Sunday, November 24, 2013

Week 13 Theme

It amazes me how people so long before electricity and proper building instructions can build things. How was it that in the 1800's could men build vast bridges and huge trains with no power tools, no cranes to lift the heavy materials? How was this safe at all? More importantly how are these structures safe to still use? Train trestles really confuse me the most. Mostly because I walk on the biggest one I've ever seen multiple times a year.

It is hard to describe the feeling of walking across such a huge structure built so long ago. Looking at the old wood wondering how the hell is this going to hold me and my dogs let alone a million ton train? It is baffling to me. Looking over the edge seeing the tops of the tall maple trees just out of my reach. Knowing if I fell over I'd splat onto the jagged rocks and shallow water below. It makes the trip out to Ellitosville so much sweeter knowing that I'm standing on a structure that was made by the bare hands of men, not with power tools and special cranes.

One time I was walking along the four board wide walk way into the smack dab middle of the tracks. Over a hundred feet down and mountains and lakes as far as the eye could see, my intriguing self wanted to capture the beauty through the lens of a camera- is that even possible? As I stood there looking like a typical tourist with my camera held high for the millionth time that summer, my two dogs stood by my side quivering as they stared down to the depths below- obviously not feeling the beauty of the scene. They'd much rather be at home chewing on a bone. Soggy, yellow bones are much prettier than trees and mountains.

 I was enjoying the silence with my sister far ahead enjoying it too when we both heard a noise. It sounded like a four wheeler coming. We both looked up and around the corner was a train. Coming at us. My stomach dropped to my toes as I started in a full sprint to the end. I was running so fast that I could feel my lungs about to burst. As I realized that both of my dogs were free of their leashes I panicked. I went to grab my dog and hitch her back on the leash. Just as I bent over to grab her, the train wooshed by me as fast as lightening. Wind was howling past me and I thought I was going to blow off the tracks. My dog in a state of hysteria, didn't know which way to go, jump under the train or jump off the tracks. My eyes filled with tears as each step I made towards her, she jumped a little closer to the train.

After what seemed an eternity of rushing wind and sheer panic, the train stopped and let us off the tracks. I grabbed my dog and sprinted the rest of the way to the edge. My sister close behind with her dog now leashed as well. I got off the tracks and counted my blessings that day. It was the most exhilarating day of my life. And after all my doubt that a man made track could hold such a huge piece of transportation wooshed out the door just as the train did by me.

3 comments:

  1. https://www.google.com/search?q=Ribblehead+Viaduct&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=XZOUUoq2FKazsQTi2oCIAw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1527&bih=870

    I've walked under this and been over it on a train--all mid-19th Century stonework!

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  2. Whew, pretty lucky! I can imagine the dogs not being all that thrilled--my dogs panic at the sound of a gunshot....

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  3. BTW, building that Ribblehead Viaduct in the 1850s...was absolutely not safe. Men died in all sorts of accidents, but fortunately starving Ireland provided an endless supply of hungry men willing to accept danger in order to feed their families. Neither OSHA nor negligence lawsuits were around to stop the railway from doing dangerous stuff at the possible expense of human life.

    The one thing they did do right was design and build that viaduct. It's huge, safe, and not going anywhere.

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