Waterport Trestle carried trains above the Oak Orchard River
WATERPORT – Gary Fleckenstein was flying a plane in the late 1980s when he handed his camera to his passenger, Larry Grimes, who snapped the photo above of the Waterport Trestle and the power plant.
Fleckenstein sent the photo to Orleans Hub after today’s article about the stone pillars near the dam. (Click here to see that one.) I was at the dam yesterday and wondered about the row of stone supports. I figured it was for the trestle, but an old photo of the area showed a bridge nearby, so I wasn’t sure what the pillars held up.
Both the trestle and the bridge have been dismantled. Fleckenstein’s photo clearly shows a trestle stood near the Waterport Dam and power plant.
The trestle was removed about 20 years ago. He also sent along this photo he took of the trestle from the western end looking east/northeast. He notes the pylon foundations are clearly visible.
Fleckenstein says about a quarter-mile downstream are more bridge foundations that seem to predate the trestle. I’m going back down Friday with a guide to get more pictures of the remnants of these engineering works and important historical landmarks.
