Disaster Documentary on the Niagara Gorge Railway - hiking along the Niagara River (Niagara Glen)

Disaster on the Niagara Gorge Railway - We found a wrecked train while hiking along the Niagara River (Niagara Glen) and helipad markings from whence they remove bodies that are found in the river.

[@bblegacy]

One thing to take into account with the close-up of the rapids about 5 minutes into the video is that as much as 60% (if not more) of the water that would flow over the falls (about 1.5 miles upstream) is diverted into the water intakes for the Ontario Hydro and NY State Power Authority power plants, so none of that water actually goes over the falls nor travels down the gorge and into the rapids. Water started being diverted above the falls in large amounts in 1922 when Adam Beck Power Plant #1 (further downstream in Canada) went online. Adam Beck Power Plant #2 went online in 1954 and the Robert Moses Power Plant (in the USA) went online in 1961, (both also further downstream). The new power stations drastically increased the amount of water being diverted from going over the falls. If all of that water did go over the falls and through the gorge, (as it did for millennia), the gorge rapids would be FAR more treacherous than they are now, with significantly higher waves crashing about and higher water levels. Because the water being diverted above the falls is a matter of international treaty and cooperation between the USA and Canada, there are limits on water diversion above the falls. As demand for electricity does up and down throughout the course of any normal day, the rapids water level can surge much higher in a relatively short period of time if the amount of water being diverted goes down, and more water flows over the falls and into the gorge. I witnessed this as a teenager right at the river's edge one summer afternoon when I was just down on the old gorge railroad path route below Whirlpool State Park (on the US bank of the river). Suddenly the water level began to rise about 10 feet and within about 15 minutes. The ferocity of the raging current and the waves crashing up to 15 feet high just suddenly took off totally without warning.

[@prlylstr4208]

This boiler was the Incline Railway that brought people down to the Great Gorge Adventure, it was later replaced by the present-day elevator. The Great Gorge Railway waw electric, NOT steam-driven

[@ka1133]

If you look closer you’d know the flip-flop are discarded from the Cave of the Winds attraction on the American side.

[@u812a]

There is a movie about niagara falls that played at the IMAX theater. In it there was a steam boat that went down the rapids.. In the movie it made it to the whirlpool.. Much further down the river than where this has been found...

[@Jigger2361]

fascinating! many thanks! The Niagara Gorge was once heaven before the arrival of those damn jet boats, a shame!

[@olddogcitypound5859]

Jigger2361 it was heaven before the white man showed up

[@u812a]

@@olddogcitypound5859 it was heaven before man showed up

[@ridgec5670]

@@u812a how do you know where you there?

[@fabio40]

The Niagara Gorge Railway was an electric railway, not steam powered, so the boiler can not be from that. If it is in fact a locomotive boiler it is probably one used in the construction of one of the hydro projects. It's too small to be from a standard railway.

[@4486xxdawson]

Do you know of the caves at queenston hights in Niagara ? Local guy here and there are some caves along the bruce trail leading from queenston hights park towards St Catherines , nothing huge but still caves non the less

[@gregoir]

We used to tube from pretty close to the falls , down the river-plus awesome fishing everywhere. awesome video-thanks!

[@fearwidge]

Hey! I have your book, "Rock Watching." Thoroughly enjoyed it. It makes up part of my ever-growing Niagara Library. Looks like you covered some of the same locations as in my "Hidden Niagara" video. However - you got the name of the cap rock "Dolostone" RIGHT, while I incorrectly called it "Dolomite" (the chemical that changes limestone INTO Dolostone). Ah well... Live & learn. BTW: Kudos on getting so far along the edge of the Whirlpool Rapids - even past the "underwater reef." I wasn't that brave (plus, I'm old). LOL Good job.

[@jimkinner]

As you pointed out, the railway ran along the Eastern, or New York side. I would venture a guess that the boiler you found was from a excursion boat. Possibly an early Maid of the Mist, as those were always headquartered on the Ontario side.

[@louiskuntz6146]

The boiler looks like the some one that was on the the Sunbeam a ship that sat on top of the falls for a few decades in the 20s apparently it washed over sometime in the 30s if you look at pictures of it, you and kinda see the pipe off the boiler

[@bethanyservice5643]

"The subchaser [Sunbeam] had three gasoline engines with 3 propeller shafts generating 660 horsepower @ 17knots. The subchaser carried 2400 gallons gasoline and could travel a distance of 900 miles at 10 knots. It carried a complement of 26 sailors." www.niagarafrontier.com/scow.html

[@elviraKidd]

Hey thanks for showing where the railway was.

