Yes, at Larabee's Point on the Addison Branch. It provided a link to the D&H in NY. It also dumped a train once or twice!

Rob

Thanks Rob. Any photos exist of that Rutland bridge?


Les

Have a stiff drink before looking at what happened to her (the disturbing pics are at the bottom of this link): http://steamboats.com/museum/thepresident.html


Rob

Yes, there are a few on this site: http://vuhs.org/arrhs/arrgal.htm


Rob

Thanks Rob. Boy, Rutland Mogul #145 sitting on the turntable sure would have made a nice tourist line engine! Interesting that the original USRA saved the pontoon bridge for a few years of additional use. I'm a bit confused. When the bridge was finally taken out of service, did the Rutland's line into New York get abandoned?

Les

Hi Les,

Yes, when the bridge was taken out, the Addison Branch ended at the shoreline on the Vermont side and stayed that way for another 30 years or so (it would have made a great tourist road... light grades, a covered bridge, many depots, creameries...)

The D&H also interchanged with the Rutland in Rutland, so the line across the lake was not needed.

Rob

The second Mississippi River pontoon bridge was on the Wabasha to Eau Claire branch of the Milwaukee, between Wabasha, MN and Trevino, WI. The site of the bridge, in service from 1882 to 1952, is often given as Reads (or Reeds) Landing, MN just north of Wabasha. After the bridge was abandoned, Milwaukee Road trains to Eau Claire crossed the river on the Winona Bridge Railway and used Burlington Route trackage rights from East Winona, WI to Trevino.

Details at the following site: http://www.johnweeks.com/river_mississippi/pagesA/umissAR08.html

These pontoon bridges are interesting. One of the texts I saw on the Milwaukee Road bridge at Marquette/Prairie du Chien said that they were "labor intensive". I wonder how many workers were employed by the Milwaukee at those bridges? In the photo of the Steamboat President passing the open bridge, I thought that there were two employees on the piling on the right side of the opening, but looking again, I'm now not sure that that is what I'm seeing as my computer screen isn't that large. Also, it was described that the Rutland bridge over Lake Champlain was "pivoted" like a door. I wonder if the Milwaukee Road bridges were also so configured? Finally, the little steam "barge" that operated the pontoon bridge, is not really viewable in the photos I've seen. I wonder just how that was configured into the bridges? Lots of questions; any answers?

Les