| Posted by on June 20, 2007 | |
Looks nice - great shot.
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I'm not sure if it ever was swung or it may have been converted from a open deck after it was taken out of service, but you do have a photo of what looks like a rare bird of a bridge there - a ballast deck swing span. Out of the thousands of rail bridges I have seen I don't recall seeing a ballast deck swing bridge - former or active.
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Im gonna have to get this shot Chris! haha
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The deck was probably ballasted after the swing mechanism was decommissioned.
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Climbed on that bridge skipping school the winter of 1976,77. It had ballast then and no mechanism to turn the bridge, other than a big ring gear and pinion which was attached to a hand turn wheel. I can't see this bridge being turned by hand though. There is a bike path now that travels along the Root River and under this bridge so it is accessible. Also the Racine CNW station is just north of this bridge less than a mile on State St.
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