Industrial History

Saturday, May 17, 2025

1895c1986c Lost/Monon and 1890,2011 Tioga Road Bridges at Monticello, IN

Monon: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

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

Darin Patrick posted four photos with the comment:

Dear Friends. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today often reminds me of my youth and high school track practice.
And our annual St. Patrick’s Day plunge off the Monon Bridge!

During my illustrious high school track career of the mid 80’s, on St. Patrick’s Day the track team would run down to the Monon rail line bridge that crossed the Tippecanoe river just north of Highway 421 coming into Monticello (see photo 4).
The Sportsman Inn can been seen in the far left of the Photo.
The Plunge participants would leave the track, run 1.5 miles down to the bridge, leap off the top, then run back to the high school. Oddly enough this annual practice was coach approved. As Solomon said, with every time there is a season, and with every season there comes changes in coaching practices…lol
But as we used to say on the run back to the high school…. May misfortune follow you all the days of your life, but never catch up!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
I took these photos some years later, before they demolished the bridge. Enjoy the view.

Darin Patrick shared with the comment: "Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Monon rail fans."

The US-421 Bridge had a lot more character back then.

Note the road bridge behind it. And this image clearly shows that the truss was pin connected.

BridgeHunter

1910 Postcard via BridgeHunter

Tioga Road Bridge

2013 Photo by Tony Dillon via BridgeHunter, cropped

Note the railroad bridge behind it.

1910c Postcard via Bridge Hunter

HistoricBridges
When this was restored in 2011 as a footbridge, it recreated the original ornamentation and railings. I added the label "bridgeRare" because Nathan says Whipple truss bridges are rare, especially multi-span bridges.

Paul Fischer, Dec 2012

Street View, Oct 2023

Bonus

Neil Riley commented on Darin's share
Would this be the same bridge? Pictures from when my father was a remc lineman that went to white county to assist after tornadoes in the early seventies.

Dennis DeBruler: Neil Riley Judging from the piers and girders, this looks like the TP&W/Pennsy bridge, https://maps.app.goo.gl/oaLyaqpvkZ9MFCRH9.

Friday, May 16, 2025

Carpendale Rail to Trail/Western Maryland Knobley Tunnel

West Portal: (Satellite)

East Portal: (Satellite)

West portal:

Kyle Wenger, Nov 2020

The west portal and Miller Road are obscured by the trees. I think we are looking through the tunnel.

Kyle Wenger, Nov 2020, maximum magnification

East portal:

Trail View, Apr 2016

Richard Maguire posted
Western Maryland freight leaving Ridgely Yard.

Arthur House: I believe Ridgeley yard was to the left; the train is departing Knobmount Yard.

Jen Gamble: Is this taken out of the tower at MD Jct? [A comment provides a correction of MY Tower.]

Randy Broadwater: For anyone wanting a present day view on Google Maps, the bridge in the distance is Miller Road and the crossing in the foreground should be Cedar Street.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Randy's comment
This route is now the Carpendale Rail to Trail, and we are looking at the west portal of the Knobley Tunnel, https://maps.app.goo.gl/hpSA86DfjwTraXXZ9.

1974 Raystown Dam on Raystown Branch Juniata River near Huntington, PA

(Satellite)

I found statistics about the lake (usace), but not the dam.

Facebook Reel

May 15, 2025:

Raystown Lake, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers posted

𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓

Effective immediately, Snyder’s Run, Aitch, James Creek, Shy Beaver and Weaver Falls are closed until further notice due to lake level rise.

As of May 15, 2025 at 0700, the lake elevation is 788.68 ft and slowly rising. Inflow from Saxton is 15,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) and falling 500 cfs per hour.

We expect the lake to crest sometime this evening.

All three tainter gates at the Raystown Lake Spillway are currently open and releasing 15,500 cfs.

Closures Summary...

-Snyder's Run

-Aitch

-James Creek

-Shy Beaver

-Weaver Falls

Seven Points Boat Launch is open and not expected to close. If you go out on the lake, please be careful and watch for debris that may be partially or fully submerged.

