A Toppled Train and Hotel At Harpers Ferry

Early Saturday morning there was a train accident at Harpers Ferry. Thankfully it was about 03:30 so there were no hikers crossing the bridge and nobody was injured. The train cars that toppled into the Potomac were also empty, incredible that no lives or cargo was lost. I had too many errands to run on Saturday that prevented me driving to Harpers Ferry to investigate, rushing back and forth to grab last minute presents and ensuring I was fully stocked with provisions for the Christmas break. So on Sunday I drove out to see the damage for myself and also to look at the Christmas decorations in the town itself.

 I found an empty space in the two tiny parking lots for the Maryland Heights trail. This is a hike that I plan on doing this winter. I've hiked the other side of the valley but this one has been on my list for a while. But today, although perfect weather for hiking, it was not going to be that hiking day. I'd left home way too late and wanted to be back early. But it was lovely to stroll along the C and O canal path down to the bridge, wrapped up against the chilly air, but the sun warm on my face. The above photo shows the bridge in the distance with Maryland Heights looming over the empty canal below and the abandoned Lock House 33.

This tow path is also an excellent view point to observe the damaged Hilltop Hotel perched high on the other side of the valley. I've been in there a couple of times since it was abandoned and when it was a thriving hotel in which my parents once spent a weekend when visiting from England. It saddens me greatly to see this once famous landmark slowly crumbling. It had definitely been salvageable in 2012 when I had explored it inside and written a blog, but I can't see that it can be saved now.

I climber the iron steps up to the bridge and discovered the footbridge had been closed. I had guessed this might be the case but had inwardly hoped we might have been able to cross the bridge to at least the halfway point and then find it barricaded. I leaned over and across the barrier, squirming to try and obtain a better view point, but to no avail. I could only zoom in and see the workmen with my camera, who were only visible because they were wearing safety jackets, so resignedly plodded back to the car to head into town.

 I drove to The Hilltop Hotel, so I could see firsthand how badly the old hotel had declined and also to see the bridge from this outstanding viewpoint. The poor decrepit hotel looked beyond help. The inside was slowly collapsing in on itself, the external structure visibly deteriorated to the point of almost no return. There is a website with an impressive artists rendition of the new project, but no work has begun yet, despite the project presumably being completed in 2022. This obviously isn't happening. Thomas Jefferson had described the view of the water below as being “worth a voyage across the Atlantic” Ocean. It was tragic that as I stood looking across the valley and admired the panorama before me I was also acutely aware of the desolation of a once beautiful hotel slowly crumbling behind me.
There were a few others there viewing the bridge scene below with cameras and binoculars. At first it had seemed a macabre fascination, being so absorbed in an accident, but since not one person had been hurt, I felt my nosy interest was acceptable. I kept thinking how terrible this could have been, especially so close to Christmas. It was a relief to be able to discuss the ongoing repairs without worrying about the recovery of victims.

I then drove down into the town, hoping to get even closer to the scene, and once again, my parking fairy was sitting on my shoulder. After cruising round the full station parking lot and around the block, I found a car pulling out of its spot and quickly took it, not even minding that I had to pay a parking fee on a Sunday. I strolled along the track and down the steps that led to the footbridge but alas, that was blocked. I could see the workmen and a crane but had no view of the bridge itself. It was very frustrating to be so close and yet see nothing. As I stood looking up at a stone bridge pillar and wondering if I could possibly clamber up just a couple of feet to get a photo, a park ranger came up to me explaining that I could see much more if I followed the path he pointed out. I gratefully thanked him and walked around to the water's edge, where a handful of other people were standing on a very muddy bank with a perfect unobstructed view of the damaged bridge.

  I stood in between an 81 year old marine and an equally elderly lady, who both chatted to me simultaneously so that my head was constantly whipping from left to right so I could contribute to both conversations. Thankfully this didn't go on for too long as we were distracted by the crane dropping pieces of masonry into the river, creating large splashes. I wished I'd captured this on camera but my two pals had kept me busy with their chatting. Once the crane slowly rolled its load back to solid ground we realized there wasn't much to watch now so we scrabbled on the muddy bank to retrieve our steps. I grabbed the hand of the marine as he looked a little perturbed by other people slipping but his hold was firm as I gentled hauled him up to terra firma. We all wished each other a Merry Christmas after which I then climbed the steps to the church, hoping to get another perspective of the damaged bridge.

I was disappointed to find the church closed, especially on the last Sunday before Christmas. The Christmas decorations I'd seen about town hadn't been that stunning so I'd been expecting to find the inside of the church beautifully adorned with firs, poinsettias and candles. But the doors were locked, so I turned to the view. And was astounded when a CSX train came clattering onto the bridge, its whistle shrieking loudly. It was two engines with no carriages and rode past the damaged sector, continuing along the tracks. I snapped a few more photos and then descended into the town to explore the shops. I had been impressed with the work already done on the bridge. There were multiple crane trucks parked all along the river banks that had evidently been used to haul the fallen train back to solid ground, and today showed that the workers had already removed much of the debris. It looked like it had only been the walkway that had sustained most of the damage. Bridges were built solidly 100 years ago and I was fascinated at how 7 derailed grain cars with 2 of the cars hanging down towards the water had seemingly only damaged a small portion of the bridge. This footbridge is also part of The Appalachian Trail so is causing a disruption to through hikers, yet at this time of year those should be few. Time will tell, but I'm sure these workers will have the bridge reopened in a very short time. I only wish the same forecast could be given about The Hilltop Hotel.