Tulip Trestle
Green Co. Viaduct
I had some time to kill this afternoon and so found myself toodling down through eastern Greene Co. I came to Solsberry and saw a sign pointing the way to the Tulip Trestle. I had heard of this beast, so I took myself off down the windy country roads to find it.
The Tulip Trestle was built in 1905-6. It is 157' feet high and 2,295' long. It is the longest railroad trestle in Indiana. An observation deck just off the road has been built for people to pause and get a look at it. I couldn't do it justice with any of my photos.
The information placard at the observation deck pointed out that back in the day before constant radio contact, someone had to come down out of the caboose and show a red lantern or flag off the back when stopped to prevent another train coming along and piling into the stopped train. One night a long train stopped in the vicinity, and a railroader stepped out into the dark night off the back end of the caboose, tossing his cigarette away as he began descending the caboose steps. His lit cigarette, however, didn't hit the ground until it had traveled 150' more than he bargained for. The back end of the train was stopped on the trestle, and he was about to take the longest (and last) step of his life when he pitched his cigarette away. The sign said it was possibly the only time that smoking actually saved someone's life.
I also noted the winding roads and hills and streams roundabout and thought, "Man, this would be a great place for a ten-mile hike!"