(erielack) Portage Bridge - Recent observations

["Elaine and John Redden" <ejredden_@_frontiernet.net>]

We happened to visit Letchworth State Park (home of Portage Bridge) last
Saturday, 16-August.  Just wanted to add a few  observations to the pile.

There is a prominent No Trespassing sign at the edge of the parking lot that
is adjacent to the west end of the bridge.  I did not observe any
pedestrians on the bridge.

There is significant corrosion that is visible on the bridge components near
the roadway at the west end of the bridge.

There were some comments about traffic density / train frequency over the
bridge.  To my knowledge, there are currently a total four symbol freights,
in each direction, over the bridge on a daily, or almost-daily basis:
205/206, 12T/13T, 310/309, and 38T/39T.  In addition, there is a turn out of
Buffalo, H2R, that (I believe) normally turns back at Silver Springs, so it
does not usually make it to the Bridge.  This translates to approximately
eight daily movements over the bridge.

John R.


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