Abandoned Railway Bridge Transformed into an Elevated Park

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This is the third bridge to cross over Kettle Creek situated on the west edge of St. Thomas, Ontario and is named Michigan Central Railway Bridge. The first bridge was a wooden bridge built between 1871 and 1872 but was not adequate for the train traffic. This bridge was replaced by an iron structure bridge in 1883 with two tracks for the increased traffic. This current third bridge was built between 1929 and 1930 handling 50 train cars between Detroit and Buffalo. It was discontinued in 1996 due to train company consolidation and reduced rail traffic. It sat abandoned until 2013 when local citizens decided to get together and preserve the bridge transforming it into an elevated park which is quite unique.
Thank you for watching!
Credit: Images of past bridges from Elgin County Archives.

[@Trainy2]

I love when they convert abandoned tracks to hiking and biking trails. Such a great way to explore the area.

[@joebrown1382]

Very interesting I liked it. I love things from the past that have been saved like this bridge. Keep going with this venue.

[@TikiTrex]

Glad you liked it!

[@forterierocks]

I'm in Fort Erie the old CN property is huge and a few of the original buildings are still standing, 1 of them has been recently turned into a museum with a ton of cool CN/CP history, unfortunately the largest of the buildings was burnt down around 1992 in on of Fort Erie's largest fires, it was estimated that at its peak Fort Erie's rail yard saw upto 500+ trains a day using the International Train Bridge between Fort Erie and Buffalo.

[@TikiTrex]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing this.

[@waynebender8835]

That was very unusually and neat to see. My parents grew up in Buffalo NY. In early years I live in western New York in the town of Pendleton .

[@NJP76]

What a novel and inspirational idea. There are several abandoned RR bridges around this region, a couple near the Mississippi River. These could make great candidates for something like this. Thanks fer showing us this unique place.

[@maxnaethe7187]

Cool idea. Looks like a nice place to just relax.

[@wientz]

Nice job...good luck on your new path...I enjoy the commntary and history that you provide to these places

[@TikiTrex]

Thanks!

[@mjg263]

A great use of otherwise abandoned property. They’ve done this in NYC too, such a great idea!

[@TikiTrex]

It really is!

[@janicebreault1963]

Wow that’s pretty neat and what a nice view ! I love the love locks also ! ❤️🙏🏻

[@owen4248]

Love this little tour nice to see an old rail bridge turned park I like these tours keep them coming I like the narration and music as well as the history .

[@TikiTrex]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@nomanjones4803]

The area where I am The the cities turned a lot of abandoned track beds into bike paths, very nice to ride on.

[@TikiTrex]

They have transformed many of the abandoned railways to walking trails here as well in Ontario.

[@stanhorch6037]

What a great use of the space, wonderful.

[@rachelredden6682]

We have something similar here in Chicago called the Bloomingdale trail (aka The 606😩) that was also an old railway. 👍♥️

[@TikiTrex]

Very cool!

[@NeilRoy]

Very nice! Loved this. Combining exploration with some history and other interesting sites is a great combination, and something fresh and new, ironically. ❤👍 Great idea for a park, they done a great job on it.

[@TikiTrex]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!

[@joanneclose7041]

There are lots of these parks popping up its nice to see!

[@bobtk2352]

Yes! I think you have found your new niche.

[@TikiTrex]

Thank you!

[@w.w.2restorations.vehicles698]

Within the painted Steel Bands on the Kinsmen Sun Shade, the are 4 bands that are not painted. They have a series of 'DOTS and DASHES". It would be fun to write them all down, decipher the MORSE CODE that they represent and find out what other message the builders of the park were leaving behind. Because, MORSE CODE was in full use back in 1871 to send communications from one place to another alongside the Steam Loco's...

[@TikiTrex]

Very interesting. I’ll have to take a look at that.

[@w.w.2restorations.vehicles698]

@@TikiTrex Glad You're back. My Mom was from Victoria. She's gone now and I miss Her. But I do get some comfort listening to You, 'cause You and She sound very much alike. Not trying to be weird.

[@jodywoodruff6473]

Beautiful park. 😊

[@poindexter1387]

Awesome video as usual.no matter what the subject You always make it SPECIAL. THANKS FOR ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO.

[@TikiTrex]

So nice of you! Your comments always make my day!

[@nigeldarlington2228]

Love your videos 😊

[@TikiTrex]

Thanks! Glad you like them!

[@faance1]

Thanks Tiki. Why can’t I find the video you made last week regarding your future plans for your channel? Did I imagine that?

[@TikiTrex]

Hi there, it's back up. I wanted to make a couple of edits on it.

