The Bridge

This Toledo bridge was built in 1902 by the American Bridge Company, part of Andrew Carnegie's United States Steel Company. Swing span bridges were among the rarest in the country, and this one was most notable for its rim bearing design. It was composed of a 250-foot double cantilever, a continuous two-span, riveted Pratt through truss on a center pier. Designed by Waddell and Hedrick in 1901, the bridge was 1,490 feet long with 11 spans: one swing span, eight deck trusses, and two girder spans. On March 17, 1982, a train derailed on the eastern portion of the bridge, causing some damage to the superstructure, tracks, and potentially one pier. After this incident, the bridge was never used again, though it was not officially abandoned for more than a decade.

Toledo, Ohio · United States