Rating:
1 vote

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge

Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Photos 

Curtis Creek Draw

Photo taken from Facebook, used with permission of photographer

Enlarge

BH Photo #271968

Map 

Street View 

Description 

Article on bridge in Jan. 1931 Baltimore & Ohio Magazine, page 19

Facts 

Overview
Through truss bridge over Curtis Creek on CSX Transportation (former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad,)
Location
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Status
Open to traffic
History
work begun April 1929, opened to rail traffic April 1930
Railroads
- Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (BO)
- CSX Railroad (CSX)
Design
Through truss swing span of 345 feet, six 100-foot deck plate girder spans
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 345.0 ft.
Total length: 967.0 ft.
Also called
B&O - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
B&O - Marley Neck Branch Drawbridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+39.20105, -76.57647   (decimal degrees)
39°12'04" N, 76°34'35" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
18/363874/4340272 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Curtis Bay
Inventory number
BH 58997 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Anne Arundel County, Maryland (25)
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (472)
CSX Railroad (1,662)
Chessie System (1)
Deck girder (5,749)
Girder (10,238)
Have street view (26,949)
Maryland (783)
Movable (2,974)
 Navigable waterway (2,152)
Open (39,885)
Owned by railroad (12,424)
Plate girder (7,927)
Span length 250-500 feet (1,196)
Swing (1,455)
Through truss (15,074)
Total length 500-1000 feet (2,871)
Truss (32,798)

Update Log 

  • March 24, 2020: Updated by Alexander D. Mitchell IV: More history added
  • July 20, 2017: New photo from Alexander D. Mitchell IV
  • January 4, 2015: Updated by Alexander D. Mitchell IV: Corrected past owner/builder
  • July 4, 2014: Updated by Luke Harden: Updated status per forum post
  • December 16, 2013: New photo from Douglas Butler
  • December 16, 2013: Added by Alexander D. Mitchell IV

Sources 

  • Douglas Butler
  • Alexander D. Mitchell IV
  • Luke
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Comments 

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
Posted August 10, 2020, by Glen Hartsock (glenhartsock [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Hello:

I qualified on the Marley Neck Drawbridge in August of 1984 and operated the bridge also known as bridge 8a until November 1989. Requalified on the bridge again July 2007 until July 2011. When I happily retired in 2016 I believe the railroad was planning to eliminate the bridge operator and operate the bridge from a remote office location miles away from the bridge. Best job I ever had.

Thanks for your help.

Glen Hartsock

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
Posted June 15, 2017, by Nathan Holth (webmaster [at] historicbridges [dot] org)

It is roughly a 350 Foot swing span.

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
Posted June 15, 2017, by Richard (Wilt308 [at] aol [dot] com)

I was wondering if anyone knows how long the part that turns is?

Thanks R~

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
Posted August 3, 2015, by Al Grimes (agrimes [at] curtisengine [dot] com)

In 1968, I operated this bridge as a B&O employee.

It was part of the interlock (tower) system for the B&O.

I was a summer employee going to college, and qualified on many locations!

GREAT SUMMER JOB!

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
Posted January 4, 2015, by Matt Lohry

The tops of the rails in the pic are shiny too, showing that the rail is still in use.

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
Posted January 4, 2015, by Alexander D. Mitchell IV

Sorry to correct a previous commenter, but I have multiple maps and documentation showing this to be a former Baltimore & Ohio bridge, not a WM bridge, and this bridge is still in use. Perhaps this person is confusing this bridge with the former WM Spring Garden/Port Covington bridge up along Interstate 95, which is indeed out of service?

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
Posted December 4, 2014, by djm883

This bridge is still active and opens and closes multiple times a day for boat traffic.

CSX - Curtis Creek Drawbridge
Posted July 4, 2014, by John (wmry1813 [at] yahoo [dot] com)

This was a former Western Maryland bridge, not B&O. It is no longer active. CSX had used it for backup maneuvers to access nearby sidings, but they are no longer served.