[@TheAngeltears99]

Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed this video.. have a great Saturday.

[@TikiTrex]

Thank you! You too!

[@Caddl123]

A weekend without Tikitrex is a lost weekend. I like your videos so much and i missed you,had fear you had a stroke or so and cannot do any videos anymore SO glad you are here again. Warmly Greetings from southern Germany.

[@TikiTrex]

You are the best!

[@Caddl123]

@@TikiTrex Hi dear Tiki Yes i care for old friends,or peopple i know for a long time,when they are not online for a longer time i look out and search but did nt find anything and thought OMG hopefuly nothing bad happend to her,she is a very nice and good person and the best Urban Explorer i knos since 10 ears in Northern America. You and "Decay is headed your way" and other people are my link to the USA and Canada in things of Lost Places, because i cant fly over there to you because of my health. Also "Hometown Saskatchewan" is also a very interesting man.

[@cmiller4171]

What a cool place. Thanks for sharing.

[@TikiTrex]

Thanks for watching!

[@EphemeralProductions]

Great! Love it! Such a cool place! ❤ a shame about the jumpers though. :(

[@TikiTrex]

Glad you liked it! Yes, that was unfortunate.

[@ardiemclelland2039]

I also walk my dog here! You and I seem to find the same houses and trails. Maybe we’ll run into each other one day!

[@TikiTrex]

It sounds like we may!

[@jackyhawkins1895]

What an interesting place. I like the love lock idea. Thank you for the tour 😊

[@TikiTrex]

Thanks for watching!

[@clarencejones7916]

doing new things good idea 👍🏻 🎉since urban exploration is slowly dying

[@LiNdSeYr1026]

Hello Tiki...Happy Saturday 🎉 thank you for posting for us ☺️❤

[@TikiTrex]

Happy Saturday! Thanks for watching.

[@LiNdSeYr1026]

@@TikiTrex Always 💞

[@vanderlei7186]

Hello dear, I love your videos, I'm always watching them here in Brazil, I love you, hugs 🥰

[@TikiTrex]

Thank you so much!!

[@vanderlei7186]

@@TikiTrex You're welcome dear 🥰

[@tomfrye9037]

I've always liked the idea of turning old railroad right-of-ways into hike and bike trails. And I think turning an old railroad bridge into a park is just icing on the cake. And I think, truth be known, that it's probably cheaper to do that. tearing out an old bridge like that one and disposing of all the concrete and all...well, that has to cost a lot. Anyway, thanks for all the work of putting this video together and sharing it with us. I hope more bridges get saved like this one did. BUT...I don't want to see ALL the abandoned track taken up. If you get a chance, google "railroad speeder trip videos". That too looks like a lot of fun to me...if I only had the money and chance to obtain a "speeder". Thanks again and much love and wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Pam.

[@janeblake5083]

I'm so happy to see you back again! You've been missed, and I've watched your videos from the beginning,. 🎉. A big Thank You for returning. What an incredible project it must have been to transform this abandoned overpass into a beautiful parkland. Thank you so much for posting this video, and taking the time to explain the history of this railway. The lovelock frame is awesome.😊

[@TikiTrex]

Thanks for taking the time to make such a thoughtful comment. It means a lot.

[@freeplayfrank7736]

Very nice I enjoyed seeing that old bridge turned into something beautiful. Is that you playing the piano, we should jam (:

[@Pawel33007]

❤️

[@winterburden]

Very cool.

[@dennisqwertyuiop]

very nice

[@timbit72]

Nice 😁

[@shanebloeser2910]

Is that in Canada?

[@TikiTrex]

Yes, it is.

[@shanebloeser2910]

@@TikiTrex awesome what a great video

[@TikiTrex]

Thank you!

[@vianonamitchell4114]

❤

[@michaelirizarry5037]

beautiful place for sure!💌

[@TikiTrex]

It really is!

[@Andrewcc.]

Great way to save the past.

[@TikiTrex]

I agree!

[@darlon9552]

❤❤❤❤ awesome video

[@TikiTrex]

Many thanks!

[@michaelh7429]

Good video!!!!!!!

[@TikiTrex]

Thanks!

[@jasonbush8148]

Nice video

[@TikiTrex]

Thanks!

[@bonniekaye]

*Awesome video!* ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@TikiTrex]

Thank you so much!

[@bonniekaye]

@@TikiTrex You're welcome!

[@jimblue39]

I have always loved to travel by train. To me it was very relaxing and so enjoyable, always thought about a trip cross country in a train.......but ....... Another neat video, thank you Tiki.

[@TikiTrex]

Glad you liked it! I enjoy train travel as well. A cross county trip would be enjoyable to me.