Monroe CSX Railroad Bridge

Monroe has three railroad truss bridges, and although this is the shortest of them, it is no less impressive. This bridge is a two-span warren through truss with riveted connections. It carries two active railroad tracks on its deck. A broken plaque identifies the American Bridge Company as the builder. Sadly, the date portion of the plaque was part of the broken portion of the plaque. However I later learned that the construction date is 1911 through a Historic American Engineering Record technical leaflet I acquired. The leaflet also mentioned that this bridge, which is a CSX bridge today was originally a Pere Marquette line.

 There are six panels of beauty on each span of this bridge, which has extensive v-lacing and lattice. The portal bracing on this bridge is attractive, with a heavy lattice design, complimented with a curved shape on the bottom of the bracing. The bridge sits on stone abutments which have been repaired. The pier may be stone also, but cement covers it now. Excellent views of the bridge can be had from a highway bridge east of the railroad bridge, as well as from beside the bridge near the riverbank. The bridge has a relatively recent coat of black paint; meaning there is more paint than rust on the bridge. Not that it matters as much with railroad bridges, which are bulkier than highway truss bridges, and are able to take quite an assault from rust.