Timothy Pavlic's thoroughly distressing image of the removal of the signal bridge at Tipton, PA (#695467) prompted me to view some of my images from several years back in requiem. The autumn of 1999 was spectacular and here the 9304 comes east in early morning sunshine with auto parts and frames. Even then, the PRR-era signal bridges had been removed in many locations; so perhaps the only startling thing is that some of them lasted as long as they did (Mapleton, Barre, Birmingham and Tipton among them east of Altoona). They spoke of vast volumes of traffic, of an urgency to the proceedings, of strong corporate identity and were an emblem of the heyday of railroading. Yes, it's regrettable to see them go. Ektachrome.