[@Raellives]

Your voice is similar to that of Neil Peart.

[@chrisfreestone4136]

I love fishing down there. The opposite side of that helipad has a huge chunk out of it where some genius decided to have a fire. Weirdest thing I've caught there (and released) was a foot long Mud puppy? Or huge Salamander. lol.

[@wetcanoedogs]

KZbin is great!.i lived in Lewiston just down the river a bit and went off to college in 1965 and just came back for a couple visits. for all the years i lived that close to the Glen we just went over to see it a couple times so this is a fun look at a long lost place for me.

[@Caver461]

+wetcanoedogs Great- glad to help bring back some memories

[@chef8690]

Hey wetcanoedogs. I grew up in Lewiston in the 70's. As a Family every summer we went to Niagara Glenn. As a young teenager we would ride bikes to Brock Monument. I lived in the village close to the Sand Docks. I wouldn't be so surprised if are families knew one another. It was a great place to grow up. I played in the gorge and saw Art Park built. Sledded down Center street hill all the way to Water street. It was a great time to be young and free from all the crap kids deal with today.

[@tgdurdle]

The carved Indian head you mentioned the beginning of the video can be best viewed from up top of the gorge looking over the wooden rail in the Glen's park area. Its closer to the Queenston end of the gorge.

[@VancouverIsland1]

Cool Video Man .Thanks for posting Rare film when Niagara Falls stopped flowing on the USA side 1969 Niagara Falls Stopped Flowing 1969

[@RHJ3]

Cool spot I have to check it out. About the railway I thought it was an electric railway, not steam.

[@drgiggless]

more then likely the parts of the train where brought over to the Canadian side during the winter from one of the ice jams

[@richardgray115]

The toilet seat thing on top of the boiler is where the steam collects which is pipes to the cylinders. Not all boilers were from steam locomotives. That one looks like maybe from a traction engine, a stationary engine to pump water or drive machinery. By boilers standards , it's pretty small. The other pieces appeared to maybe be the steam cylinder. Again only saw one assembly whereas a rail loco would have 2. Could be wrong but just guessing.

[@CraigArndt]

The Falls aren’t retreating any longer since the hydro dams control the flow and limit Lake Erie ice with the Ice Boom. It was moving a 6” to a foot a year depending on the flow annually.

[@cherylmallonee4172]

That boiler could be from a tank engine from the construction of the railway

[@wdempsey100]

The recent case of a boy going over the falls at 2:30 actually happened in 1960

[@Caver461]

You are correct, I was just kind of winging it while narrating.

[@Caver461]

Its quite close to being under the bridge closest to the falls

[@markduncan6690]

Dangerously close to the water!!!!

[@rickb4806]

Genius!!!!! Lol !!!!! Rofl!!!!! Lol

[@tomkat1983]

That boiler looks small for a train. It could be from a steam powered boat ?

[@pghpaisan]

Especially for a train that didn’t use boilers. They were electric

[@fnog9]

5:00 if you were there one week later, you would have been under water. they allow double the water flow after april.

[@HIMEESE]

THE HISTORY OF THE RAIL WAY IS THE LINK BELOW www.niagarafallsinfo.com/history-item.php?entry_id=1494&current_category_id=130

[@HemiCuda63]

where exactly is this? I've never seen that wreckage before

[@fnog9]

+HemiCuda63 he is almost under the whirlpool bridge, so this is even further upstream than the great gorge adventure. not an official path, and probably not accessible when the GGA is open, or when the water levels are high or summer foliage blocking path.

[@Apocalypse555]

Where do you park to get down there?

[@richardlewin9282]

At the top 🤭

[@MrRickoscar]

Let me take a guess you are a teacher or was one. The finger is annoying.

[@MrEddieG420]

4:26 idiot travelers throwing bottles over the falls

[@rickb4806]

Recycling garbage blows in every windy garbage collection day. Stupid people put out thier recyling boxes on windy days. I live in Ft. Erie a block from the river and have seen upended boxes everywhere on the street and no sign of any gargae. All blown into the river.....

[@gregoir]

you wrote a book while you were down there? sweeeet! lol jk

[@MrEddieG420]

I would love to see them damn up all the falls, horseshoe, and the american side and see the gorge dry .

[@tomkat1983]

It was done on the American side in 1969. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1338793/Niagara-Falls-ran-dry-Photos-moment-iconic-waterfall-came-standstilll.html

[@MrEddieG420]

tomkat1983 ya I have seen them, There kool.

[@rickb4806]

Dam. Not damn