Posted on 12-06-2008
Railroad Bridge Collapse
Filed Under (General News, Rant) by rholland

A railroad bridge has collapsed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The cause of the Cedar Rapids railroad bridge collapse isn’t known yet.

The number of dead or injured has not been released, though it will probably be awhile before that is even known. Rail cars tumbled into the flooded river. I am hoping the real damage will be limited to loss of cargo and not of human life.

It is unsure if the tornado that hit the Iowa Boy Scout camp yesterday had anything to do with the railroad bridge collapse. Perhaps the twister did some damage to the railway tracks that went unnoticed. Or maybe the railroad hadn’t inspected the rails since the tornado touched down. I don’t know if the railroads in Iowa are covered by the Iowa department of transportation or if they are private to the railroad.

I live in a railroad area and train wrecks always become a topic of conversion, no matter where they occur in the world. The historic Horsehoe Curve is located in Altoona and Altoona also has a railroad museum. Railfans flock to Altoona daily to photograph and video tape the numerous trains that roll through each and every day.

Flooding is another thing my neck of the woods has in common with the tragedies in Iowa. I have been to the Johnstown Flood Museum. Looking at those pictures and seeing all the damage that flood inflicted is heart wrenching. My heart goes out to all who are dealing with the brutal forces Mother Nature has unleashed.

Iowa just can’t seem to get a break right now. Mother Nature can be cruel but you will recover Iowa, best of luck to you all.

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Comments

Klipsch Quintet SL 5 Piece Review on 12 June, 2008 at 12:07 pm #

I am trying to find out what a “railroad bride” is. What does it have to do with a story about a railroad bridge collapse in Iowa? Maybe somebody who married someone who works on a railroad in Iowa. Iowa has some pretty remote areas so someone having a bride along the railroad path would probably be common. If the bridge collapsed due to flooding I guess they could become a “railroad widow”.

Like I said, distances can be long in Iowa. Last time I was out there in Iowa visiting a small town on a river while doing some work on a scale they offered to buy me pizza. I didn’t realize that it was a big thing because it was a 2 hour drive to the nearest Pizza Hut from that Iowa town. I think they had to go to Cedar Rapids to get it.

I do hope that the Cedar Rapids bridge collapse is relatively minor and that nobody was injured or killed during it.


rholland on 12 June, 2008 at 12:43 pm #

Thanks for pointing out the typo bride - bridge. LOL I fixed it.

I looked at your review of the Klipsch Quintet SL 5 piece Home Theater Speaker System. Seems like you know your stuff.


Enjoy Tea on 12 June, 2008 at 12:54 pm #

Seems like there’s a lot of flooding going on around the world. Where I live we usually get a lot of rain but we have hardly had any rain at all in two months.


Eric on 12 June, 2008 at 3:58 pm #

FYI. The Boy Scout camp that was hit by the tornado was on the extreme WESTERN border of Iowa. The bridge that collapsed was on the EASTERN side of the state. Four young men lost their lives in the tornado, and 50 were injured. The rail line that owns the bridge deals strictly in cargo; the total loss for the incident was 15 rail cars loaded with rock. Zero injuries.


rholland on 12 June, 2008 at 4:23 pm #

Eric,

Thanks for the update. I have been trying to get more details to update this post.

So many disasters in Iowa right now that I guess the minor ones with out death aren’t being reported as much at this point.

I live in a railroad town so the railway accident is something I was alerted to right away. I am glad the bridge collapse seems to be minor in regards to the actual damage done, I was really hoping it was only cargo and nobody had died.

Thanks again.


George on 14 June, 2008 at 10:03 am #

Crazy story. will they have the bridge repaired or replaced?


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