Western Railroad Discussion > a rural bridge to nowhere

I’ve heard it said that in the real RR world there’s an example for just about anything a crazy model railroader can think up. But would a RR really build a bridge it’s not going to use? Probably not, but stranger things have happened. This is tiny Grove, KS on the UP’s Kansas Sub. In images #2 & #3 it looks like Uncle Pete had a bit of a problem keeping a train in proper upright position on the rails. I’m not so sure the new (future) bridge has anything to do with the derailment, though. It sure would make a strange but interesting conversation piece on some model RR diorama…

1. 2. & 3. Three scenes at the NW 70th St crossing with the UP. A new bridge for a future 2nd main track is in place. With some clean-up work left to be done after a recent derailment. Three photos taken February 23, 2011.

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Eight years later foliage is creeping in and the new bridge is still awaiting its future…

4. Looking between the bridges both used & unused at an approaching headlight.

5. UP 6862 is westbound with a manifest passing by the still unused second bridge over Soldier Creek. Two photos taken May 28, 2019.
(ALL photos taken at Grove, KS)

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/20 07:22 by santafe199.

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The short story is that the original bridge at Soldier Creek was a thru-truss span.  Around 2003 or so, a derailment took out the truss bridge.  It was replaced by the new steel girder bridge with concrete approaches.  Once the original bridge was replaced, a second bridge was constructed next to it for double tracking, which was planned for this area in the near future.  The second track bridge had concrete approaches built too.  Then about 2010, another derailment destroyed both bridges.  The main track bridge was replaced again, but since the Union Pacific now had the Hiawatha Sub for directional running, they decided not to completely rebuild the second track bridge, leaving the steel girder and abutments that survived the second derailment.

Yes, whatever you can think of for your model railroad, the real railroads have probably done it somewhere...even if it was only a temporary arrangement.