Tag Archives: norfolk southern

norfolk southern please do something

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That is a very grainy photo that was sent to me today it shows a person up on that trestle bridge in Downingtown. Consider this a follow up to yesterday’s post about Norfolk Southern’s essentially abandoned property.

This is dangerous, crumbling, and could become an adaptive reuse and at a minimum have public access removed until such time they decide.

It kind of makes you wonder why the media isn’t covering this doesn’t it?

Having lived in communities that have “orphaned“ railroad bridges, railroad tunnels, railroad trestles I know there is a process. Which is probably why although everyone has heard talk of making this part of a bike trail and made safe nothing has happened. Norfolk Southern has to sign off on it, possibly deed it to the county, state, or whomever.

However getting anything to happen can take years. And a life was almost lost the other day which is why the petition started. We don’t have more years to waste on this.

https://www.change.org/p/do-something-abouttrestle-bridge

Everyone is afraid to talk about this location because they’re afraid more people will be drawn to it who have thoughts of suicide. But I think we have to draw attention to it because if we don’t nothing will happen and no change will occur.

As I said to someone today the issue of this bridge draws attention to the fact that Chester County is about to be in a true mental health crisis if it isn’t already with Brandywine Hospital being closed by Tower Health January 31. It was the only mental health facility outside of Philadelphia. I really don’t understand what Tower Health has done with all their money number one, and number two they got a lot of cares act money how did they spend it? Why couldn’t the state help Chester County keep at least Brandywine Hospital open?

The other thing about drawing attention to this dangerous and crumbling trestle bridge is it IS dangerous and Norfolk Southern is culpable. It IS a suicide bridge and not talking about it won’t make it better or go away. It simply means that more families will suffer the tragedy of suicide from this location and do we wish that on any human being? I certainly do not.

So let’s make this bridge a big public issue. The more we can talk about it the more it helps our elected officials draw attention to it and the need to solve a problem here immediately not a few years from now if at all.

I am asking my readers if you have photos of this bridge especially with people up on it please send them to me. We need to make this public. I am also asking for all of you to take the time to not only contact your elected officials but contact Norfolk Southern and CC your elected officials and even media contacts if you have them.

social.media@nscorp.com

alan.shaw@nscorp.com

media.relations@nscorp.com

ATLNOCSID@nscorp.com

alan.shaw@exchange.nscorp.com

You can also contact Norfolk Southern through their social media page on Facebook and they also have Twitter of not more.

They could pay to make the safe, they could pay to secure it until the plan is agreed-upon for a trail or whatever, basically they have the money to make this right. So it all should not come out of the taxpayer monies of Chester County residents.

We can’t afford to monkey around with this, even if we don’t live in Downingtown. and no matter what our political persuasion addressing this issue is something that is just a good thing to do, it’s for the community, it will help families, we can come together shortly and put our differences aside over this I would hope. It’s very core at a minimum it’s a public health, safety and welfare issue.

So Norfolk Southern, come on now, we know you know, it’s time to act. Stop the jumping off #suicidebridge starting with securing the location to keep people off, followed by making this something #SAFE and more #POSITIVE .

Stay warm today readers and thanks for stopping by.

#suicideprevention #talkaboutit #fixthebridge

norfolk southern needs to realize there are things we can change to make things better. (petition link attached)

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We’ve all been under this railroad trestle if we live in Chester County. It’s is the one over 322. It’s a smidge west of Bradford Avenue in Downingtown. It’s a suicide bridge. It’s tall, dangerous, rotting, and owned by Norfolk Southern. (see neat photo array here: https://thesilentcamera.com/blog/2013/03/10/downingtowns-trestle-bridge// )

I thought it was supposed to become part of a trail. But I am guessing time, politics, COVID and money have put a lot of things like this on hold. The irony is Norfolk Southern makes LOTS of money. Surely they could donate this money to turn it into a trail? No I am not nuts, in the 3rd quarter of 2021 alone they reported a significant increase in revenue.

Now this is a historic trestle. It was built in the early 20th century – around 1903 I think. The Downingtown Historical Society has a page on their website devoted to the history complete with photos – really interesting. The Library of Congress designates it as a historic resource. But it’s just trouble waiting to happen to me. It hasn’t been used since the late 1980s.

It’s dangerous. Crap falls off it like a Philadelphia highway bridge, and it is a suicide place. Life is precious. We need more mental health resources, which is why Brandywine Hospital closing in 10 days is so devastating for our county. But this bridge? Norfolk Southern needs to step up and help be part of a solution.

Why this post? Something that stopped me in my proverbial tracks today on NextDoor:

Here is the petition: https://www.change.org/p/do-something-abouttrestle-bridge

Here is the narrative from the petition:

On May 24, 2021, we lost another young member of our community to suicide. This abandoned bridge presents a dangerous opportunity for our children in crisis. Ever since I moved to West Bradford township, I’ve driven under the Trestle Bridge and think about my own kids going up there to explore when they get older. There have now been two suicides and several attempts that I know of. Locals tell me there are many more that weren’t reported in the media.

This bridge is DANGEROUS. My husband grew up in West Bradford and tells me stories of kids (including himself) going up there all the time. I’ve spoken with local teens who have confirmed that it is still a place they visit, and they regularly document it on social media. 

We cannot sit by and allow this bridge to decay any further. The netting underneath has collected a large amount of debris and heavy rocks. I’m afraid someone driving underneath the bridge after a heavy rainstorm will be its next victim. 

Trestle Bridge either needs to be removed entirely or updated and used as a routinely monitored space in our community. One option that has been discussed in the past is a bike trail. Adding a bike path with high rails and security cameras will make Trestle Bridge a safer place.

While we can’t always prevent how a person ends their life, the community of Downingtown does not want history to continually repeat itself. It’s been trending on Google how to access the bridge due the the most recent tragedy. Trestle Bridge can no longer be a tempting and dangerous place for our children…….

JAN 21, 2022 — 

Dear Community Members,

I’ve spoken with two local officials now and they have assured me that acquiring the bridge and creating a bike trail is the plan. I am not going to give up on this until we get something in writing. Norfolk Southern owns the bridge and ultimately needs to sign off. If you have a personal experience that documents the danger of Trestle Bridge, please email me your story at

msmonahan1@gmail.oom

Keep sharing the petition please. Our community has spoken and we are being heard! 

Caitlin Reinert 

May 24, 2021. I wrote about that tragic teen suicide. And it is not the only one from that location. There have been too many. There should not be access to this thing except for when railroad personnel need to get up there. And again, not active, but Norfolk Southern has responsibility for it. Is it technically orphaned when you know who owns it? When it comes to railroad bridges and trestle that seems to be a constant query.

Here is a video from 2012:

OI think signing the petition is a great idea. I also think contacting Norfolk Southern is another great idea. They have a media relations email: media.relations@nscorp.com and I found this one too:  ATLNOCSID@nscorp.com and webmaster@nscorp.com .

They have a new CEO come May. He is currently President. I do not know if this email works but I found:

If they made this part of a trail with proper safety precautions, that would be terrific. But at a minimum, Norfolk Southern needs to cut public access off. They can at least do that. Their executives make buckets of money. The company is profitable even when they whine.

Railroads in general climb on my nerves. They make money, we need them. But needing them doesn’t mean we should put up with all of their orphaned and obsolete trestles, bridges, buildings and whatever other UNSAFE structures exist as ghostly reminders of their past and history from coast to coast.

I commend Caitlin whom I do not know, for trying to do something positive and proactive. So now let’s try to see what can happen. Sign the petition, contact Norfolk Southern and also contact elected officials additionally for better mental health resources and even school boards for better services for kids.

But for the Grace of God go we.

Photo courtesy of rlsycle on Fickr