Trunnion, Buffalo Bayou Bascule Railroad Bridge, Houston, Texas 0316091457BW

            In the shadow of downtown Houston, and hidden under US Highway 59, where it crosses Buffalo Bayou, is a remnant of the days when the Port of Houston extended to downtown.  It is a bascule railroad bridge, completed in 1912.  The huge concrete counterweight that enabled raising the main span to let vessels pass has been removed and set nearby.

Strauss, this bridge's designer, also designed the Golden Gate Bridge.

Someone (almost certainly more than one) is burning our bridges.  Most of the trestle type railroad bridges on disused railroad right-of-way in Houston appear to have fire damage to some degree or another.  I've seen this on bridges over both Buffalo and White Oak Bayous.

This is disturbing, of course, from a criminal and safety standpoint, but it also destroys some of Houston's historic structures, something that Houston has had no trouble doing without arson.  It is also disturbing because it is happening at a time when many of these structures are being incorporated or considered for incorporation in Houston's system of hike and bike trails.

Taken in: United States / Texas / Houston (show map)

Taken on: March 16, 2009

Tags:

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Sets appears in: • Urban Nature: Houston • Bridges, tunnels, culverts, underpasses & overpasses more » • HB&T Railway Strauss Bascule Bridge, Buffalo Bayou, Houston, Texas • Buffalo Bayou Bridges • Architectural & Engineering Heritage Documentation Project • Buffalo Bayou • Trains « less

Groups appears in: • Urban Decay • Houston, Texas more » • Railroads • Darkness and Light • Railroad Bridges • .Southern Photographers - Southern Images • Houston and Harris County, Texas • On The Bridge • Buffalo Bayou • I Love Black and White! • Vanishing Texas • Digital Black And White • Blanc i Negre (invited only) • Houston Photographers • Drawbridges • Houston Chronicle • Trains, Rails and Railroad Equipment • Bridges, in Black and White « less

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