Rating:
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PNWR - Willamette River Bridge

Linn County, Oregon, and Lane County, Oregon

Photos 

Photo taken by Tristan G.

Enlarge

BH Photo #255697

Map 

Street View 

Facts 

Overview
Vertical lift bridge over Willamette River on Portland and Western Railroad (PNWR)
Location
Linn County, Oregon, and Lane County, Oregon
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built Ca. 1910
Builder
- Waddell & Harrington of Kansas City, Missouri (Engineering Firm)
Railroads
- Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W)
- Interurban
- Oregon Electric Railway (OER)
- Portland & Western Railroad (PNWR)
- Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway (SPS)
Design
Abandoned Vertical lift with two Pratt through truss, two steel through girder and two large trestle approach spans.
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 200.0 ft.
Total length: 2,020.0 ft. (0.4 mi.)
Deck width: 15.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+44.24804, -123.17628   (decimal degrees)
44°14'53" N, 123°10'35" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
10/485925/4899437 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Junction City
Inventory number
BH 51757 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

7-panel truss (584)
A-frame portal (562)
Built 1910 (1,260)
Built during 1910s (10,288)
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (81)
Have street view (30,595)
Interurban (1,086)
Lane County, Oregon (137)
Linn County, Oregon (63)
Movable (3,195)
Navigable waterway (2,256)
Open (41,564)
Oregon (1,340)
Oregon Electric Railway (9)
 Owned by railroad (14,333)
Portland & Western Railroad (28)
Pratt through truss (6,455)
Pratt truss (10,915)
Railroad (17,179)
Span Drive Vertical Lift (90)
Span length 175-250 feet (2,139)
Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway (76)
Through truss (19,327)
Total length 1000-2500 feet (2,063)
Truss (38,720)
Vertical lift (431)
Waddell & Harrington (48)
Willamette River (64)

Update Log 

  • August 18, 2020: New Street View added by Geoff Hubbs
  • June 7, 2013: Updated by Luke Harden: Added categories "Oregon Electric Railway", "Navigable waterway", "Interurban"
  • March 20, 2012: Added by Michael Goff

Related Bridges 

Sources 

  • Mike Goff - michael [dot] goff [at] hotmail [dot] com
  • Luke
  • Douglas Butler
  • Geoff Hubbs
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Comments 

PNWR - Willamette River Bridge
Posted August 18, 2020, by Cory Gant (info [at] gantinspections [dot] com)

July 26, 2020.

Is there a way to view the Register-Guard article about this rail line and bridge?

PNWR - Willamette River Bridge
Posted August 18, 2020, by Cory Gant (info [at] gantinspections [dot] com)

My family has floated this section of river three times this summer. We have been very curious on why there would be a draw bridge in this area. I will post some photos from our first float (2020).

P.N.W.R. - Willamette River Bridge
Posted June 10, 2013, by Mike Goff (michael [dot] goff [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Tristan,

Thanks for the information on these Willamette River crossings. I keep meaning to schedule a kayak trip to these structures, but time never seems to be on my side.

P.N.W.R. - Willamette River Bridge
Posted June 7, 2013, by Tristan G. (pnwtrains [at] gmail [dot] com)

Since there's very little information and no pictures of this bridge on here yet (or of the parallel former SP swing span one beside it because they're nearly impossible to photograph) I would just like to add; this bridge was originally built by the Oregon Electric, an intercity trolly company in the early 20th century. Most of OE's rails have long been ripped up after the company closed, but this part of their former line (which directly parallels the ex-SP [now UP] Brooklyn mainline from Eugene to Harrisburg and then diverges)survived as a competing freight line. It is currently owned by BNSF and leased to PNWR. According to a Register Guard archived article, the lift span was never fully operational which prevented potential steam boats from reaching Eugene via the Willamette. I've included two pictures of the bridge I was able to take from the parallel bridge on Amtrak Cascades #507. (photo date: 6/5/2013)