AT&N Railroad - Cochrane, AL, MP 28, Tombigbee River Bridge

Discussion in 'A.T.&N. R.R.' started by trainchaser007 (Brandon Adams RIP 9/22/2017), Nov 7, 2014.

  1. trainchaser007 (Brandon Adams RIP 9/22/2017)

    trainchaser007 (Brandon Adams RIP 9/22/2017) Passed away September 22, 2017

    Here of some good before and after shots of the Cochrane Bridge. http://bridgehunter.com/al/pickens/cochrane-railroad/

    The following is from the article found at: http://www.abandonedrails.com/Alabama_Tennessee_and_Northern_Railroad

    "In the summer of 1973 disaster struck. The high swing bridge spanning the navigable Tombigbee River at Cochrane south of Aliceville suddenly collapsed just after passage of a train, cutting the line and temporarily blocking the waterway. The center swing pier toppled out from under the swinging section, which of course was in the closed position. Sources do not say whether the train crew got religion shortly afterwards."

    The bridge was never rebuilt. The section between Cochrane and Aliceville was sold to the Army Corps of Engineers and abandoned in 1975. The line was therefore cut into 2 sections that ended at Aliceville and Cochrane, with through traffic rerouted over the Southern line where it crossed the Frisco mainline. Because the main business justification of the "Mobile Division" of the Frisco was to directly connect the Frisco mainline at Aliceville with the port of Mobile, and little local business was served along the line north of Axis by then, the former AT&N was effectively doomed. With ICC approval the Frisco abandoned the Reform-Aliceville section in 1978, and the section from Cochrane to York in 1979.

    The Frisco was acquired by the Burlington Northern in 1980. The BN abandoned the remaining former AT&N from Axis to York shortly afterwards. BNSF continues to operate the remaining truncated branch line from Mobile to Axis, where it serves a plastics plant."

    Since this was written, the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway (http://www.gwrr.com/operations/railroads/north_america/alabama_gulf_coast_railway) currently leases the remaining segments of the former AT&N.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 5, 2023

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