Grand Rapids Swing Bridge

This bridge is composed of four spans. There are two through truss approaches at the western end of the bridge, and one through truss approach at the eastern end. The westernmost approach span is quite different from the rest of the bridge, so I would guess it is newer; probably the original span was removed and the current one built for whatever reason. The original part of the bridge was built in 1903 by the American Bridge Company. As such, it is an early example of the company's work, which was formed a few years earlier from a number of smaller companies including the Wrought Iron Bridge Company. The original part of the bridge has truss spans that are all pin connected. The new span has riveted connections. There is extensive v-lacing and lattice on the entire bridge, and in some cases even the top of the top chord is v-laced which is unusual on an average scale, despite the fact that the other Grand Rapids area swing bridge also has this. The bridge once carried two sets of tracks, but now carries only one. It appears to still be used by trains however. Whoever paid for the construction of this bridge may have been fairly irritated in 1907, just four years after this bridge was built, when the Grand River ceased to be considered a navigable river and did not require movable spans.