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Manitowoc Bascule Railroad Bridge

Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
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Photos 

Looking south

The defunct Manitowoc shipyard is to the right; the abandoned carferry docks this bridge serviced are to the left. Since the bridge no longer serves any function, it is kept in the open position.

Photo taken by Robert Thompson in February 2011

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Map 

Street View 

Description 

Because the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company and Manitowoc Cement Company required the full width of the river for ship access, a swing bridge at this crossing was unfeasible. An earlier deck truss bascule bridge dating to 1895-1896 was located at this site, but was replaced by this bridge in 1926. The earlier bridge had the counterweight tower on the east bank, versus the west bank. The bridge was demolished in the summer of 2011.

Facts 

Overview
Through plate girder Abt bascule bridge over Manitowoc River on Railroad (Wisconsin Central)
Location
Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
Status
Removed but not replaced
History
Built 1926
Builders
- American Bridge Co. of New York (Designer)
- Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. (Contractor)
Railroads
- Canadian National Railway (CN)
- Soo Line Railroad (SOO)
- Wisconsin Central Ltd. (WC)
Design
Seven panel through plate girder
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 110.0 ft.
Total length: 258.0 ft.
Deck width: 19.5 ft.
Also called
Bridge H-43-E
Approximate latitude, longitude
+44.09662, -87.66559   (decimal degrees)
44°05'48" N, 87°39'56" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/446723/4882819 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Manitowoc
Elevation
576 ft. above sea level
Inventory number
BH 48038 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Abt Bascule Bridge (8)
American Bridge Co. (1,079)
Bascule (1,017)
Built 1926 (642)
Built during 1920s (8,674)
Canadian National Railway (441)
Girder (7,727)
Have street view (21,628)
Lost (18,332)
Lost 2011 (390)
Lost during 2010s (1,881)
Manitowoc County, Wisconsin (31)
 Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. (2)
Manitowoc, Wisconsin (14)
Movable (2,680)
Owned by railroad (9,602)
Plate girder (5,926)
Railroad (12,862)
Soo Line Railroad (256)
Span length 100-125 feet (3,981)
Through girder (2,854)
Total length 250-500 feet (4,524)
Wisconsin (1,213)
Wisconsin Central Ltd. (87)

Update Log 

  • January 29, 2014: New photo from Douglas Butler
  • December 8, 2013: Updated by John Marvig: Added information
  • October 18, 2013: New Street View added by Douglas Butler
  • August 29, 2013: New photo from Douglas Butler
  • December 20, 2012: Updated by Nathan Holth: Added year built, name, builders, lengths, fixed type from deck to 7 panel thru,
  • November 27, 2012: Photo imported by Luke Harden
  • December 5, 2011: Updated by Robert Thompson: Updated status; bridge demolished.
  • February 6, 2011: Added by Robert Thompson

Sources 

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Comments 

Manitowoc Bascule Railroad Bridge
Posted March 20, 2017, by george oakley (georgeoakley49 [at] yahoo [dot] com)

Thanks Robert.That's the one.

Manitowoc Bascule Railroad Bridge
Posted March 19, 2017, by Robert Thompson (rkt [dot] engineering [at] gmail [dot] com)

The one upstream of Burger Boat? Yes, I've posted that one.

Manitowoc Bascule Railroad Bridge
Posted March 18, 2017, by george oakley (georgeoakley49 [at] yahoo [dot] com)

I noticed if you follow the rail line that this bridge is on there is an abandoned truss bridge between Revere Dr and Michigan Ave.Is this bridge on Bridgehunters?

Manitowoc Bascule Railroad Bridge
Posted March 18, 2017, by Douglas Butler

They're only six railroad Abt types are in use for as 3 in Michigan and 3 in California and one been removed in Texas.

Manitowoc Bascule Railroad Bridge
Posted October 9, 2011, by Robert Thompson

Per the most recent Notice to Mariners from the 9th District, USCG, this bridge will be removed by December 2011!

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm09402011.pdf

Manitowoc Bascule Railroad Bridge
Posted August 2, 2011, by Nathan Holth (form3 [at] historicbridges [dot] org)

Its hard to tell, but it looks like this is a rare Abt Bascule Bridge.