(Update: A video of the Roger Blough passing the West Pier under this bridge. I'm learning that it is an older boat because it has the bridge and crew quarters on the bow instead of the stern. There is also quite a bit of ice in the canal.)
From Michigan to Ontario, the International Bridge consists of a lift bridge for Locks 1 and 2, a dual-leaf Strauss Bascule for Locks 3 and 4, and a swing bridge over the Canadian lock. The four American locks are known collectively as the Soo Locks.
Before I do the individual bridges, here is a nice overview. The road bridge that is in the background of many of these photos is the International Bridge.
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| safe_image for Tribute to James Baughn |
They kept adding movable spans to the 1887 bridge.
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| Wayne Jolicoeur posted |
But a lot of the spans are still fixed.
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| Wayne Jolicoeur posted The International Railroad Bridge across the St. Marys River was built in 1887. |
Starting on the Canadian side.
I added the label "bridgeRare" because a double-leaf Strauss heel-trunnion bridge is rare. (Update: there are some double-leaf, heel-trunnion bridges over the Sacramento River in California: e.g. Walnut Grove and Isleton Bridge)
David Kaye posted two photos with the comment: "USCGC Spar down bound in the Soo this evening. 7-16-22"
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| Edward Sewell posted This a swing bridge over the Canadian Lock on the Saint Marys River in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada |
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| James Yarduk posted, cropped CN Railway Swing Bridge. Sault Marie Marie, Ontario Canada. This swing bridge has been in operation since 1895 to span the Canadian shipping canal and link the railway to the United States on the south side of St. Marys River. James Yarduk: Still active. They replaced the main support beams under the railbed about 4 years ago and upgraded the control system. In operation every day during canal season. They leave it in place across the canal in the winter months. [James provided a 3:12 video of it closing in a comment.] |
Roger Riblett shared three photos by James Yarduk.
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| D Eric Davis posted Rotating bridge on the CN line spanning the St Marys River connecting Sault St Marie Ontario Canada with Sault Michigan America. |
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| Frank Szewczyk posted Let’s play bridge, Sault Saint Marie international crossing. |
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| Barry Westhouse commented on Frank's post Barry Westhouse: Yours is a fixed bridge whereas the swing bridge at 1000ft north has more play seen here with the emergency swing dam. |
Joe Granger posted 23 pictures of the Canadian side with the comment:
A few more high quality photos of some of the spans at the International Bridge between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The swing span and trusses are from 1888, built jointly by the Soo Line, DSS&A and Canadian Pacific. The Bascule Bridge, the largest ever built, is from 1919, and the lift bridge was built in 1954 to replace another swing span. The red swing bridge is the last surviving emergency swing dam and still is swung twice a year. The bridge is now owned by CN. The bascule span is not opened anymore as the 3 and 4th lock are currently closed until a new lock is built.....whenever congress approves the funding. The project was approved decades ago, but they haven't released the funding.
Twice a day the bridges are closed for a trainMore postings by Joe: an Oopsie Doodles with the lift span, after an accident with the bascule bridge, one leaf of the bascule being raised., all three movable spans, a video of the lift closing for a train then going back up for a boat, includes some detailed shots of the swing bridges gearing and lock pin, and a set that includes some downstream views of the dam, 9 photos of the swing bridge
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| Dan Barber posted (source) Circa 1909 - Sault Ste. Marie: the Sabin Lock empty. [A nice view of the double-bascule bridge.] |
I added the label "bridgeRare" because a double-leaf Strauss heel-trunnion bridge is rare. (Update: there are some double-leaf, heel-trunnion bridges over the Sacramento River in California: e.g. Walnut Grove and Isleton Bridge)
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| Eric Brighton posted This rare 'Double Leaf Heel Trunnion Bridge' was built by the Strauss Bascule Bridge Company for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1919. It was the longest bridge of its kind in the world at 336 feet. The crossing spanned the U.S. Ship Canal in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. |
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| Eric Brighton commented on his post Disaster strikes the bridge in 1941. Ray Schloss Eric Brighton hellava handbrake on that boxcar! |
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| Al Miller posted On Oct. 7, 1941, the bascule bridge above the Soo Locks malfunctioned, sending a locomotive and tender into the water, drowning two men and shutting down access to two locks. This is the view of the bridge some time later as seen from the upbound Governor Miller. The wrecking tug Favorite, seen here, raised the locomotive and was able to get traffic moving in several days. |
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| Richard Wicklund posted |
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| USACE, Detroit District posted A series of railroad bridges cross the western end of the #SooLocks facility connecting Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan with its nearest neighbor, Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario. #OTD [Jan 26] in 1922, workers make repairs to the Bascule Bridge. Originally built in 1888, the International Railroad Bridge had several sections replaced over the years with the construction of new locks and canals. The bascule bridge featured in this image opened in 1913 and carries two trains a day over the upper approach canal of the Davis and Sabin Locks. |
David E McNeill posted two photos with the comment: "Jack Knife Bridge - Sault Ste Marie"
Tim Shanahan shared
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| David Kaye posted Today started out with a nice surprise as the Alpena passed through the Soo on the way to Superior, WI. 10-25-21 David Kaye shared |
Brian Wellwood posted 13 photos of boats using the American locks. I include the two that show the bridges in the open position.
