To scene of the crime ride.
Here is the crime, click on view full article
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30910FF3A5F1B738DDDA10A94DA415B8685F0D3I have searched google maps and found the closest active railroad bridge. There are roads on the map that go to the bridge. They might be gated, I don't know haven't been there . Meet in Helena around 10:30 or so.
Here is the report.
I found the story about the train wreck last week while looking for some info on the beehive coke ovens in Brookwood. I searched google maps for Gurnee Al. and found the location of the town. This looked like it would be a nice half day ride from Tuscaloosa. I left the exact time and place to start open to allow riders to give their input. I would not want to leave at 10:00 when someone could not get there till 12:00 Also if someone knew of a great place for brunch that would have been fine.
After waiting at the ACE till 11:00 I went to the location that ohgood had marked. Finding no one at ether I headed out on county highway 91 AKA Coalmont rd. About 2 miles out of Helena this road changed to dirt. I stopped at the turn to the Cahaba Shooting Range and read the notice. You have to have a hunting OR fishing license to use the range. Continuing straight on 91 I passed a sign that said Road Closed 8 Miles Ahead local traffic only.
After about 5 miles 91 T'ed into county highway 270. Turning right onto 270 should take me to Gurnee.
Stopping a couple of miles down 270 to check the phone gps I could hear a train whistle off to the south. The road was on top of a ridge and after continuing on I could see the train crossing the iron bridge over Piney Woods Creek. This iron bridge looks like it has not been painted in 50 years. It is made out of flat and channel steel that is riveted together.
Since the news story said the train fell into the Cahaba river I don't think this is the bridge.
County highway 270 also crosses Piney Woods Creek about 200 yards north of the iron bridge
The road bridge is in bad shape and is blocked off. While looking for another way to cross the creek I hit a log wrong. This is one of those crashes that I knew was coming. Broke the left mirror bracket that is part of the clutch lever assembly. Just 1/8 inch of metal holding the clutch leaver to the bar.
I was able to get the XT through the rocks blocking the bridge and road on across. This is the view from the top of the railroad bridge. The top that the train crew sees looks like new.
Notice the missing left mirror. Its in my pocket.
Traveling about 1 mile on down 270 you come to a switch in the railroad tracks. From google maps I knew that I needed to turn off 270 here and just follow the best road to the bridge over the Cahaba. After maybe 1 mile I was there.
The steel under the tracks is about 7 feet tall. I am not sure if this is the location of the crime. The story said the river was shallow. On the up river side it is shallow enough to ride across. There is actually a road down to the river on each side. Under the bridge and to the down stream side it looks deep. You cant see the bottom .
After heading back to the switch I continued on 270 toward Gurnee. I found an abandoned coal loading facility. The flat rusty plat would be cranked out over the coal cars. A truck would the back out on the platform and dump into the car. The operator had a cable attached to the rail cars so he could move them by electric motor. All the copper wiring is GONE. Checking the dates on the rails the newest was 1949.
The power is still on here. See the lights.
This is about where Gurnee should be. I found some old concrete equipment foundations but no houses.
Here is where 270 T's into Bibb county highway 10.
I turned right on 10 and went to highway 26. After crossing the river I turned left onto the trails you can see on google maps. Some of this area has just been logged. All the roads had nice fresh smooth water berms across them. This was a lot of fun. We used to ride jeeps out here. I was looking for another bridge that I knew about. They had all the steel removed several years ago but left the stone piers.
This bridge is closer to West Blockton then Gurnee, but could be a candidate for the scene of the crime. It is higher then the one above. The water is also very shallow. This bridge is a lot farther from Gurnee. If you look on google maps where Bibb county highway 24 crosses the river. Follow the river north east till you see a shoal. Look close and you can see the old stone bridge piers. I made it there today but the phone battery was dead by then.
I took Bishop Ridge Road from 24 to 12. This is a very twisty kind of ruff paved road. It was a lot of fun on a duel sport.
Stopped at Yamahaners and road the beta . He has to many toys.
The trip meter was at 123.5 when i arrived at the house.
