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Norwich & Worcester Railroad Swing Bridge

New London County, Connecticut

Photos 

RR bridge is to the right of covered bridge

Photo by J. Weeks Bridge is to the right of covered bridge

Photo uploaded by Art S.

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View this photo at ebay.com

BH Photo #466315

Map 

Description 

A swing bridge to allow use of the lower track to freight house and dock when open. Closed, trains crossed over the lower track and through the covered bridge. All abandoned in 1876 with realignment. Photo #1 shows bridge in open position with no connection to the covered bridge.

Facts 

Overview
A hinged bridge to allow access to freight house and dock in Norwich
Location
Norwich, New London County, Connecticut
Status
No longer exists
Railroad
- Norwich & Worcester Railroad
Design
Howe deck truss
Approximate latitude, longitude
+41.52292, -72.07775   (decimal degrees)
41°31'23" N, 72°04'40" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
18/743826/4600932 (zone/easting/northing)
Inventory number
BH 88313 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (8,679)
Built 1843 (11)
Built during 1840s (263)
Connecticut (842)
Deck truss (1,945)
Howe deck truss (63)
Howe truss (660)
Lost (29,158)
Lost 1876 (10)
 Lost during 1870s (87)
Movable (3,136)
New London County, Connecticut (76)
Norwich & Worcester Railroad (11)
Norwich, Connecticut (19)
Railroad (16,534)
Swing (1,576)
Truss (36,018)

Update Log 

  • February 26, 2020: New photo from Douglas Butler
  • February 22, 2020: Updated by Chester Gehman: Clarified use and operation
  • February 22, 2020: New photos from Art Suckewer

Related Bridges 

Sources 

  • Art Suckewer - Asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com
  • Chester Gehman - gehmanc2000 [at] yahoo [dot] com
  • Douglas Butler
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Comments 

Norwich & Worcester - Wharf Draw
Posted February 24, 2020, by Douglas Butler

Granted. I see it i thought that was the truss at the front!

Norwich & Worcester - Wharf Draw
Posted February 24, 2020, by Luke

Re-read Chester's description, and look REALLY close at the deck truss to the right of the covered bridge, which is clearly mounted above a pit. A pit which I guarantee you held the movable bits.

Norwich & Worcester - Wharf Draw
Posted February 24, 2020, by Douglas Butler

This bridge is not a swing bridge, swing bridges have center and rim bearings it just look fixed!!!!!

Norwich & Worcester - Wharf Draw
Posted February 23, 2020, by Chester Gehman (gehmanc2000 [at] yahoo [dot] com)

Art--

Thank you for posting that fine stereopticon of the layout at Norwich. Photos of that setup are few indeed. Attached is a sketch of how the operation was accomplished. I lifted this from Elmer F. Farnhams book "The Quickest Route" published by Pequot Press (1973).

Chet

Norwich & Worcester - Wharf Draw
Posted February 23, 2020, by Art S. (asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com)

Thanks Chester!