Trains.com

Shared RR & auto bridges?

18172 views
109 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: St. Paul, Minnesota
  • 2,116 posts
Shared RR & auto bridges?
Posted by Boyd on Sunday, June 29, 2014 2:23 PM
I know a few exist. Does anyone know how many bridges that exist in the US that carry both trains and car/truck traffic?

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Sunday, June 29, 2014 3:20 PM

I know of one shared bridge--where the L&A and a street cross the Atchafalaya at Simmesport, La.

Johnny

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Sunday, June 29, 2014 4:00 PM

The Huey P. Long bridge carries the New Orleans Public Belt (UP, KCS, BNSF, Amtrak) and six lanes of US 190 west of New Orleans.

The Victoria Bridge in Montreal, Quebec carries CN to St. Lambert, also used by Amtrak's Adirondack.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Somewhere in North Texas
  • 1,080 posts
Posted by desertdog on Sunday, June 29, 2014 4:42 PM

The bridge over the Mississippi at Vicksburg, MS has both a railroad (KCS) and a highway deck in place. However, the latter is no longer used.

John Timm

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Sunday, June 29, 2014 4:55 PM

As a 'half' an answer -- the Hanrahan Bridge across the Mississippi at Memphis had car lanes that were taken out of service -- but are being restored as part of a bike and foot trail project.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Sunday, June 29, 2014 5:00 PM

Eads bridge, the first one built across the Mississippi river at St Louis, was initially only for railroad use, and had an automobile deck added years later.  It is still used by both. 

One other bridge across the Mississippi at St Louis also has railroad tracks below the automobile deck,  but I don't recall which one it is -- McKinley or MacArthur.

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Louisiana
  • 2,310 posts
Posted by Paul of Covington on Sunday, June 29, 2014 5:57 PM

Deggesty

I know of one shared bridge--where the L&A and a street cross the Atchafalaya at Simmesport, La.

   I think I know the one you're talking about.   It's different from the others mentioned here in that the road and the tracks actually share the same space.    I found myself on it many years ago and was afraid I'd taken a wrong turn.   The tracks were in the middle of the road like streetcar tracks.    I believe the highway has since been moved to a new separate bridge.

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 493 posts
Posted by DwightBranch on Sunday, June 29, 2014 6:15 PM

The former TPW/ now Keokuk Junction bridge at Keokuk, owned by the city, had both road and train traffic until a few years ago, now the upper level is a trail I believe. KJ still uses the lower level, although they derailed on it a few years back and the city didn't want to fix it and considered tearing it out .

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Allentown, PA
  • 9,810 posts
Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Sunday, June 29, 2014 6:24 PM

Do bridges that carry only Light Rail Vehicles / streetcars count, too ?  Either way, the "Steel Bridge" in Portland' Oregon qualifies !  See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Bridge

"Its lower deck carries railroad and bicycle/pedestrian traffic, while the upper deck carries road traffic (on the Pacific Highway West No. 1W, former Oregon Route 99W) and light rail (MAX), making the bridge one of the most multimodal in the world." (emphasis added - PDN)

- Paul North.

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
  • Member since
    November 2005
  • 4,190 posts
Posted by wanswheel on Sunday, June 29, 2014 6:33 PM
  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Sunday, June 29, 2014 7:51 PM

Paul of Covington

Deggesty

I know of one shared bridge--where the L&A and a street cross the Atchafalaya at Simmesport, La.

   I think I know the one you're talking about.   It's different from the others mentioned here in that the road and the tracks actually share the same space.    I found myself on it many years ago and was afraid I'd taken a wrong turn.   The tracks were in the middle of the road like streetcar tracks.    I believe the highway has since been moved to a new separate bridge.

Yes, Paul, Louisiana 1 now has its own bridge, but a street still crosses on the bridge. I noticed this use with the highway in 1966, when I rode from Shreveport to Baton Rouge by day.

There is another bridge, with the track between the two directions of US 190 at North Baton Rouge. This bridge is used by the L&A and by the Gulf Coast Lines.

Incidentally, I have been on the other two bridges mentioned by rail and by highway--and I did not think of them before making my first post.

Interesting: four (so far) in Louisiana--with one partly in Mississippi.

