Re: Cascade Bridge History

Not really part of the history of the Cascade Creek bridge, but it is a part of the history of me...

I nearly fell off engine 484 right at the center of this bridge one night in July 1963....

Occasion was my first pay trip west out of Alamosa, not too long after being hired as fireman...I was called to fire the helper engine with Pete Degani on an extra West. We had left Alamosa in late afternoon and it was late at night by the time we got to the area after a stop to clean fires and get water at Sublette.

I hadn't yet learned how to properly look into the firebox and my night vision was shot. I didn't really realize we were in the middle of the trestle and stepped into the gangway for a bit of a breather and reached out for the grab irons at the cab and the tank
and ONE HAND MISSED!

I just damn near went off that thing right in the center of the span!...But I held on with the other hand and quickly regained my hold on things.

Would have been a hell of a leap, Eh? Still get kind of a chill when I think about it...nearly 47 years later .......