Railroad Chicken Peninsula

Urban exploration in Springfield, Missouri
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RedRook
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Railroad Chicken Peninsula

Post by RedRook »

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.1221676 ... m1!1e3

Has anyone played chicken on the railroad bridge out of the conservation area to find this structure on the almost island peninsula. I plan on going in the next few days. I'm still debating on whether to take the shortcut on the railroad bridge or whether to take the soggy trail from where the trail goes under the highway.
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Re: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

Post by Nicotti »

RedRook wrote:Has anyone played chicken on the railroad bridge...
I did once, the train won...

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RedRook
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RE: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

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You see the problem is that you didn't leave enough room to get to 88 MPH.
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BROUSER
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Re: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

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I haven't ever been there. Floated past it this past summer. I'm thinking my next excursion will be to look at the oxbow area down by Rivercut. I have a weird fascination with flood debris.
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Re: RE: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

Post by Nicotti »

RedRook wrote:You see the problem is that you didn't leave enough room to get to 88 MPH.
I was out of gas.
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RedRook
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RE: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

Post by RedRook »

Brouser, I have my eye on that massive spring on the east bend just next to the Kreider Horse Track by River Cut. When I was going back over the maps after my last trip, every dye trace in the area went to the same spot over there. I was hoping to do it during a warmer Spring rain.

If you look carefully enough in the oxbow, you'll find an explosion of Paw Paw trees as well. It's certainly the wrong time of year though.
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RE: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

Post by slow_walker »

Dude, I love Paw Paws. I grew up with several trees in the backyard and my brother used to eat them like crazy. I rarely find anyone else that knows what the hell I'm talking about. Lol. I haven't seen one in YEARS.
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RE: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

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Well, you have to do some searching. That is future Springfield park land. My guess is there is a 50/50 chance they'll get demolished during construction. They are on the north side of the oxbow on the inside of the bow, at least several dozen of them. Even though there are so many, they aren't the easiest to find. They are right in the middle of the trees by the bank, but they aren't close enough to the shore that you are going to see them just floating by.
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Re: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

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RedRook
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RE: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

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Lol, I guess that turkey is playing chicken. Railroad bridges creep me out. When I was younger, people my age died on the south side of town on a railroad bridge, so I'm always paranoid. I was leaning toward sludging down the soggy trail, but that bridge has a good walkway. It's almost like they want you to cross. :)
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Re: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

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That bridge only goes to the James River plant hauling coal (low speed), and I seem to remember seeing that it will be converted to natural gas soon. Probably a pretty safe bridge to cross.
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Re: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

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More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.

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RedRook
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RE: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

Post by RedRook »

That walkway is awful tempting though. I figure worse case scenario, since I won't have to actually walk the tracks, is I'll get knocked into the cold water. I can handle that, being only 5 minutes from a car.

Thanks Nicotti, now I'm even more paranoid about trains. Funny how with all the other stupid stuff I do, walking railroad tracks is the hardest line for me to even approach.
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Re: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

Post by Nicotti »

Just being helpful! :wink:

But I do find it interesting that modern technology has made it easier for people to get struck by trains. The indians that would put their ears to the tracks in the wild west to hear the steam engine coming are liable to get hit these days.
More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.

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RedRook
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RE: Railroad Chicken Peninsula

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Well, the cement was just predictable pumps, but how can you know until you go. The bridge is short, and is in bad shape. Whoever maintains these things likes to just toss off the corroded pieces on the side when they've made replacements, and there is quite a bit corroded. Is this thing still used? There's even an I-Beam pushed just barely out of the way of the width of a train.

The soggy trail is extremely muddy even on this dry day, but if you wear some good gortex boots, you won't even notice. There's also a very large variety and amount of animal tracks. I'll probably take my daughter here at some point, because she loves learning which animals go to what tracks and figuring out how fast they were moving. It's not that exciting, but it's easy to get to and a nice little stroll.
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IBeam.jpg
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