Trainspotting

Earlier this week we actually got rain - probably the first really significant amount of rain in weeks. And the rain and clouds helped keep the temperatures down that day, resulting in a rare day this summer that wasn't over 100 degrees. Honestly it felt like a miracle to be able to actually go and enjoy being outside again.  

To celebrate the rare break in the ovenlike summer temps, I headed out around sunset to try to get a few pictures. On my way to Riverfront Park in North Little Rock, I drove by this stretch of old buildings and got a few pictures:



I went to Riverfront Park in North Little Rock, but was soon kicked out by the NLR Police. Apparently the park now closes right at sunset, which it used to be open later. Not sure when or why this changed, but it does get in the way of people taking pictures down there now. So instead I headed over to the Junction Bridge and got a few pictures there instead.



Maybe instead of closing the parks early and getting the police to remove people from the park, the cities should fix all the lights on the downtown bridges instead?



From the Junction Bridge I headed across the river and went to the old Baring Cross Bridge. This is the oldest railroad bridge in Little Rock, and the only one that is still used by rail traffic. In fact I didn't have to wait very long for a freight train to slowly make its way across the bridge.



And with a loud squeal of breaks, the train rolled to stop. On the other side of Cantrell Road there is a small bridge over the tracks, which has a nice view looking up towards Union Station and the State Capitol. The train was still stopped, but there was a slow stream of freight trains making their way to the bridge on the other track.

Down By The River

I headed out one night last week to take a few pictures, and ended up driving through downtown. I was a little surprised at how busy it was, there were lots of people out walking and cars crammed into any parking space available. The answer was soon obvious - the crowds were out to see Hamilton at Robinson Center. I headed across the river to North Little Rock where it was quieter and walked through Riverfront Park.





I set the camera up by the Baring Cross Bridge and hoped to catch a train crossing over the river. The first bridge here was built in 1873, and was the first bridge to span the Arkansas River at Little Rock. That bridge was washed away by floodwaters in 1927, and was rebuilt in 1929. A lift-span was added in the 70s to allow for barge traffic, and the bridge is still used by Union Pacific and Amtrak rail traffic.

I waited and waited for a train to show up. I was tempted to leave but I knew that as soon as I took the tripod down and walked back to the car that a train would show up. I waited about an hour, which was not the most exciting way to spend the evening (the people at Hamilton had much better entertainment). But finally a train did appear and crossed over the bridge, leaving behind these streaks of light from the locomotive.



After that I headed back across the river and drove around some, eventually ending up by the old Albert Pike Hotel. The hotel was built in 1929, but has since been converted into apartments. This is the last shot from the night, only because I forgot to charge the camera battery and it was running on empty.

Baring Fog Bridge

Of the six bridges that cross the Arkansas River at downtown Little Rock, three of those were built for rail travel. And of those three bridges, only one is still actually used as a rail crossing. That bridge would be the Baring Cross Bridge, which is now used by the Union Pacific.

The first Baring Cross Bridge was built in 1873, and was the very first bridge to span the river in Little Rock. The Baring in the name was because funding was provided by the British bank Baring and Company. People aren't entirely sure where the Cross part of the named comes from. One theory is that it was because the street closest to the bridge in downtown Little Rock is Cross Street (or it could just be because they thought "Baring Cross" sounded cool). Along with rail traffic, the bridge also had a track for people and cars (along with a toll for crossing the river). Unfortunately that bridge would be destroyed by the great flood of 1927. The flooded Arkansas River washed most of the bridge away, despite efforts to weigh the bridge down by parking rail cars filled with coal along the tracks. The bridge was rebuilt and reopened in 1929. The bridge underwent changes in the 1960's when it was adapted with a lift span, which allowed the bridge deck to lift up and allow river barges to pass by.

On a recent foggy night, I headed down to the river to try to get a few pictures of the bridge. Since the bridge is said to be one of the busiest river crossings in the country, I didn't have to wait long for a train to cross the bridge. So here is a shot, with the lights from a passing train cutting through thick fog as it crosses the historic bridge.