Houston Skyline, from Old MKT Railroad Trestle over White Oak Bayou, near Studemont & I-10, Houston, Texas 0330090947BW

View On Black

I've long been fascinated by Houston's history as a major port, a port made possible only by a tortuous path to the Gulf of Mexico, and, critically, after 1900, being dramatically more sheltered than Galveston from the worst that that Gulf has to offer. Houston's port, though, would have been useless without the railroads, fanning out from the city, like spokes on a wheel, spokes like this one, heading north (behind me in this photo), the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad.

"Houston, where 17 railroads meet the sea" used to be the slogan of the Houston Chamber of Commerce.

Someone (almost certainly more than one) is burning our bridges. Most of the trestle type railroad bridges on disused railroad right-of-way in Houston appear to have fire damage to some degree or another. I've seen this on bridges over both Buffalo and White Oak Bayous.

This is disturbing, of course, from a criminal and safety standpoint, but it also destroys some of Houston's historic structures, something that Houston has had no trouble doing without arson. It is also disturbing because it is happening at a time when many of these structures are being incorporated or considered for incorporation in Houston's system of hike and bike trails.

Note: This bridge now has a deck and handrails and has become a part of the Heights Bike Trail.

Some rights reserved

Taken in: United States / Texas / Houston / Washington Avenue (show map)

Taken on: March 30, 2009

Tags:

studemont

street

heights

texas

harris

county

white

oak

bayou

railroad

bridge

railway

rail

train

trestle

structure

abandoned

neglected

decay

fire

arson

arsonist

burningbridges

burn

burning

usa

black

black&white

blackandwhite

urban

tracks

ties

skyline

houstonbikeways

bikeways

sony

cybershot

dscs750

BestofTexas

V.I.P-VeryImportantPhotos

bridge photography

harris county

convergence

OnTheBridge

disused

rightofway

row

grade

pontist

united

states

north

america « less

Sets appears in: • Houston Skyline • Houston Contrasts more » • Old MKT Railroad Trestle over White Oak Bayou, near Studemont & I-10, Houston, Texas • White Oak Bayou Bridges • Urban Nature: Houston • A Dozen (or so) Bridges • Bridges, tunnels, culverts, underpasses & overpasses • Abandoned Texas Railroad Rights-of-Way • Architectural & Engineering Heritage Documentation Project • My favorites • Houston Heights • Trains « less

Groups appears in: • Texas • Urban Decay more » • Houston • Houston, Texas • Railroads • Convergences • Bridging • Decay • Overgrown • Bridges Across • Urban Vegetation (or nature strikes back) • Bridgepixing • Railroad Bridges • Historic Bridges • Abandoned Places and Things • .Southern Photographers - Southern Images • Black and White Landscapes • Southern Views • Houston and Harris County, Texas • Abandoned, Neglected, Weathered, or Rusty • On The Bridge • Houston: Historic Houston • Houston Metro • I Love Black and White! • The Bridge • Houston Photographers (all types of photography) • Digital Black And White • USA Railroad Tracks • Lost Railroad Tracks • Top 20 Everlasting (Qualified :: Award 2) • Silent Decay USA: South • Houston Photographers • I Love Abandonment! - NO people shots! • Texas - The Lone Star State - Tejas - TX - All The Great Views • Best of Texas • Black & White with passion • The Heights, Houston TX • Abandoned bridges • Nature Will Out • Tracks without trains • Houston Chronicle • Abandoned Structures • Texas Landscapes • America's Bridges • SuperNeighborhood 22 in Houston Texas USA • Blown Out • We Really Love Bridges • Black and White Texas • North American Skylines • Architectural & Engineering Heritage Documentation Project • Bridges, in Black and White • Houston, Texas in Black and White « less

Stats: 38,235 views / 31 comments

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: