1930 Cotter and 1905 MNA/MoPac/SIMS Bridges over White River at Cotter, AR

Cotter: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; HAER; Satellite)

MoPac: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

MNA = Missouri & Northern Arkansas

SIMS = St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern

Street View, Jul 2023

Bridges Now and Then posted
Cotter Bridge, Flippin, Arkansas. (Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.)
HAER ARK,3-COT,1--5
5. VIEW OF CENTER SPAN OF BRIDGE FROM RIVERBED, LOOKING SOUTHWEST - Cotter Bridge, Spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR

"Significance: The Cotter Bridge is the only bridge in Arkansas known to be designed and engineered by the Marsh Engineering Company, a significant twentieth-century bridge-building company. Among the largest they ever designed, it is also an excellent example of the company's patented Marsh Rainbow Arch. A unique feature of the bridge is that it was constructed by means of a cableway, suspended across the river, over which all materials were transported to various parts ofthe structure. The Cotter Bridge was instrumental in making accessible a new region of the Ozarks, an important recreational area in the United States. It became Arkansas' first National Civil Engineering Landmark in 1986." [HAER_data, at the end of that webpage are some blueprints for this bridge]

Fredrick Garcia via BridgeHunter_Cotter

Street View, Jul 2023

HAER ARK,3-COT,1--4
4. LOOKING NORTHEAST, GENERAL VIEW OF BRIDGE

HAER ARK,3-COT,1--10
10. VIEW OF BRIDGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, SHOWING CENTRAL ARCH AND PIERS, WITH CABLEWAY ABOVE AND TOWER ON BACKGROUND

HistoricBridges_Cotter

"While the nearby state of Kansas may have the greatest quantity of surviving Marsh type rainbow arch bridges in the country, it is this single surviving example in Arkansas that is ironically also the greatest Marsh arch bridge. This bridge's impressive height over the waterway, enormous arch spans over the river (complimented by a single small arch span over railroad tracks), and the overall multi-span layout of this bridge that all combine to form what is the most impressive and historically significant Marsh rainbow arch bridge in the entire country. In a very real sense this bridge also represents the ultimate aesthetic potential of concrete in bridge construction. From every angle that this bridge is viewed it projects a profound beauty that is unmatched in more simple concrete bridge forms.

"Beautifully preserved, this bridge remains in good condition today. Repairs and replacements made, such as railing and lighting, are respective of the original bridge design."

[This is one of the few bridges that HistoricBridges rates with two 10s.]

MoPac Swing Bridge

The swing span is now over an island! I wonder how much further upstream steamboats used to travel on this river.

Street View, Jun 2014

Back when the channel was under the swing span.

Photo by Fredrick Garcia via BridgeHunter_MoPac

Photo by Nicky Elmore via BridgeHunter_MoPac

HistoricBridges_MoPac
"This bridge is unusual because it is fairly high above normal water level for a swing bridge. Most boats would be able to fit under this bridge. Today, the bridge is even more unusual because with trees growing under one of the swing span arms, and shallow water under the other, it is clear this river has not been navigable for large boats for a very long time!"

1931 McBee Rainbow Bridge over Holston River in Mascot, TN

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

The 785' (239m) long bridge has a main span of 222.5' (68m). "This bridge is among the largest rainbow arch bridges in the country. However this is not the only thing that makes it stand out; it is also extremely massive with enormous arch ribs. Among rainbow arch bridges it is also extremely rare for its skew. The bridge is a tied arch or bowstring type rainbow arch. It retains excellent historic integrity and appears to be in good condition despite heavy traffic including truck traffic. The bridge is the only rainbow arch bridge in Tennessee." [HistoricBridges]

2008 Photo by Calvin Sneed via ArchivedBridgeHunter
"Only example of an Open-Spandrel, Through Arch (Tied Arch--also known as a Bowstring Arch) entirely concrete bridge in Tennessee. Commonly referred to as a Rainbow Bridge."

Street View, Aug 2023

Wayne Wood posted
The McBee Ferry Bridge spanning the Holston River in Mascot, TN (just outside Knoxville) . It is a concrete through arch bridge named for the ferry it replaced.

Bridge Collapse in Cranston, RI

(Satellite)

The railing (parapet wall) fell down on the Amtrak tracks blocking all of them. There were no injuries. But there was a lot of service interruptions.

8:06 video @ 0:37

It was the south parapet wall on the ramp from westbound RI-10 to northbound I-95 that fell. That is why that ramp is now closed.

Satellite

A follow-up video.

6:04 video @ 1:45

2:40 video @ 1:06
Professional engineer shares insight into on-ramp barrier collapse
The wall was installed by Amtrak, and Amtrak is supposed to maintain it.

