It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 10:49 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 43 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE: TOPIC DRI
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 9:47 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:25 pm
Posts: 2329
Location: The Atlantic Coast Line
TOPIC DRIFT WARNING...
The restoration of Battery 519 at Fort Miles in Cape Henlopen State Park is pretty amazing. A dedicating group of volunteers continues to partner with the Delaware State Parks to bring the main bunker back to life. Presently a 12" Army gun stands in for the 16" gun that was originally in place. The bunker now has an HVAC system and improved lighting, and the group is working on permanent exhibits.

Wesley


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:25 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:51 pm
Posts: 11481
Location: Somewhere east of Prescott, AZ along the old Santa Fe "Prescott & Eastern"
Kelly Anderson wrote:
Years ago we were approached by a contractor that was working to rebuild a hand powered railroad swing bridge somewhere on the Delmarva Peninsula. Could it be the same one?


This bridge is, as far as I know, the only hand-cranked drawbridge left on the Delmarva Peninsula, and for all we really know the last still in any kind of active rail service in the U.S. or North America. The only other draw spans I can think of on the Peninsula are at Seaford/Blades and at Pocomoke City, both powered draw mechanisms, and the big lift bridge over the C&D Canal. There was one on the old Baltimore & Eastern to Ocean City, and some others on now-long-gone routes.

This bridge, recently destroyed in a derailment, was the last survivor of an earlier manually-moved drawbridge design popular in southern New Jersey; it had been converted to motorized and then automatic operation before the derailment: http://bridgehunter.com/nj/gloucester/p ... -railroad/

At the risk of thread drift, anyone know of other manually-operated rail draw spans in North America?


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:39 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:25 pm
Posts: 2329
Location: The Atlantic Coast Line
The swing span at Denton, MD is still in place, visible from the MD route 404 bypass. I do not know of its operation system.

Wesley


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:48 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:58 am
Posts: 728
Quote:
At the risk of thread drift, anyone know of other manually-operated rail draw spans in North America?


There is at least one other

While not in service, the Canadian Northern/ Canadian National Sherzer Rolling lift bascule bridge in Smiths Falls, Ontario, still stands over the Rideau Canal.

http://www.rideau-info.com/canal/images ... erzer.html

This bridge was built with DC electric power, but a few years later, when the local electric utility switched to AC, the motor was removed and replaced with a simple hand crank that lasted through its entire service life.

The last train over this bridge ran on 29 April, 1979.

Without the railway to generate revenue to support the expense, RMEO has no interest in taking over the bridge, which is a National Historic Site... note, this does not mean there is any federal financial support to encourage its owners (who are historically sympathetic) to maintain the bridge.

Steve Hunter


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:32 am 

Quote:
At the risk of thread drift, anyone know of other manually-operated rail draw spans in North America?


Not quite sure where it was filmed but there is this godawful kids film called "Trainmaster" which featured a hand crank swing bridge as part of a gag.


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:34 am 

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 3:01 pm
Posts: 1730
Location: SouthEast Pennsylvania
Kelly Anderson wrote:
Years ago we were approached by a contractor that was working to rebuild a hand powered railroad swing bridge somewhere on the Delmarva Peninsula. ... the Babbitting contractor he had hired backed out upon seeing the physical size of the job. We billed him for $5,000. the previous contractor that had backed out, had bid the job at $20,000!
The additional $15,000 in the high bid from the ex-subcontractor probably included removal and reinstallation, transportation to and from your shop, and overhead, markup, taxes, permits, regulatory fees, supervision, and profit.


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:46 am 

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 3:01 pm
Posts: 1730
Location: SouthEast Pennsylvania
Raritan River RR in New Jersey had a manually cranked swing bridge in the early 1980s, but I don't know the present situation.


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:56 am 

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 2:51 pm
Posts: 37
There is a swing bridge still in operation at Walt Disney world.


Attachments:
image.jpg
image.jpg [ 112.33 KiB | Viewed 10399 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:59 am 

Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am
Posts: 2560
Location: Strasburg, PA
JimBoylan wrote:
The additional $15,000 in the high bid from the ex-subcontractor probably included removal and reinstallation, transportation to and from your shop, and overhead, markup, taxes, permits, regulatory fees, supervision, and profit.

