Old Railroad Bridge Burns, Authorities Suspect Arson
The sheriff’s department investigated the possible arson of an old railroad bridge located in the Grenada Lake bottom. The bridge was part of the Mississippi and Skuna Valley Railroad.
Old Railroad Bridge Burns, Authorities Suspect Arson
The Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the possible arson of a landmark railroad bridge that was part of the Mississippi & Skuna Valley Railroad (MSV). The bridge was built in the 1950s and is located on Corps owned property in the Grenada Lake bottom. Sheriff Lance Humphreys said the burned out bridge was reported in late July. He reported the bridge was still standing after the fire, but was pushed down by the U.S. Corps of Engineers as a safety precaution.
The bridge is part of the 21-mile stretch of MSV railroad right-of-way that was donated to Yalobusha and Calhoun counties in 2012 as a possible future Rails to Trails project if funding becomes available.
The two counties formed the Mississippi and Skuna Valley Rails to Trails Recreational District after the donation, but there has been no activity since then due to funding.
Federal Rail Banking Legislation provides for abandoned railroads to be owned by local authorities in case the property is ever needed again for a railroad or other linear utility. The law allows such land to be used meanwhile as biking, pedestrian and horse-riding trails.
The railroad stretched from Bruce to Coffeeville and was last used in 2008.
