1. One fire in 125+ years, therefore it cannot be an accident. (Never at Cascade, thank God). And there has never been a timber trestle fire, anywhere.
2. No direct evidence of cause, therefore arson is the primary suspect, although no evidence supports this theory.
3. Much anecdotal evidence of fires flaring up after being presumably DEAD OUT. Arson?
4. I, personally saw the pile of old ties below Orgasm Point burning a day or two before the Trestle. Arson, also?
5. Fire Marshal's report stated that the C&TS Fire Patrol put out at least six small fires while following the train on June 23. Arson?
Conclusion? Despite being a life-long cynic, I tend to the "Accidental" cause.
What do we do? We rebuild the bridge, and try to do whatever is PRACTICAL to prevent future fires.
Also, for what it is worth, I asked Leo Schmidt, Exec Director of the C&TS Commission, if the bridge supports received examination to determine age and/or fire deterioration. He told me that the bridge had been so examined, and that some work needs to be done to bring it up to the 2012 FRA requirements, but is fine, otherwise.
Steve
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