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Bill Suggitt posted six photos, some of which have the bridges in the background, with the comment: "Manitowoc's working the Soo Locks, Sault Ste Marie, Mi."
Joe Granger posted 16 photos with the comment:
Joe Granger posted nine photos with the comment:
Joe Granger posted two images with the comment: "The old swing span over the American canal at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and showing the new lift span being constructed piggy back during the winter when the Soo Locks are closed. 1888 built jointly by Soo Line and CP."
Joe Granger posted two photos with the comment: "Last days of the Soo Line in its namesake city, Sault Ste. Marie. Crossing the worlds largest bascule (1913) and the 1960 lift span. 1985."
Three of the photos posted by David Kaye with the comment: "Another frosty morning in the Soo. 3-8-19."
While catching some boats, David caught the Strauss trunnion bridge operating.
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| Billy Hanners commented on Bill's posting View from Tower of History. |
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| Joe Granger posted Sault Ste Marie Michigan. Taken today [6-24-2017] during the bridge walk. Worlds largest draw bridge. Former Soo Line now CN |
Scanning old photos. Most from 97. The bascule is the largest ever built. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Former Soo and DSS&A.Bill Wischer Actually, it's a double Strauss heal trunnion bridge, which is quite rare- there's one in Sweden crossing a canal as well. Strauss designed 100 bridges- the last of which is the Golden Gate Bridge.
The entire bridge has a swing, double bascule and a lift span, as well as 9 trusses.
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| Joe Granger posted Building the new Soo Line lift bridge at the Soo piggyback on the old swing span. |
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| Joe Granger posted One of two massive counterweights on the worlds largest bascule bridge. Soo Line DSS&A and CP jointly built. Now CN. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. |
1888 trusses, 1911 Bascule and 1954 lift span. Taken by a friend from a 1000’ freighter having just come through the Soo Locks and passing into Lake Superior.
Originally built by the Soo Line and Canadian Pacific jointly, there’s also a swing span out of frame on the 2 mile long series of bridges between Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.
The bascule bridge is 338’ long and the largest bascule bridge ever built.
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| Joe Granger posted Sault Ste Marie, Michigan Dennis DeBruler So they closed the road bridge to traffic so pedestrians could use it? What an opportunity to take photos. Joe Granger Dennis DeBruler this was the bridge walk. Once a year. [The photo was taken in June.] |
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| Joe commented on his post Dennis DeBruler In the background it looks like there is still an operating blast furnace. That is becoming more rare in North America. https://www.google.com/.../@46.5199358,-84.../data=!3m1!1e3 Joe Granger Dennis DeBruler Canada’s largest steel mill Algoma |
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| Joe Granger posted
Worlds largest bascule. 1913 and 339’ long. Jointly built by Soo Line and Canadian Pacific. Now operated by Canadian National. Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
I took this in 1997.
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| Carlton Crasher commented on Joe's post Taken November of '18 |
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| Gerald Vilenski posted International Railroad Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, showing a freighter passing underneath, date unknown... Art Gage Not just a freighter, the Alpena one of the oldest ones still sailing. |
Three of the photos posted by David Kaye with the comment: "Another frosty morning in the Soo. 3-8-19."
