Peavine Pieces

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Peavine Pieces 

For about 3 weeks, Round Bottom Rd. east of Newtown, Ohio was closed for culvert work. It seemed like the perfect time to do some documenting of the Cincinnati District. With the road being closed down, there would be little or no traffic to have to contend with. 
My target was the small bridge over Halls Run at MP 17.52. This is just feet from the last grade crossing of Round Bottom Rd. before Perintown, OH. I have photographed most of the bridges on the Vine, and had been checking this one out for years. Now I have my chance to document this one. 
According to the 1963 track chart the bridge, #2067 is 17 ft. high and 62 ft. long. The build date is 1950, which is one of the newest bridge dates I have seen on the Peavine. It is not an impressive bridge by any means. But size doesn’t always matter. 
It is a single span steel plate girder. There are steel plates that step down in layers to the center of the bridge. Most impressive is the abutment wings. They are massive for such a small bridge. They must have anticipated plenty of rain runoff from Halls Run. Not a large bridge, but this thing is heavy duty for sure. 
On my way back out of the creek bed, I climb on what must have been the original bridge sight. There were layers of cut stone with what looked like drill holes in the faces. The old abutments were to the just off the right edge, facing east, of the new abutment wings. They were also very close to Round Bottom Rd. It looks like they cut to the inside of the left hand curve to build the new bridge. Over all it was quite an experience to finally document this bridge. 
I can understand how this new bridge was built around the old bridge. Perhaps a shoofly until the tracks could be joined for the new bridge and then the old bridge taken out of service. I have seen on the Peavine were it looks like the new bridge was literally built of the old bridge. I’m not talking about a 17X62 ft. bridge. I mean massive tall and long trestles. My question is how do they replace a bridge that looks as though the new one is built over the old one? 

PS I see that Gary Rolih is giving a seminar on the Cincinnati District. I had the pleasure of seeing this show at the Cincinnati RR Club Tower A some years ago. It is a must see. It is a great learning tool if you are not that familiar with the Peavine. Sure would make for a great book. 
Have fun in Roanoke, VA. and be safe.

Jeffrey Wood
N&W VGN Hist. Soc.
Southern Ohio Railway Enthusiast

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