Chester Gehman

Well, you sure suckered me. Realistically, though, I don't think many of us would object to being asked for a donation. Websites ain't free, except when loaded with pop-up advertising. Just thinking.

Dana--

You are welcome. Looks like you've got it.

Dana--

The "Witch Bridge" also known as the "Enchanted Bridge" was on Greene Street in Lawrence. Route 495 cut off Greene Street, but the abutments are still there on the Shawsheen River Trail. See:

https://www.fonat.org/shawsheen

Regards,

Chet Gehman

I, as well as many of you, have been surprised and dismayed by seeing our photos appear on other websites. I have also wondered about the correctness of posting historical photos and post cards on BridgeHunter as pertains to copyright law. I came across a web page which clarifies these issues. For example, the date 1923 has been used as the start of copyright protection. There is a second criteria that must be met as well--it has to have been publicly published by the copyright owner as well, which puts it in the public domain. Presumably posting on the internet is publishing? I don't know. What are your thoughts?

https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2012/03/06/copyright-and-th...

If this is a Truesdell patant bridge--and I have no reason to doubt it--then it was most likely erected by the firm of A. D. Briggs of Springfield, Mass. According to the Hartford (CT) Weekly Times of May 17,1873, "In 1863 Mr. Truesdell sold the rights to build bridges in New England to Mr. A.D.Briggs of Springfield, who has erected about 40 of the Truesdell bridges between that and the present time." Lucius E. Truesdell was from Warren, MA, a short distance east of Springfield, which may partially explain why the Briggs company was chosen.

I would like to see better documentation of information posted on this site. This could be in the form of a book citation, the source of a photograph, or the result of an on-site investigation. Many times historical information is posted without anyone but the writer knowing the source. If the website is going to serve as a reference of bridges past and present, it must be dependable. "Best guesses" and approximations are O.K., as long as they are identified as such. I must admit I have been lax at times in this regard myself.

Bridge is closed for rehabilitation. Detour River Road.

This is a common way to transfer commodities such as coal and limestone from hopper cars to road trucks. The photo is a similar installation at Mt. Union, PA on the East Broad Top RR.

Chris:

Your photos are most likely the Tunkhannock Viaduct in Nicholson, PA, BH 31850. Still in use, it was built 1912-1915 by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad.

That is good news. Excellent work, Michael!

Too bad this one couldn't be saved. It sat in a field just east of the crossing from March of 1992. Things looked good for awhile; a donation from the College Association at Delhi, Inc. of a 10-acre plot to display the bridge was accepted by the town. Plans were scrapped when it was discovered that lead in the paint and sand-blasting would cost about $100,000. Locals complained it was an eyesore and dangerous. Sometime after 2006 it was removed; no buyers could be found and it was likely scrapped. Google Earth Historical Imagery shows the bridge in the field in 11/2006--after that its gone. Bing Maps Bird's Eye has a good view of it.

Who would have thought two people would post the same LOST bridge within minutes of each other! And I have the same photo, too. Well, I will delete my entry.

I don't believe this is an old railroad bridge. The adjacent line, which is the old Naugatuck Railroad main, is at a higher elevation. Secondly, this bridge is much wider than a spur line bridge would expected to be--twice as wide as the adjacent main line bridge. Since this used to be an industrial area, my vote would be a private industrial bridge to join buildings on either side of the river. At any rate, more research is needed.

Rumours are these trusses will be used somewhere-sometime but they have been at the Great Barrington Recycle Center for at least ten years--maybe more. These photos I took a couple of years ago.

This is a photo of the only remaining plaque on the bridge. "Springfield" "Mass" and "1891" are fairly obvious. Can anyone identify the builder? The R.F.Hawkins Iron Works and The Springfield Iron Works come to mind. A better view of the shape of the plaque is in the MACRIS photo. Any ideas?