Grand Rapids Swing Bridge

Grand Rapids Swing Bridge
turntable of the bridge
Coordinates 42°57′29″N 85°40′50″W / 42.95806°N 85.68056°W / 42.95806; -85.68056Coordinates: 42°57′29″N 85°40′50″W / 42.95806°N 85.68056°W / 42.95806; -85.68056
Carries Amtrak, CSX
Crosses Grand River
Locale Grand Rapids, Michigan
Other name(s) Pere Marquette/C&O/CSX Railroad Bridge
Preceded by Chicago and West Michigan Railroad Bridge 1882
Characteristics
Design swing Pratt truss
Material steel
Width 30 feet
No. of spans 4
Clearance above 19.2 feet at low water, closed
History
Constructed by American Bridge Company
Construction start 1901/1902/1908/1922
Construction end 1901/1903/1908/1922

The Grand Rapids Swing Bridge is a four span Pratt truss railroad swing bridge in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was built in 1902 for the Pere Marquette Railroad as a swing bridge to allow steamboats to pass up the Grand River, but this river traffic was discontinued in 1907.[1] The turntable is rusted shut and currently inoperable.[2] Originally it was built as a double track bridge, but one set of tracks has been removed. The bridge itself is still in use, and carries an Amtrak train which runs from the Amtrak station just east of the bridge, as well as CSX freight trains. In crossing the Grand River, it touches the south end of a small island.

References

  1. "Grand Rapids Swing Bridge". Historic Bridges. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  2. Bajema, Carl. "Grand Rapids Railroad Bridges Spanning the Grand River". Archived from the original on 3 November 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
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