Famous Yet Infamous
With the new cab riders aboard, the KJRY train reverses over the Spoon River Bridge for the the previously-arranged photo runby over the most famous and infamous location along the entire Keokuk Junction route.
Why is this spot so? Well, as this very crew was so very familar with, it was here that on September 16, 2013, the original bridge collapsed into a swollen Spoon River, just as the train was traversing the bridge. The F's were on point that day, but they narrowly escaped disaster: with floodwaters undercutting the bridge piers, several cars toward the front of the train went into the drink. As it turned out, the bridge was already scheduled to be repaired the following month, but Mother Nature can be fickle whenever She wants.
Events like this can cripple and even close shortline railroads, and indeed such a fate was feared for the fan-favorite KJRY. But about a year later, the current bridge arrived from Texas and full service from Peoria to Keokuk, IA resumed shorthly thereafter.
Famous Yet Infamous
With the new cab riders aboard, the KJRY train reverses over the Spoon River Bridge for the the previously-arranged photo runby over the most famous and infamous location along the entire Keokuk Junction route.
Why is this spot so? Well, as this very crew was so very familar with, it was here that on September 16, 2013, the original bridge collapsed into a swollen Spoon River, just as the train was traversing the bridge. The F's were on point that day, but they narrowly escaped disaster: with floodwaters undercutting the bridge piers, several cars toward the front of the train went into the drink. As it turned out, the bridge was already scheduled to be repaired the following month, but Mother Nature can be fickle whenever She wants.
Events like this can cripple and even close shortline railroads, and indeed such a fate was feared for the fan-favorite KJRY. But about a year later, the current bridge arrived from Texas and full service from Peoria to Keokuk, IA resumed shorthly thereafter.