Manitowoc Bascule Railroad Bridge
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
BH Photo #193334
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. of Manitowoc, Wisconsin (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)
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
Related Bridges
- WC - Manitowoc River Bridge (Old) (Predecessor)
Sources
- Robert Thompson
- Flickr - Bridge Demolition
- Nathan Holth
- Douglas Butler
- John Marvig - marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
The one upstream of Burger Boat? Yes, I've posted that one.
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?
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.
Per the most recent Notice to Mariners from the 9th District, USCG, this bridge will be removed by December 2011!
Its hard to tell, but it looks like this is a rare Abt Bascule Bridge.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/wi/manitowoc/bh48038/
Thanks Robert.That's the one.