NS/N&W Bridge over New River at Radford, VA

(Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Street View, Aug 2022

Eastern Rails Photography posted
With a fresh crew onboard, specially painted Norfolk Southern AC44C6M 4001 is in charge of westbound manifest 127 as it crosses over the New River in Radford, VA on an unseasonably warm autumn afternoon. 10/28/23
Roger Allen: What does the first engine's new paint job represent?
Eastern Rails Photography: Roger Allen 4000 & 4001 wear this special paint scheme to designate the units as prototypes for the DC to AC conversion program - which now has about 800 units!

Street View, Oct 2024

Abandoned in Virginia posted three photos with the comment: "The old New River bridge that was burned down during the Civil War. New bridge built right next to where the old stone pillars still stand!"

Jessica Johnson-Whitaker: This is not actually true - the pillars from tbt old bridge that was burned was used to build the one they use now. The other pillars are the remains of another trestle project Norfolk Southern was trying to build but abandoned it.

Randall Hampton shared with the commet: "Radford, VA."

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Brick Lincoln Highway (US-30) Segments between Mansfield and Ashland, OH

West Curve: (Satellite, Jim's coordinates)

East Curve: (Satellite, see street view below. It is just east of the bridge and south of the road.)

Lincoln Highway Overview

Street View, Jun 2024

Street View, Jun 2024

Joe Belcastro posted four photos with the comment: "Between Ashland Ohio and Mansfield."

Randy Keys: Exactly where is this? I grew up in Ashland and never heard about it.

Joe Belcastro: Randy Keys if you are traveling North on 42 from Mansfield turn left on 1688 and it's on left a few miles out. You can't miss it.

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Jim Roepke commented on Joe's post
On the same road a little closer to Mansfield.

Here the Google Maps coordinates

40°49'07.7"N 82°24'54.4"W

This is another example of where today's US-30 takes a much more direct route across the country than the Lincoln Highway originally took. The goal of the highway back then was to connect existing towns rather than a speedy trip across the country. So the original route probably went from Wooster to Ashland and then to Mansfield.

Satellite

But why was it on 1688 and Windsor Road? Because the Black Fork Mohican River was not drained as well as it is today. Or else there was a mill dam that has since been removed.

1908/1948 Ashland Quad @ 62,500

1940 Fort Peck Dam Danger

Dam: (Satellite)

Spillway: (Satellite)

Power Plant: (Satellite)

 

The earthen dam suffered two landslides during construction. The first one happened early with a designed slope of 1:1. The slope was changed to 1:3, and construction continued. The second happened near completion because the weak shale bedrock failed. They convened the design committee, and they concluded that the dam should be fixed and completed. These screenshots are of the second landslide.

28:04 video @ 23:34
Fort Peck Dam Construction

@ 23:50

The power plant is on the left. I don't know why the buildings are so tall. If they are surge tanks, they are awful big.

Street View, Jun 2023

The consulted expert blames the big landslide during construction on the use of hydraulic fill rather than on the shale that deteriorated when exposed to weather. Thus, he says the dam could fail again. If Fort Peck Dam breaks, the deluge of water could break the big downstream dams. This would flood St. Louis with a lot more water than the 1993 flood.

4:44 video @ 2:12
When the dam breaks: 'Flawed' dam may threaten St. Louis area
"BECAUSE OF DAMAGE FROM EARTHQUAKES IN THE 1970, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA REQUIRED ALL HYDRAULIC FILLED DAMS BE TORN DOWN OR REBUILT. NO OTHER LARGE DAMS HAVE BEEN BUILT THAT WAY SINCE."

Mark Sepolio Photography posted two photos with the comment: "This the Spillway... Although The Fort Peck Dam in Montana: It is the largest hydraulically filled dam in the United States and creates Fort Peck Lake, the fifth largest artificial lake in the U.S. The dam is over 250 feet [76m] in height and 21,026 feet [6.4km, 4 miles] in length. What’s more, the dam was constructed not only for flood control but also to create jobs during the Great Depression. At its peak in 1936, it provided 10,456 jobs. Isn’t that fascinating?"

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Gus Copenhaver commented on the above post
Now you're in my familys' part of Mt.

Jo, Nov 2022

Jo, Nov 2022

Shreya07 posted

Fort Peck Dam

Fort Peck Dam is one of the largest earth-fill dams in the world, located in northeastern Montana on the Missouri River. Built during the Great Depression, it stands as a landmark of American engineering and New Deal–era public works.

Construction and History

Construction began in 1933 and was completed in 1940 as part of large federal projects designed to create jobs and modernize infrastructure. Thousands of workers came to the remote plains to build the massive structure, turning the project into a major historical chapter for the region.

At the time, it was among the biggest dam projects ever attempted in the U.S.

Size and Engineering

Fort Peck Dam is over 21,000 feet (6,400 m) long and about 250 feet (76 m) high. Unlike concrete dams, it is made primarily of compacted earth and rock, which required enormous volumes of material and careful design.