Nope, that was for the previous ReBabbitting sub-contractor to do just the work we did.


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:25 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
Posts: 2726
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:
At the risk of thread drift, anyone know of other manually-operated rail draw spans in North America?


The Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR bridge in Louisville still has a manually-operated swing span, though inactive since the 1950s.

It is on the Indiana side of the river, so to use it, one would have to have gone over the Falls of the Ohio, instead of transiting the Louisville & Portland canal and the McAlpine Locks. Must have only been usable during high water.

Still, an impressive swing span, double track to boot.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_alden/6468950215/

_________________
David M. Wilkins

"They love him, gentlemen, and they respect him, not only for himself, for his character, for his integrity and judgment and iron will, but they love him most of all for the enemies he has made."


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 1:37 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:51 pm
Posts: 11481
Location: Somewhere east of Prescott, AZ along the old Santa Fe "Prescott & Eastern"
wilkinsd wrote:
The Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR bridge in Louisville still has a manually-operated swing span, though inactive since the 1950s.


http://bridgehunter.com/ky/jefferson/kirr/

According to this rather expert "wiki" bridge database, it was only opened twice.

And I would challenge the assertion that it was manually opened and closed.


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:13 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
Posts: 2726
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:
wilkinsd wrote:
The Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR bridge in Louisville still has a manually-operated swing span, though inactive since the 1950s.


http://bridgehunter.com/ky/jefferson/kirr/

According to this rather expert "wiki" bridge database, it was only opened twice.

And I would challenge the assertion that it was manually opened and closed.



Just going to have to take my word on the manual nature of the span's operation. I have seen photos from the K&ITs offices which are not avaiable to the general public.

It wasn't located in the main river channel, so it was more of a "wouldn't it be nice" type of operation, when the river was very high that one could go over the Falls of the Ohio without being torn to shreds.

_________________
David M. Wilkins

"They love him, gentlemen, and they respect him, not only for himself, for his character, for his integrity and judgment and iron will, but they love him most of all for the enemies he has made."


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:19 am 

Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:21 am
Posts: 473
Quote:
The easternmost concrete abutment had shifted, and was too close to the end of the bridge in it's closed position.

Quote:
Years ago we were approached by a contractor that was working to rebuild a hand powered railroad swing bridge somewhere on the Delmarva Peninsula.


Here is a fairly recent photo I scarfed from the Internet. It shows the rebuilt bridge with the swivel foundation recast, etc., new paint, and a completely new eastern abutment.


Attachments:
lewesbridge.jpg
lewesbridge.jpg [ 203.85 KiB | Viewed 10199 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2016 10:57 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:51 pm
Posts: 11481
Location: Somewhere east of Prescott, AZ along the old Santa Fe "Prescott & Eastern"
Update:

The Lewes bridge, and the entire line as a result, has been taken out of service account a sinking center pier.

Estimated repair time by the state is three years:

http://www.capegazette.com/article/swin ... air/116980


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Neat Old Manual Crank Swing Bridge, Lewes, DE
PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 1:19 pm 

Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2015 7:28 pm
Posts: 545
Location: Northern WV
I was fortunate enough to ride the spring 1994 excursion over the entire railroad including the swing bridge. Here are a few photos from that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


Attachments:
194b1900.jpg
194b1900.jpg [ 77.35 KiB | Viewed 9643 times ]
194b1910.jpg
194b1910.jpg [ 70.77 KiB | Viewed 9643 times ]
194b1920.jpg
194b1920.jpg [ 65.46 KiB | Viewed 9643 times ]
194b1930.jpg
194b1930.jpg [ 59.42 KiB | Viewed 9643 times ]
194b1940.jpg
194b1940.jpg [ 61.18 KiB | Viewed 9643 times ]
194b1950.jpg
194b1950.jpg [ 52.79 KiB | Viewed 9643 times ]

_________________
Roger Cole
Offline
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 43 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


 Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Evan, Google [Bot] and 118 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: