BNSF - Celilo Bridge

Photos 

Celilo Bridge

from southwest on Fulton Ridge near Fairbanks Gap

Photo taken by Michael Goff on January 10, 2009

Enlarge

BH Photo #132343

Map 

Street Views 

Facts 

Overview

Vertical lift bridge over Columbia River on Oregon Trunk Railroad Line in Celilo, OR and Wishram, WA

Location

Celilo, Wasco County, Oregon, and Klickitat County, Washington

Status

Open to traffic

History

Built 1912

Builders

- Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co. of Leavenworth, Kansas
- Ralph Modjeski of Bochnia, Poland (Engineer)

Railroads

- BNSF Railway (BNSF)
- Burlington Northern Railroad (BN)
- Oregon Trunk Railway (OTR)

Design

The Celilo Bridge was built near the site of Celilo Falls in 1912. The bridge was originally a fixed span structure, but a swing span was added during the construction of the Celilo Canal which provided marine passage of the falls. In late 1950’s a vertical lift span was added as a part of the construction of The Dalles Dam which flooded the canal and the falls in 1957. The swing span remains in place but has not been operational since the lift span was installed. The bridge consists of six fixed span through Parker trusses, one vertical lift span, one swing span and many plate girder approach spans.

Also called

BNSF - Columbia River Bridge
Oregon Trunk Line Bridge

Approximate latitude, longitude

+45.64846, -120.98159   (decimal degrees)
45°38'54" N, 120°58'54" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

10/657276/5056971 (zone/easting/northing)

Quadrangle map:

Wishram

Inventory number

BH 38514 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Update Log 

• August 25, 2017: Updated by Christopher Finigan: Added category "Pin-connected"
• February 28, 2017: New photos from Kyle Jarvis
• October 10, 2014: New photos from Royce and Bobette Haley
• October 4, 2014: New photo from Douglas Butler
• January 12, 2014: Updated by Evin Fairchild: it was built in 1912, not 1911
• April 3, 2013: New Street View added by Mike Goff
• January 5, 2011: New photos from Michael Goff
• April 18, 2010: New photo from Nathan Morton
• April 21, 2009: New photo from Michael Goff
• January 13, 2009: Added by Michael Goff

Related Bridges 

• The Dalles Bridge (Downstream)
• Sam Hill Memorial Bridge (Upstream)

Sources 

• Mike Goff - michael [dot] goff [at] hotmail [dot] com
• Nathan Morton - morton890 [at] yahoo [dot] com
• Wikipedia - Oregon Trunk Rail Bridge
• Douglas Butler
• Royce and Bobette Haley - roycehaley111 [at] yahoo [dot] com
• Kyle Jarvis

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