I think the bridge's days of up-downing are over. The tracks on either side look abandoned. From this picture, it looks like the original lifting mechanism has been surrounded by some modern flexible sleeves:
Here's an overhead view. Note the remnants of a teeny turntable on the upper left of the bridge (first one in, to the right):
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lübeck,+Germany/@53.8749823,10.6886002,372m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47b20953f70b9df3:0xf4725f573e7e12b4!8m2!3d53.8654673!4d10.6865593
Ed
Guess the thickness of the center posts plus the two 'outrigger' ones are enough to keep the bridge stable when raised. It only has to support the weight of the bridge itself, and there shouldn't be a lot of side forces on it - I doubt they would raise it in hurricane force winds. If they even get such thing in that area. It also appears the smaller side posts are inset slightly from the big central post - closer to the river/canal. Now if one of those side posts should fail....
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks Henry and Ed for the info.
The prototype is in Lubeck, Germany:
It was built about 1900 as a railroad bridge. It was apparently a hydraulic lift bridge. This is the raised position. I'm not sure if those post-looking things are just posts or are the lift mechanism. If the former, it's odd that there's no sway bracing.
You could browse here:
http://bridgehunter.com/category/railroad
The quest for prototypical correctness was much less years ago. It may not have a real life counter part
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Does anybody know the prototype bridge MTH used for this model?
If so, where is it, or where was it located? (railroad etc.)
Thanks