I expect there will be more of these, but in the interest of keeping everyone informed, Greg forwarded an email this morning with updates on the status of the historic Bridge:
From: talbot-avenue-bridge-events@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2019 1:12 AM
Subject: Talbot Avenue Bridge demolition beginsToday, a little after 7am, Talbot Avenue Bridge closed. By midday clamps had been attached to the girders and steel extensions, in preparation for later removal by crane. By the end of the day, the wood edging along either side of the Bridge had begun to be removed.
If you would like to view the demolition process, best viewing is on the 4th Avenue side of the Bridge (North Woodside).
The removal of the girders could happen soon, i.e within the next week and as soon as the end of this week. Purple Line continues, however, to wait for flaggers from CSX, without which this aspect of the demolition cannot proceed.
Was at the bridge a few days ago, progress is moving surprisingly slow actually. Anyhow I actually managed to find these vids a couple days ago and sent the links to your inbox, don’t know if you’ve seen them yet, definitely take a look if you haven’t! The first one is actually a video posted by the Smithsonian showing footage from 1981 of the John Bull running on GB tracks! It has some amazing shots of the branch and the Canal from that time and culminates in the end with a great shot of the John Bull on the Arizona Ave trestle, suffice to say it made my day! GB footage starts around the 37 second mark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxcdY2Cj5nQ
The second vid, also of the John Bull is actually included in a documentary National Geographic sometime after and has some more great footage from the John Bull’s excursion, GB footage is from about 9:14-10:02, not much but so great to finally see some decent footage of at least part of the branch from that era:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhD-V2tXlYg