a child.  I should note that due to a recent computer virus all my 1002 shots were lost, and Mr. Ward Sutton saved this from an old email I sent  and emailed it back to me so I would have it again, so a very special thanks to him.  To me this just screams epic railroading, its from 1977 I believe, and I was told you couldnt have two loads coupled together or a load coupled to the engine, so much thought and switching went into every single trip over this engineering marvel which spans 1659 feet over the Ky river, 283 feet above it and goes 551 feet with no center support.  Talk about making you pucker up, I'd say a fear of heights would drive anyone off this job, and probably gave some a fear of heights that never had it before.  When first built in 1889 it was the tallest in the world over a navigable waterway, its neither been modified nor strengthened in its existence and is still like the 3rd highest in the world, 121 years later.  Now this was railroading....back when caboose's were wood, and the men were steel.

[butch]

Great pic, I have never seen a shot of the bridge with a train on it.

[srman]

If you can ever find yourself a copy of the CTC Board May 1991 issue there is a very nice photo of Southern SW1 1014 crossing that bridge taken in May 1975. Another photo shows SW1 1002 taken at night in front of the Lawrenceburg Ky. Hotel. The magazine had a 22 page spread on the Southern. Great issue!

[Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR]

I found a gent online that sells old copies of those magazines and many other type old railroad books and magazines, and company newsletters.  Needless to say the check is already in the mail  ;D  thanks for the info.  BTW, on a side note, I found the 1014 you mentioned, it still survives today in southern paint, I forget where, the carolinas maybe, anyway it switches brand spanking new railcars for a living.

[srman]

That's correct about the 1014. In fact I found a photo of it that I shot of it in July 1995. It's at Cartersville Ga. and works for Thrall Car Co. I stopped by there on my way to visit family in Atlanta. When I stopped at the office about taking a few pics they ended up giving me a tour of the place. Pretty interesting operation.