The Fire in the Sky (Poughkeepsie Rail Bridge fire)

[@caboosech]

One of the Penn Central people was behind the bridge fire @ Poughkeepsie NY my dad was on the train that crossed before the fire

[@train5974]

Definitely arson. There was a MOW truck on bridge after train crossed. I believe the 2 guys in truck started it.

[@oldgoat142]

It's a beautiful walking bridge now with wonderful historic markers on both ends of the bridge as well as the bridge itself. Walked across it on a cool, clear day. Well worth the time.

[@cliffordplasd8239]

I am a life long resident of a near by town called Hyde Park home president FDR. I was not quite 1 year old at this time so I seriously thank you for covering this as I never knew how it happened.

[@willielarimer7170]

The train bridge and the mid Hudson bridge scared me to death when I was a kid, no way am I walking on either one, but I do remember the smoke when the bridge caught fire. Was coming home from Overlook elementary and saw it from route 44

[@theroadbackhome2022]

This bridge fire actually led to the entire Lehigh & Hudson River Railway being abandoned. Penn Central was in financial trouble for its entire existence, so I am not surprised it had so many problems.

[@dock_yard1149]

Incorrect at 2:03 ... bridge was never New York Central built, owned, or operated ... it was constructed by a regional railroad that soon after was consolidated into the New York, New Haven, and Hartford. NYNH&H upgraded the route between Maybrook NY and Devon CT into its signature freight line that interchanged with other RRs’ routes into New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and beyond.

[@Trainfacts]

Ah I see, I couldn’t find much on the bridges history so I assumed it was operated by the New York Central

[@WayneKeen]

My family was living in Wappingers Falls at the time. My mother reacted very badly to the smoke. A few years later I drove under the bridge many times on highway 9 going to Dutchess Community College.

[@WayneKeen]

We used to get on the rails at Didell Road and walked southish towards Hopewell Junction after the railway was abandoned

[@tomt9543]

A couple possible scenarios: 1). Up until the late ‘80’s/early 90’s, a large portion of rail cars, gondolas an shoppers in particular, used cast iron brake shoes vs the now standard composition type. These “shoes” would frequently throw sparks when the brakes were applied, which is unlikely since this bridge is level, but also could be caused by a handbrake that wasn’t released, a retainer valve “turned up” on a car, or defective brake valve or cylinder. The possibility of the crew playing it’s fusee’s (signal flares) isn’t out of the question either! In the late 80’s we had a crew throw a lit fusee while crossing a bridge over the frozen (rare) Eno river. The thing bounced off the bridge, hit the ice and slid to the riverbank igniting what became a massive brush fire! Just between you and I, only a very few of us knew the truth! (Official cause was sticking brake sparks!)

[@Trainfacts]

So it was sparks from the brake shoes that started the fire, I didn’t include it in the video but I read somewhere that there was actually a system for water to run up to the bridge but Penn central either got rid of it or turned it off, is this true?

[@tomt9543]

@@Trainfacts I don’t know the answer to that unfortunately! I think in “way far back” history, the railroad companies had systems like that in place, but they were probably never maintained after the 50’s. The northeastern railroads were especially bad about deferring maintenance on everything, and that’s how Penn Central, and ultimately Conrail, we’re formed to begin with! In retrospect, the bridge must not have been an important link because I’ve never seen that any attempt was made to restore it to service. Everyone that’s aware of why PC & CR were created know that the northeast was full of redundant rail lines, and while I’m not well versed on the what/where of all those lines, there was probably another route that was capable of handling the traffic. I actually thought that bridge had bridge had been demolished, but I guess not! Enjoyed this vid, and as a footnote, I’m a sucker for 70’s Scouts & Broncos!

[@jj_blizz]

It was set on purpose by the railroad to abandon it there's no way any spark ever come off that train or if it did it would never start the tracks on fire how come fires don't start anywhere else on tracks i lived it seen it and remember it well

[@g.r.harper7707]

Rail grinders start fires all the time. Creosoted wood crossties are a great fuel. Oh. Check your spelling on the slide AFTERTHOUGHTS AND STATEMENTS. Good documentary.

[@ernestpassaro9663]

It really could have been repaired pc just didn’t want to

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

The bridge was originally double-track, but it was reduced to a single "centered" track account increased train weights and concerns about weight distribution. While not hot enough to melt anything, the fire could have substantially weakened the pre-1900 girders to a point it would have been unsafe. It is difficult to replace girders on a truss, especially 200 feet in the air. Nostalgia aside, PC made the right call in not throwing any money at it. Had it stayed open, Conrail probably would have abandoned it by 1980.

[@Brian_rock_railfan]

liked video 👍

[@train5974]

That fire was arson by penn central.

[@Trainfacts]

They had to get that $1 insurance claim

[@Motorideto]

Actually PC received $400k as an insurance settlement. Not to mention they perhaps didn’t want to allow their competitor, the Erie Laka railroad to use it :)

[@Trainfacts]

@@Motorideto I genuinely didn’t know they got 400,000 in insurance money, they probably invested it in more real estate knowing Penn Central though

[@markmatteo2417]

@@Trainfacts I think Conrail sold it off for $1 though.... Or PC...

[@jeffreymcfadden9403]

@@Trainfacts My first train photos were of PC. PC had character. Here is a bit of trivia. The first engine painted PC(I think it was a SD40)was the first engine retired by CR.(result of an accident)

[@ASPEST2017]

Oooooo

[@willzproductions8068]

im sure it was a u33b