Potomac bridges

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

To: "'N&W Mailing List'" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 15:50:22 -0500 
From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject:  RE: Coal via Potomac Yard

I checked with B&O historians and there is some
disagreement with the B&O information supplied in the
original message.... Just to keep the historical
information correct:

The bridge at the power plant is described as having
been a steel drawbridge built by the Gov’t during WW2
as an emergency measure against loss of the Long
Bridge. The B&O used the bridge daily for some period
of time – possibly until it was taken down. The B&O
constructed their Georgetown Branch, begun around
1890, possibly in order to build such a bridge of
their own in order to access the RF&P or other
southern railroad, but their terrible financial
situation, as always, limited what they could
accomplish. The existence of that branch provided
opportunity for the Gov’t to build that emergency
bridge many years later.

The B&O itself apparently did not own the A&O.
Possibly the B&O’s President Garrett owned a large
stake personally. There is some degree of question
about this situation because certainly the B&O was
attempting to incorporate the A&O into their Southern
Strategy when they lost access to the Long Bridge (to
PRR) in the mid-1870’s. Following that loss of access,
the B&O built the Alexandria Branch around the east
side of the District and commenced an unsuccessful
barge service to Alexandria, but the A&O did not
interchange before that time. After realizing the
barge service was not workable, the B&O turned to the
Georgetown Branch on the west side of the District.

The B&O regained access to the Long Bridge in 1906 to
access Potomac Yard and the RF&P.

As an aside, another Southern Strategy, with a
definite connection to N&W, was to run down the
Shenandoah Valley to Salem. Pennsylvanians, if not the
PRR, put the kibosh on that just as they had
successfully stopped the B&O’s original attempt over
the Long Bridge.

If anyone has differing information, I would really
like to hear about the sources. H. Harwood’s book 
“Impossible Challenge” is a heavily researched source
for much of the information above.

Craig Close
Balimer, Merlan
OK: Far West Catonsville
ALL RIGHT: Greater Oella 


March 27, 2005

Hello, Craig:

Thanks for the input.  Leave it to folks in Orioles
country to have the answers about the Broke & Old.

Best wishes,



Dr. Frank R. Scheer, Curator
Railway Mail Service Library, Inc.
f_scheer at yahoo.com
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