Fort Peck Lake

The dam created Fort Peck Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes in the United States. The lake stretches for more than 130 miles and has a shoreline longer than California’s coast.

Purpose

Fort Peck Dam serves multiple roles:

Hydroelectric power generation

Flood control along the Missouri River

Water storage and river management

Recreation and tourism

Recreation and Wildlife

The area around the lake is known for outdoor activities such as:

Fishing for walleye, pike, and bass

Boating and camping

Wildlife watching

It is managed in part by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees dam operations and recreation areas.

Why It Matters

Fort Peck Dam is both an engineering achievement and a historical symbol of the New Deal era. Today it continues to provide power, manage water, and support recreation in the northern Great Plains.

This image is small because it may be AI generated.

History Old Photos posted
It was a crisp autumn day on October 10, 1936, at the massive construction site of Fort Peck Dam in northeastern Montana. Dozens of workers swarmed over the enormous circular steel liner — a giant diversion tunnel section designed so that one-fourth of the mighty Missouri River would eventually flow through it during the dam’s construction. Men in work clothes and caps balanced on scaffolding and internal spokes, welding, bolting, and guiding the massive structure into place with ropes and tools. The huge steel cylinder dominated the scene, dwarfing the workers and highlighting the incredible scale of this New Deal engineering project. Built to tame the Missouri River, provide jobs during the Great Depression, and bring flood control and navigation to the region, Fort Peck Dam was one of the largest earth-filled dams in the world. This iconic photograph by Margaret Bourke-White captured both the raw power of American industry and the human effort behind it.

Cayla Jasske commented on the above post
This is a real photo……don’t think this post is…another AI

Museum/Pocahontas Coal Mine and 1883 Aban/N&W #1, #2 & #3Tunnels near Pocahontas, VA

Museum/Coal Mine: (Satellite)

Tunnel #1: (Satellite, I used a road map because the trees hide Laurel Fork in the satellite image.)

Tunnel #2: (Satellite, I based the locations on the topo map below.)

Tunnel #3 (Western Branch): (Satellite)

Pocahontas was a company town for the adjacent mine, and the tunnels are on the 4.5-mile branch that N&W built to serve the coal mines.

The tunnels were built in 1883 and Tunnel #2 was reinforced with concrete in 1915. [AbandonedOnline (This web page has a map of the three tunnels.)]

Museum/Pocahontas Coal Mine

Karin Nordlander, Jun 2025

Street View, Jun 2024

"The Southwest Virginia Improvement Company opened Pocahontas Mine No. 1, the first to exploit the rich seams of the Pocahontas Coalfield, in 1882. An extension of the Norfolk and Western Railway soon followed, bringing industrial development to Southwest Virginia and linking it to Norfolk. The mine brought a mix of ethnic groups from neighboring states and Europe to the area, including African Americans, Hungarians, Italians, Russians, Germans, and Welsh. Miners produced about 1,000 tons of coal a day by 1883 In 1938, a closed section of the mine opened as the nation’s first Exhibition Coal Mine, which educated visitors about the industry. Mining operations ceased in 1955." [hmdb]

Tunnel #1, 201' (61m)

reddit
sgernabcaga comment:

The Pocahontas Branch, located near Pocahontas, Virginia, is a defunct 4.5-mile coal-hauling rail line that spans approximately 4½ miles. The branch includes the Pocahontas No. 1 and No. 2 Tunnel (the third and fourth tunnels before part of the branch line became the main line), which were constructed in 1883. One of the last coal preparation plants on the line closed in 1974. While plans were to utilize the abandoned line for tourist train purposes, it never materialized.

I've posted more photos and history of the branch line here.

BridgesTunnels

"The Pocahontas Branch served only four coal operations, split evenly between the Pocahontas Fuel Company and Pocahontas Big Vein Coal Company. 2 Pocahontas Fuel operated its original No. 1 mine in Pocahontas until October 13, 1955. 1 2 During its reign of 73 years, it produced more than 44 million tons of coal. The preparation plant in Boissevain operated until the early 1970s, while another facility in Pocahontas was open until 1974. The rail line was mothballed afterward, preserved in the event another mine would be developed in the vicinity."

Tunnel #2, 366' (111.6m)

Facebook Reel

Tunnel #3, 90' (24.4m)

This source says the tunnel was only 37' (11.3m) long. There were 22 bridges on the N&W branch along the Laurel Creek.

Mark Petrishen posted six photos with the comment: "Pocahontas Tunnel #3. Pocahontas, Va. 80 feet long.  Former N&W R.R. This is across from the old high school behind the tennis/basketball court. Most people don't not know about this one."

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All Tunnels

1968 Anawalt and 1962 Bramwell Quads @ 24,000

I looked for a Google Earth image that had less tree leaves. The red line on the right is #1, and the line near the center bottom is #2.

Google Earth, Dec 2003 plus Paint

The town's website brags about being ATV friendly.