BNSF/Oregon Trunk Bridge over Columbia River at Wishram, WA

(Bridge Hunter, Satellite)

Satellite, it looks like most of the tracks are still present.)

This web site about an historical marker has several photos of this bridge.

A Roger Puta photo from Flickr

Update:

Ross Kroenert posted
Columbia River, Wisham WA May 2016

Kirtus Dolorina posted
Burlington Northern Railroad by John F. Bjorklund - Center for Railroad Photography & Art

 

Viral Media posted

Oregon Trunk Rail Bridge 1912

View of the Oregon Trunk Rail Bridge across the Columbia River near Wishram Washington. The photograph is taken from the tracks on the Washington side of the bridge looking south through the trusses. The bridge is also known as the Celilo Bridge.

The Oregon Trunk Railway Bridge, constructed in 1911, was the first structure to cross this spectacular gorge. Prior to construction the only crossing of the Crooked River in this region was located about a mile upstream, where the canyon's sheer basalt walls begin tapering gradually into the surrounding landscape.

In the early 1900's, railroad tycoons James J. Hill of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway (SP&S) and Edward Harriman of the Union Pacific began a fierce battle to open central Oregon rail traffic. This battle, one of the greatest in railroad history, played out in the courts, where the SP&S triumphed. The Oregon Trunk Railway, a subsidiary of the SP&S, ran from Celilo Falls on the Columbia to Bend - James Hill was on hand in Bend on October 5, 1911 to drive a "Golden Spike" celebrating the line's official opening.

Oregon Historical Society – 1912 Kiser Photo Co. (Portland, Or.)

Robert Holton posted
It was late in the Great Depression that my Grandmother hurt her back carrying one of my uncles in a mad dash across this bridge over the Columbia near Wishram, WA. where my Grandfather worked in the switchyard for the then SP&S. A miserable town where the timing gear blew out in my 51 chevy on a visit in 1968.

Keith Owen posted five distant shots of a grain train starting across this bridge. But it stopped on the bridge because it lost contact with its DPUs and ended backing up back into Wishram, WA.
Marti Koerner I have always (!) wanted to see a train doing this. I did see an Amtrak one time backing up off on the Washington side. Thank you for these pictures. Where do the trains go once they reach the Oregon side?
Keith Owen The trains head south up the Deschutes River Canyon to Bend and then to Chemult. From Chemult they run on UP rails to Klamath Falls. From Klamath Falls they are on their own rails to Keddie, CA. From Keddie to Stockton they are back on UP. From Stockton to Bakersfield they are back on their own rails. Bakersfield to Mojave (Tehachapi Pass) they are back on UP. From Mojave to Barstow they are back on home rails. Grain trains terminate somewhere south of Sacramento. Manifests continue to Barstow.
Keith Owen First crew change for the train is in Bend. Next is Klamath Falls.

Charles Swope What happens when contact with the DPU's is lost? Do they automatically shut down? I would hope so.
Bill Walker Charles Swope no, goes to idle.

Lisa Eide I love this bridge. The South side has a lift bridge and a swing bridge. The swing bridge hasn't been used in many years and I believe it secured in place.
Keith Owen Lisa Eide The swing span has been fixed in place since The Dalles Dam was built. The operator for the lift span is in Pasco Washington.

Belinda Baxter had a cn train derail inside the tunnel between sarnia ont and port huron mi a year ago due to losing communication with the dpu and they want longer trains and still can’t get communication with those along with the rear end device and conductors radio.

One of seven photos by Duane Hall taken in 1994 posted by Marty Bernard
Marty Bernard shared

Timothy D. Sievern posted via Dennis DeBruler
Burlington Northern Railroad freight yard in Wishram, Washington, on July 18, 1974. Photograph by John F. Bjorklund, © 2015, Center for Railroad Photography and Art. Bjorklund-08-12-05
Richard Olson: Noting the [Oregon Trunk] bridge is down too.
Donald E. Thomas: Richard Olson, according to Wikipedia, the vertical-lift span is usually in the raised position. Perhaps a train was expected when this pic was taken.

Marty Bernard posted 17 photos of a SP 4449 excursion train to Wishram, WA, using the wye at the bridge to turn around. This happened on July 2, 2011. Below are the photos that included the bridge.

a
Passing the bridge.

b
After a pause at Wishram, the train is backing on to the bridge.

c
While the train was on the bridge, an eastbound BNSF freight passes.

d
Leaving the bridge
[Note the barely visible white smoke.]

e
Leaving the bridge
[The fireman has dumped some coal on the fire.]

f
Leaving the bridge

g
Leaving the bridge

h
Backing to Wishram

Amila Prasanna posted
"Coming to work on the Oregon Trunk bridge. Central Oregon, Crooked River. Rope Ladder 320ft high." And here I though roofing was bad. Picture taken around 1905-10
Joe Dockrill shared

A photo of the completed bridge before the Cellio Rapids were buried by the Dalles Dam pool.

Ronald G Hundley Jr: The main falls were to the east of the bridge-many think they were below the bridge.

Mary Ellen Harris: Note that the supporting columns were all on relatively dry ground/rock at that time.

Robert Houtwed shared