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The many trusses north of the movable spans
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| David Kaye posted CSL Welland in the Poe Lock Patches Croteau shared Jimmy Polnick: Hey that's the Sault internation train bridge! That's my backyard lol there is like 5 different types of bridge in that span. A lift, a bascule, a swing, a plate girder over pass and 9 camelback spans. It was built in like 1893 or so. At one point it was 2 swing bridges, a plate girder overpass and 13 or so camelback a but the expansion of the Sault locks resulted in one swing bridge (on USA side) to get replaced by a vertical lift bridge. They actually built the vertical on-top of the swing bridge so the amount of time it was down would be minimized. |
Another view that shows the fixed spans part of the bridge is long.
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| USACE, Detroit District posted Spring usually arrives a little later in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan compared to the rest of the country. OTD [Apr 27] in 1923, crews clear ice in the upper approaches of the North Canal to prepare for the May 1 opening of the 1923 Navigation Season. |
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| One of four photos posted by Sarter Marine Towing |
While catching some boats, David caught the Strauss trunnion bridge operating.
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| David Kaye posted USGS Research Vessel Kiyi downbound in the Soo Lock Canal. 7-16-22 David Kaye shared |
David Kaye posted two photos with the comment: "USCGC Spar down bound in the Soo this evening. 7-16-22"
David Kaye shared
Dennis DeBruler: And you caught the Strauss trunnion bridge moving.
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| Al Miller posted The second Monday of each month is our day to enjoy the photos that appeared in the "Do You Remember . . ." feature that appeared in almost every issue of Pittsburgh Sidelights magazine. These photos show two significant bridge accidents. The photos at left show the results of the package steamer Troy striking the swing span of the Interstate Bridge that linked Duluth and Superior. The wreckage trapped numerous vessels in St. Louis Bay until another span could be removed to open a new channel. The accident at the Soo, shown at right, blocked downbound vessels for several days until the spans could be opened. These photos appeared in the April 1955 issue. |
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| Don Geske commented on Al's post Another picture with more information |
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| Don Geske commented on Al's post Here is an original newspaper article from October 7, 1941 of the Sault Ste. Marie railroad bridge accident. |
(new window) A video making me appreciate the draw bridges around here are a lot faster.
"Built in 1919 , this 339’ behemoth still holds the world record for largest draw span. It is one of several spans on the International Railroad Bridge between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It was jointly built by the Soo Line, Duluth South Sore & Atlantic, and the Canadian Pacific"
Joe Granger posted 6 closeups of the two US RR bridges with the comment: "Some photos of the 1945 Art Deco-ish machinery house and the worlds largest draw bridge (1913) at Sault Ste. Marie"
Joe Granger posted a video of the bridges (and dams) from the perspective of a bus ride after a tour was over.
A 2x video of a laker going upbound under the bridge (source).
Joe Granger posted 8 photos of the lift bridge.
Joe Granger posted five photos of a CN train using a leased BNSF unit crossing the bridge.
Joe Granger posted 28 photos of the Canadian side including the emergency swing dam.
Joe Granger posted 9 photos from someone on a 1000-footer.
David Kayne posted 10 photos of a BNSF train crossing the bridges on 3-19-19.
A video of a train crossing the bridge. The train appears are 0:30.
"Built in 1919 , this 339’ behemoth still holds the world record for largest draw span. It is one of several spans on the International Railroad Bridge between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It was jointly built by the Soo Line, Duluth South Sore & Atlantic, and the Canadian Pacific"
Joe Granger posted 6 closeups of the two US RR bridges with the comment: "Some photos of the 1945 Art Deco-ish machinery house and the worlds largest draw bridge (1913) at Sault Ste. Marie"
Joe Granger posted a video of the bridges (and dams) from the perspective of a bus ride after a tour was over.
A 2x video of a laker going upbound under the bridge (source).
Joe Granger posted 8 photos of the lift bridge.
Joe Granger posted five photos of a CN train using a leased BNSF unit crossing the bridge.
Joe Granger posted 28 photos of the Canadian side including the emergency swing dam.
Joe Granger posted 9 photos from someone on a 1000-footer.
David Kayne posted 10 photos of a BNSF train crossing the bridges on 3-19-19.
A video of a train crossing the bridge. The train appears are 0:30.
17 drone photos with the bridges up and down and a video of the bascule going down The video includes a couple of USACE dredgers working on the canal to the new lock. In this case, the dredgers are excavators working from barges. In the background, a downbound is leaving the Poe Lock while an upbound is waiting by the wall. An upbound sat in the MacArthur Lock for the entire duration of the video.
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