When I saw Sunday night's post by Old Halfway in the Exploring The Mines Spung Fire Area thread, my heart sank. Hoping to be proven wrong as to the location, on Monday morning I traveled to East Stokes Road and walked down the tracks toward the Batsto trestle.
No mistake.
One of the first pictures that I posted after joining NJPB was my lying down on the trestle as the sun set. Later, there were a couple of threads about exploring the area around the trestle. It was one of my favorite places to visit. It's a shame to see its demise, but I feel blessed to have had the chance to see it before its destruction.
I could have discovered the fate of the trestle last week. I was checking out some of the fire area west of Carranza, and walked down the tracks toward the trestle. Before getting there, though, the way forward seemed to be greening up. I was hopeful that the fire hadn't reached the trestle. One way or the other, though, it did. It seemed surprising that while the trestle was burnt up, the surrounding area was quite green.
Until one of our gifted photographers can come and properly document the ruins of the trestle, here are a few pictures taken by yours truly:
Both literally and figuratively, this sight produced a sinking feeling. I thought of "Sherman's neckties," the Union Army tactic employed during the Civil War of heating and twisting Confederate railroad tracks to make them unusable.
This green, tranquil view downstream gives little hint of the calamity that befell the trestle.
The rails are flipped over on their sides.
No offense is meant to the distinguished tree visible between the rails, but I wish the trestle was still blocking this view.
Here's a view of the damage from downstream.
Some of the debris will need to be cleared to allow safe passage for canoes and kayaks.
Split level railroad tracks are not a good thing.
Looking down what was the southern track.
Amongst all of the gross carnage, there was this little heart-shaped bit lying in the mud.
No mistake.
One of the first pictures that I posted after joining NJPB was my lying down on the trestle as the sun set. Later, there were a couple of threads about exploring the area around the trestle. It was one of my favorite places to visit. It's a shame to see its demise, but I feel blessed to have had the chance to see it before its destruction.
I could have discovered the fate of the trestle last week. I was checking out some of the fire area west of Carranza, and walked down the tracks toward the trestle. Before getting there, though, the way forward seemed to be greening up. I was hopeful that the fire hadn't reached the trestle. One way or the other, though, it did. It seemed surprising that while the trestle was burnt up, the surrounding area was quite green.
Until one of our gifted photographers can come and properly document the ruins of the trestle, here are a few pictures taken by yours truly:
Both literally and figuratively, this sight produced a sinking feeling. I thought of "Sherman's neckties," the Union Army tactic employed during the Civil War of heating and twisting Confederate railroad tracks to make them unusable.
This green, tranquil view downstream gives little hint of the calamity that befell the trestle.
The rails are flipped over on their sides.
No offense is meant to the distinguished tree visible between the rails, but I wish the trestle was still blocking this view.
Here's a view of the damage from downstream.
Some of the debris will need to be cleared to allow safe passage for canoes and kayaks.
Split level railroad tracks are not a good thing.
Looking down what was the southern track.
Amongst all of the gross carnage, there was this little heart-shaped bit lying in the mud.