Johnny

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Sunday, June 29, 2014 7:53 PM

Paul_D_North_Jr

Do bridges that carry only Light Rail Vehicles / streetcars count, too ?  Either way, the "Steel Bridge" in Portland' Oregon qualifies !  See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Bridge

"Its lower deck carries railroad and bicycle/pedestrian traffic, while the upper deck carries road traffic (on the Pacific Highway West No. 1W, former Oregon Route 99W) and light rail (MAX), making the bridge one of the most multimodal in the world." (emphasis added - PDN)

- Paul North.

Give me a little time, and I will count up how many times I have crossed on the Steel Bridge, riding UP or SP trains.

Johnny

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
  • 13,681 posts
Posted by CShaveRR on Sunday, June 29, 2014 8:09 PM

The bridge over the New River at Thurmond, West Virginia, was built for the C&O's old Loup Creek Subdivision, and was gateway to a whole system of mining branches, especially after the Kanawha, Glen Jean & Eastern became part of the C&O in about 1940.  The road that was cantilevered onto the side of this bridge is the only way for vehicular traffic to access Thurmond.

Between Houghton and Hancock, Michigan, at the foot of the Keewenaw Peninsula, is a lift bridge still in use for highways.  The lower deck had both road and rail (railroad long gone), and the upper deck has a highway.  It could be lifted so the lower deck only would rise and upper-deck traffic be uninterrupted. The bridge itself is fairly modern; it's probably a safe bet to say that it's been without rail service longer than it had it.

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,022 posts
Posted by tree68 on Sunday, June 29, 2014 8:09 PM

Didn't (or doesn't) the Fort Madison bridge over the Mississippi carry both?

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • 6,449 posts
Posted by MidlandMike on Sunday, June 29, 2014 9:21 PM

There were/are some bridges across the Chicago River that carried Els on one level, and streets on the other level.  They were double deck, double leaf drawbridges:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Street_Bridge_(Chicago)

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • 6,449 posts
Posted by MidlandMike on Sunday, June 29, 2014 9:31 PM

Springfield Terminal shared a bridge (tracks in roadway) over the Connecticut River at Charlestown, NH.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Denver / La Junta
  • 10,820 posts
Posted by mudchicken on Sunday, June 29, 2014 10:46 PM

Yep - as did the L&N and C&O bridges in Cincinnati.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: Calgary
  • 2,047 posts
Posted by cx500 on Sunday, June 29, 2014 10:57 PM

There are still a handful in Canada.  Nipawin (Saskatchewan), Thunder Bay (Ontario) and the Victoria Bridge in Montreal come immediately to mind and I am sure there will be a few others.  There used to be many more, but either the road authority built a new bridge more suitable for modern traffic needs, or in some cases the railway was abandoned leaving the road in sole possession.  The most common bridge style at a shared crossing was that of a truss bridge, rather than plate girders or timber trestle.  But there were exceptions.

They came in four basic styles.  The simplest was where the road and rail shared the same deck and road traffic was halted when a train was operated.  In others, the road deck was above the rail deck, and a third was the opposite, where the rail deck was on top.  The fourth placed the road decks on the outside of trusses.

John

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • 1,881 posts
Posted by Leo_Ames on Monday, June 30, 2014 1:03 AM

The New York Central's crossing of the St. Lawrence River from Massena NY to Cornwall Ontario was both with the deck planked over for vehicles.

http://www.nyc-ottawadivision.com/st-lawrence-bridges/

The Canadian bridge, incorporating a swing bridge, over the North Channel (Where the old St. Lawrence River canal went).

The American bridge over the South channel (Where ships now travel coming and leaving Snell Lock on the St. Lawrence Seaway).


Both were destroyed because of the flooding of this section of the St. Lawrence River and the need to open the American channel up for navigation and weren't replaced. A new dedicated highway crossing of course appeared with a impressive truss bridge over the Canadian channel built when the Canadians hoped the shipping channel would stay on that side (which was sadly recently replaced by a low level crossing devoid of any character) and a suspension bridge over the American side..

They essentially paid the NYC to abandon the crossing and it cost less than the proposed replacement that the government otherwise would've had to fund (Also discussed at that site I linked to above). Only a few remnants like the abutments survive. 

