Industrial History: CSX/NYC's Strauss Trunnion Bridge over Erie Canal at Tonawanda, NY

Thursday, January 28, 2016

CSX/NYC's Strauss Trunnion Bridge over Erie Canal at Tonawanda, NY

(Bridge Hunter, could not find it in Historic Bridges, Satellite, Bird's Eye View)

New York is generally out of my turf, but I'm a sucker for Strauss railroad bridges.

Douglas Butler sketched what it would look like partially open.

Cleveland State University Library Book from Bridge Hunter

Street View

Thomas Trumeter posted three photos with the comment: "This railroad bridge spans Tonowanda Creek near Buffalo. Trying to figure out what appears to be a counter balance and what it does? One of the more unusual bridges I have ever seen."

Frank Garon shared Brian R. Wroblewski's photo

Frank's comment:

Nice shot of one of the NYC Towers in Tonowanda/North Tonowanda NY. My guess is EL-2 but I could be wrong. Anybody know for sure and also when this one was closed?

Brian's comment:

Steel beams for the new (then) Rt. 384 bridge over the Erie Canal in Tonawanda being built during the 1950s'. In the background is the New York Central lift bridge & interlocking tower. This bridge still exists today, but the tower is long gone. It originally had steam power to lift it, but was only tested & never lifted for any vessel traffic.

Lee Gorcheck posted
Erie canal buffalo ny...this one only drew back twice in it's lifetime--built in 1919..
Peter Benham: The lift mechanism was removed in a WWII scrap drive.
When it was planned, there was a possibility that an American link between Lakes Erie and Ontario was going to be necessary.

Lee Gorcheck posted
The 4th of july in buffalo ny... [Actually, Tonawanda, NY]

Jeff Picka posted

Counterweight to the New York Central (and possibly LV) bridge over the Erie Canal between Tonawanda and Noth Tonawanda NY. 

This bridge served local NYC trains from Buffalo to Niagara Falls, some Michigan Central trains from Detroit that went through Niagara Falls, and Lehigh Valley / Grand Trunk service from Toronto, Hamilton, and Niagara Falls to Depew, Sayre, Wilkes-Barre, Allentown, Bethlehem, and either Reading Terminal in Philadelphia or Penn Station in NYC. 

The bridge is locked down, and so a good part of the structure is dedicated to holding up this block of concrete.

Dan Eff: I live in Chicago, and there's a bascule bridge on the Chicago River just like this thats locked in the UP position. It cant be lowered because a high rise was built up against it.
[Lee Gorcheck added several photos of this bridge in the comments]

Joe Dockrill shared

Dennis DeBruler commented on Dan's comment
UP lowers it once a year and runs a hi-rail truck over it. This photo was posted by Mike Welch in 2015. The reason they do that is to maintain an active status for the RoW. I have not seen an explanation of why they maintain an active status since it is now a route to nowhere.