Industry Siding, Nashville Bridge Co, 1960

This is a photo of the Nashville Bridge Plant at Bessemer, Alabama. This track leads off the main line just south of 15th Avenue. There is a GP-7 type engine used on this job. The track curves around and enters the door in the building, running through the building about twenty car lengths. There are men and machinery on and close to the track. In 1959 a yard engine coupled to a car that men were working on and cut a man's leg off. This track curves to the right then back to the left very sharply. There is very close clearance on each side of the building, making it very difficult for the ground crew to pass signals and position themselves where either the engineer or fireman can see them at all times. At the bottom of the photo is a road crossing which is very heavily used by plant trucks and cars. Also just before entering the building, there is an overhead crane moving back and forth over the track with steel and iron plates. To observe the movement of men, equipment and vehicles it is essential to have a fireman on the left side. Coming out of this plant, there is a coal yard that blocks the public view of the Ave. Also there is a Southern Railway track crossing the L&N line just north of 15th Avenue.