Remember to alway wear your life jacket when out on the lake.

Stay tuned for more information as lake levels fall and launches are re opened.

[Some comments indicated that the normal lake level is 786. I'm surprised that a launch can't handle a rise of less than 3' (1m).]

Rick Forrest, Mar 2024

It looks like there is a "ski jump" near the end of the spillway.

Abram, Apr 2024
This photo is a scene from this video.

Marlene, May 2024

The lake is long and skinny.

Satellite

PA-994 (Old Plank Road) had to be moved to accommodate the reservoir.

Thursday, May 15, 2025

1928+1980 US-17 James River Bridge at Newport News, VA

1928: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges)

1980: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Satellite)

The span for the old bridge was 300' (91m), and the span of the new bridge is 415' (126m). The length of the new bridge is 23,201' (7km, 4.4miles). [BridgeHunters]

1928 Bridge

2 of 5 photos from a Flickr VDOT Album that has the comment: "The 4.5-mile (7 km) James River Bridge was completed in 1928, and was the longest bridge in the world over water at the time. It was replaced from 1975 to 1982 with a wider four-lane bridge that could handle increased traffic volumes. (From the VDOT Image Archives)"

History of Virginia posted
1928 James River Bridge......The bridge connects Newport News on the Virginia Peninsula with Isle of Wight County in the South Hampton Roads region, and is the easternmost such crossing without a Tunnel component..........This original two-lane bridge was replaced from 1975 to 1982 with a wider four-lane bridge.

Mary Cottrill: Remember well that 2 lane bridge and the yellow 75ft signs reminding folks to stay that far apart.

Mary Ann Mills Hayes shared

Jimmy Ray Megginson commented on the above post
Drove over the bridge for many years going to work in Hampton.

Postcard via BridgeHunter_1928, Cleveland State University Library Photograph Collection

1980 Bridge

VDOT Flickr, Photo by Tom Saunders, VDOT

Street View, Sep 2024

1952+1975 I-680 Mormon Pioneer Memorial Bridge over Missouri River at Omaha, NE

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

2009 photo by Brad J Williams via BridgeHunter
"Eastbound bridge built 1952; westbound built 1975"

The skinny bridge on the right would be the 1952 bridge so we are looking East.

2009 photo by Brad J Williams via BridgeHunter

Eastbound (old bridge):

Street View, Jul 2023

Westbound (new bridge):

Street View, Oct 2024

Andrey Novikov posted three photos with the comment: "The Mormon Pioneer Memorial Bridge is a bridge composed of two cantilevers that crosses the Missouri River. June 23, 2023."

Roger Deschner: This is the westbound I-680 bridge. The older eastbound bridge is quite a bit narrower, lacking breakdown lanes.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

1928+1953+2007+L&N US-90 Bay St. Louis Bridges over Bay St. Louis at Bay St. Louis, MS

1928: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter)

1953: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter)

2007: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

CSX/L&N: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

The 1953 bridge was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. [BridgeHunter_1953]

Joseph Kempker, Jul 2023
I love Mississippi posted
The Bay St. Louis bridge post Katrina. Amazing.

Sandra Spano: I-10 over the lake also looked like that.

[And Pensacola Bay Bridge after Ivan hit it in 2004.]

Dennis White: they rebuilt bay Bridge in 12.mos

BridgeHunter_1953

The bridge is 11,090' (3.4km, 2.1 miles) long.

Street View, Apr 2023

Did they replace the piers?

Street View, Apr 2023

1928 Bridge

The original (1928) bridge was a wooden trestle.

HancockCountyHistoricalSociety via ArchivedBridgeHunter_1928

HancockCountyHistoricalSociety

Hancock County Historical Society via BridgeHunter_1928

1953 Bridge

abitamysteryhouse via ArchivedBridgeHunter_1953

"Bascule bridge with girder approaches" [ArchivedBridgeHunter_1953] So were the concrete or steel girders? I'm guessing that the bascule bridge was a trunnion bridge. Looking at a street view above, it appears the 2007 has enough clearance for the navigation channel that it doesn't need a moveable span.