In Another Place and Time…

By Silver Blue

Years ago, back when my Grandma (on Mom’s side) was still in this part of the multiverse, I would go back every summer for a visit. For the first 8 or 9 years of my life, the month-long visit was divided between both sets of grandparents (2 weeks with one, 2 weeks with the other). Then, it became visiting one side, and spending most of my time with Grandma.

Grandma lived across the street from two sets of railroad tracks. So, from a very young age, I developed a love of trains. My favourite boxcar was the “Illinois Central Gulf”, which was bright orange, marked with a white “i” in a black circle. (see an example at http://www.flickr.com/photos/prairiestar/2787689454/ )

There was a mainline, and one that crossed the river via a trestle, and which, I believe, made a stop at the local lumber yard.  It was creepy (to me) to walk across the trestle, as it was a long way down if you fell off, and I have a VERY active imagination. Did I mention it was a long way to the bottom (or into the river, depending on where you’d land)?

Sometime in the late 80s, I think, they took the trestle (and rail line it carried) out; however, they left the support stanchions.

Here, you can see how the plants have overtaken what used to be the trestle.

Another stanchion:

I guess it was just easier to remove the railroad ties and rails than it was to attempt to demolish the concrete:

Here, you can still see the spikes from the old ties driven into the concrete.

I’d often wondered how old the trestle really was. Getting around for a few more shots gave me a glimpse of something:

There appeared to be… dates embossed in the stanchion!

Zooming in a bit closer:

Indeed! It clearly shows 1928. The other side either said 1917 or 1947.  The tree covered it to the point that I could no longer read it. This photo was taken 2 years later, and shows how overgrown it has become:

I don’t know when, or even IF I’ll ever be able to get back to get any further photos before the stanchions are either destroyed by man, or by the ravages of time.

The other line? It’s still in use:

Of course, the “Illinois Central Gulf” boxcars are no more, but the memories I have live on… in that other place and time.

[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/iapat.mp3]

Silver Blue, who sometimes, when I hear that lonesome whistle blow, yearn for the past, when trains still had cabooses.

Published by Silver Blue in 2006, 2008, Canon, dismantled, Kenton, Ohio, T3i, train, trestle, urban decay