The Southernmost bridge though over the Racquette River, never used for vehicles, still remains. But sadly Alcoa East (The old Reynolds plant) is being idled with doubts if Alcoa will modernize and reopen and the GM plant was recently demolished leaving even this remnant of the Ottawa division with a questionable future. The truss bridge next to it was built for vehicle use (Sadly, closed about 6 months or so ago as America's inventory of truss bridges continues to be decimated).

The road bridge was the longest electrically welded bridge in the World when it opened.

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: roundhouse
  • 2,747 posts
Posted by Randy Stahl on Monday, June 30, 2014 6:36 AM

Wasn't the Arsenal bridge in Rock island shared at one time?

 

How bout the Wisconsin river bridge in the Dells, I think Rte. 12 used to share it with the Milwaukee road.

 

Randy

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Monday, June 30, 2014 6:38 AM

The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge over the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth NH has an upper deck for cars and a lower deck with the Former B&M Eastern Route Main Line, now just an industrial track serving the Portsmouth Shipyard in Kittery Maine.  Both decks share the center lift span which clears ocean-going ships.  On the north end of the brdge the lower deck lifts and slides back to make a normally open spot for smaller boats.

The seven span former Springfield Terminal Bridge in North Charlestown NH has been owned by the State of New Hampshire since 2002.  The wires came down in 1956, but there are still some hangers on two of the spans.  Last rail move was in 1986, but the rails are still in the bridge under the pavement.  When the bridge was owned by ST, a 15 cent toll was charged.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 8,156 posts
Posted by henry6 on Monday, June 30, 2014 8:30 AM
Similarly the former Route 1 Bridge in Bath, ME used to carry the highway on one level and the railroad on another...it is a lift bridge still in use by the Maine Eastern RR while Rt 1 is carried across on a new bridge.

RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: South Dakota
  • 1,592 posts
Posted by Dakguy201 on Monday, June 30, 2014 8:44 AM

The Meridian Highway Bridge at Yankton, SD, was designed to be used by trains on the lower level with autos above.  However, it was never used by a railroad, and in the early 1950's it was changed to one way traffic on each level.

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Monday, June 30, 2014 9:02 AM

And the Bay Bridge between Oakland and San Francisco was built with tracks and roadway on the lower level, roadway alone on the upper.

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, June 30, 2014 10:00 AM

The Williamsburg Bridge and Manhattan Bridge between Manhattan and Brooklyn carry NYCTA subway routes above the roadway.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 7,486 posts
Posted by ndbprr on Monday, June 30, 2014 11:39 AM
There was on in St.Louis. I think it was the McKinley with both on the same deck. I followed a caboose to East St Louis in the 80s.
  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Monday, June 30, 2014 12:21 PM

The road access bridge for Three Mile Island Nuclear south of Harrisburg, PA also carries a spur line there.  Tracks are buried in the pavement, street running style.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • 4,190 posts
Posted by wanswheel on Monday, June 30, 2014 12:41 PM

Randy Stahl

Wasn't the Arsenal bridge in Rock island shared at one time?

Arsenal Bridge is another name for Government Bridge on page 1 of this thread. The Rock Island Arsenal (or Arsenal Island) is the original Rock Island, which became known as Government's Island to distinguish it from Rock Island City, which was named after Rock Island County, which was named after the island in the river.

http://www.iowadot.gov/autotrails/bridges.aspx?Government%20Bridge

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: St. Louis, MO
  • 432 posts
Posted by Ishmael on Monday, June 30, 2014 4:06 PM

To those of you who mentioned the McKinley and MacArthur bridges in St. Louis: the McKinley was built by Illinois Terminal. Trains and motor vehicles shared the same deck. This bridge has now been updated and improved and is now strictly a motor vehicle bridge.

The MacArthur still carries railroad traffic but the upper deck, for motor vehicles, has been closed for many years. 

Baltimore and Ohio-America's First Railroad
  • Member since
    September 2011
  • 6,449 posts
Posted by MidlandMike on Tuesday, July 1, 2014 8:11 PM

Also in St. Louis, the Eads bridge carries both light rail and road traffic on separate decks.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy