1907 Amtrak Old Saybrook-Old Lyme Bridge over Connecticut River

(Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; HAER; Satellite)

This bridge was originally built by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad.

"This bridge is one of the finest and earliest surviving Scherzer rolling lift bascule bridges and is complimented by a long series of pin-connected truss spans" [HistoricBridges]

Photo taken by Geoff Hubbs in Sep 1976 via Bridge Hunter, Public Domain

David De Lancy, Mar 2021

Rick Barnett posted
The railroad bridge over the Connecticut River at Ferry Point.
Richard Spearrin: Photograph it in the near future. It is ultimately to be taken down in favor of a replacement. AND....the replacement might not be as accessible for photo's as this one!!

A video allows us to get a partially open view. Skip to 1:03 for some action other than getting seasick. When I watched the first part with full screen on my 23" monitor, my brain started getting a little motion sick. Note that the bridge keeps going up long after the boat has passed. I'm glad this bridge tender is not operating a bridge that stops auto traffic. He would create an unnecessary traffic jam. Historic Bridges has another video of the bridge going up.

Screeenshot @ 1:26

Photo 96 is the first of nine photos concerning this bridge.

HAER CONN,5-NEWHA,37--96
96. Connecticut River Bridge. Old Lyme, New London Co., CT. Sec. 4209, MP 106.89. - Northeast Railroad Corridor, Amtrak Route between New York/Connecticut & Connecticut/Rhode Island State Lines, New Haven, New Haven County, CT

A copy of another of the HAER photos because it provides a closeup of the movable span.

HAER CONN,5-NEWHA,37--103
103. Connecticut River Bridge draw span. Old Lyme, New London Co., CT. Sec. 4209, MP 106.89. - Northeast Railroad Corridor, Amtrak Route between New York/Connecticut & Connecticut/Rhode Island State Lines, New Haven, New Haven County, CT

Lucibello Heavy Equipment photography posted four photos with the comment: "Another big rail bridge job in Connecticut getting ready to kick off. O&G and Tutor Perini are in a 1.3 billion dollar joint venture to replace the Amtrak Connecticut River bridge. The existing bridge was opened 1907 and is roughly 1500 feet long. Obviously with over a 100 years of service it is starting to show its age! The new bridge will be comparable in size and still have an opening draw bridge section, but will allow trains to travel at 70mph compared to the current allowed speed of 45mph. Currently the project is in the mobilization phase and is scheduled to be completed in 2031."

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1 of 10 photos posted by Lucibello Heavy Equipment photography
Work has begun at the new Connecticut River Amtrak bridge. Currently equipment is being mobilized to the project. Core sampling has begun to determine soil stability and rock depth ahead of pile driving. One modular barge setup, with self elevating spuds and a coring drill, has already made its way out to the bridge and a second one will shortly follow.