Electric Bridge
Photos
Yes. Underwhelming...BUT the lighting is great
Photo taken by Mike Daffron in October 2017
BH Photo #405791
Description
Although not an historic bridge by any means, The "Electric Bridge" offers one a chance to experience a unique phenomenon. Massive power lines carrying 345,000 volts were installed near the bridge in the late 1980's. Humming and crackling from the lines is prominent and static electricity fills the air. Stand on the bridge and hold a fluorescent tube over your head and it will illuminate. Touch a screw-in bulb to the metal bridge railing and it will light up as well.Facts
- Overview
- Concrete stringer bridge over Little Blue River on Short Blue Road
- Location
- Shelby County, Indiana
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Built 1974
- Design
- Concrete stringer
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 61.4 ft.
Total length: 186.4 ft.
- Also called
- Short Blue Rd. Bridge
Little Blue River-CR 400N Bridge - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +39.58356, -85.65718 (decimal degrees)
39°35'01" N, 85°39'26" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/615318/4382398 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Rays Crossing
- Inventory number
- BH 78540 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- September 28, 2019: New photos from Mike Daffron
- October 13, 2017: New video from Mike Daffron
- October 12, 2017: New photos from Mike Daffron
- September 24, 2017: New Street View added by Dana and Kay Klein
- September 24, 2017: Added by Tony Dillon
Related Bridges
- Short Blue Road Bridge (Predecessor)
Sources
- Mike Daffron - daffmikron [at] gmail [dot] com
- Dana and Kay Klein
- Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
Comments
Those lines look like 765,000-volt, not 345...
Tube lights work
Tube lights work
Thanks Mike!
It sure as hell does work!! The power line above sizzles and the hairs on your arm will stand on end after a few minutes. It is Twilight-Zone-Worthy!!
.............did it work?..........
Visited bridge with my a couple of my kids. My 21 year old son, who is not exactly enamored with bridges, declared: Best Bridge Ever! Very neat, not the best, of course. Well worth a visit with the fam! Will post a video ASAP.
Yeah,Dave.He'd be a great guinea pig for that.
Calling Uncle Fester !
Yeah.I think we'd all like to see that!
Bulb in teeth fluorescent tube in each hand, touch railing with tube. Works! Take friend to take picture..........
This phenomenon is not as unique as one would think...the effect on the rail is due to electrical induction, which is a result of the bridge rails being in close proximity to high-voltage transmission lines with the rails not having proper grounding. This same phenomenon was occurring on a new pedestrian bridge the MN Twin Cities area that was built about a decade ago now, where the bridge passed underneath a double-circuit 345kV line--people were actually getting significant electric shocks when they passed over the bridge, due to the railings not being grounded as well as the height of the steel fence railings on either side. The builders of the bridge were forced to add grounding to the railings, which has fixed the problem.
............wonder if you hold bulb in teeth and touch railing.......
Forgot to mention that I couldn't find this story in the online edition.
Indy Star Metro Sunday section had the story, along with 2 photos of the reporter and others with their light bulbs indeed illuminated.
As far as the notable goes... I would travel to this bridge before I would go out of my way to see a cable-stayed!
How about some photos showing the discussed electrical novelties?
Crappy name.
Why not "Underwear Bridge"? Street view shows several skidmarks.
Now THIS is a UCEB that I will add to my Indiana bucket list. If I ever get tired of looking at Whipple trusses I will definitely have to head out to this one.
Its kind of like licking hallucinogenic toads , bridge that lights up light bulbs, who the heck discovers these things? Just saying....
Yes. I will be making the journey soon.
"Historic and NOTABLE bridges of the U.S."
Says so right on the label....
I would notice a bridge that lit up the florescent tube I carry on my head.
I reckon half the bridges posted here in the past year are non-historic. Just saying.
UCEB, non historic
Unbelievably Curious Electrical Bridge. There. You are let off the hook
Yes, after cringing several times and debating within myself... I have added a non-historic bridge on Bridgehunter!
The "Electric Bridge" offers a chance to see extreme static electricity at work from 345,000 volt power lines next to the bridge. Travel to this NE Shelby County bridge in the evening. Stand on the bridge holding a fluorescent tube over your head and it will illuminate. Touch a regular screw-in type bulb to the otherwise ugly bridge railing and it too will light up! The Indy Star ran a story in today's paper, but I haven't found it online yet.
So, 2 unique phenomenons at work here...
1) The unique power of electricity at work.
2) Me adding a UCEB on Bridgehunter.
I Pray the latter NEVER happens again!
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/in/shelby/electric/
Just imagine how cool the effects would be if the old iron bridge was still in place... You could zip-tie light tubes to the trusses and the whole thing would light up!