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Unique (Literally) Bridge Scenery and structures
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Regular poster 194 posts Athlon Regular poster 194 posts
Athlon

While catching up on the news this morning at our local channel 5's website, I ran across an article about the Boston University Bridge on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston.

The Boston University Bridge on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane.

I thought some here would find this interesting. I did a quick search in Google for some pictures:

 
The BU Bridge crosses not only the Charles River, but a 19th-century railroad bridge as well. This 1949 picture shows a Boston & Albany steam locomotive hauling a string of boxcars to Cambridge as postwar automobile traffic makes its mark:
 
 
 
The 1928 opening: We're looking from Cambridge toward two rival auto dealerships, Fuller Cadillac and Noyes Buick, both buildings now owned by BU.
 
 

Dave
Uxbridge, MA

My N Scale Layout Progress
How I Installed An NCE USB Adaptor Into My Fascia

Dave
Uxbridge, MA

How I Installed An NCE USB Adaptor Into My Fascia
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Ghost Train Regular poster 228 posts
Ghost Train

WOW!!!

There's a project for someone's layout.

G. T.
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Steven S Regular poster 265 posts
Steven S

I was going to say that it

I was going to say that it must have been tricky lifting the spans for the RR bridge into place, but it was apparently there first and the BU bridge was built around it.  

 

Quote:

The Boston University Bridge on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane.

You used to be able to do that at the MacArthur bridge in St. Louis, but it's closed to auto traffic now.   There must be some similar bridges elsewhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacArthur_Bridge_(St._Louis)

Steve S
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ajcaptain Regular poster 300 posts
ajcaptain

Do subways count?

If so, the Manhattan bridge in New York may qualify. John C

John C
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,782 posts
David Husman dave1905

Ead's bridge in St Louis, Huey P Long in NOLA

Used to be able to do that.  Don't know if the auto portion is still open.

If you are going to "sail" under the Boston bridge its going to be a pretty small boat.

You can fit an ocean liner under the Huey P Long in New Orleans.

 

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
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Athlon Regular poster 194 posts
Athlon

The only bridge where you can do all 4 today

The quote in my first post is from the article at WCVB.com.  It claims it's the only bridge where you can do all 4 today.

Dave
Uxbridge, MA

How I Installed An NCE USB Adaptor Into My Fascia
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jeffshultz MRH Staff 7,972 posts
jeffshultz

Steel Bridge in Portland, OR

And it's a dual-lift bridge to boot...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Bridge- trains, bikes and pedestrians on the lower level, cars and light rail on the top. The lower level can also be raised independently of the top level, avoiding disrupting car traffic.

It's a pretty fascinating structure.

orange70.jpg
Jeff Shultz - MRH Technical Assistant
DCC Features Matrix/My blog index
Modeling a fictional GWI shortline combining three separate areas into one freelance-ish railroad.
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doc-in-ct Regular poster 268 posts
doc-in-ct

there's a fifth

You can walk under all of the previous 4

Alan T.
Co-Owner of the CT River Valley RR - a contemporary HO scale layout of Western & Northern CT, and Western Mass.  In the design stage; Waterbury CT.
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LKandO Prolific poster 3,839 posts
LKandO

6

scuba

Alan

All the details:  http://www.LKOrailroad.com        Just the highlights:  MRH blog

When I was a kid... no wait, I still do that. HO, 28x32, double deck, 1969, RailPro
nsparent.png 
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salty4568 Regular poster 165 posts
salty4568

Lower level of bridge

(Mmmmm .... Jeff .... would you please explain how the lower level can be raised without also moving the upper level of the bridge at Portland?  I am a bit puzzled.)

(Later Never mind ..... I checked out their website (duh!) ....   I have driven over that bridge many, many times, but never knew about that feature.

 

 

 

Skip Luke
Retired Railroader
washington State
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CRScott Active Member 75 posts
CRScott

A Twist, Edmonton-Style

Here in Edmonton, we have a former railway bridge that now sees historic trolley traffic during the summer, thanks to the folks at the Edmonton Radial Rail Society. I don't have my own picture, so the best I can offer is a link to someone else's blog. The best picture to illustrate the layer-cake effect is about halfway down the page.

We can have a boat sail under a car (or pedestrian) that is driving under a trolley, that is running under a plane (at least in theory).

Next to the High Level Bridge is the Low-Level Bridge (yeah, not a lot of originality in the names), where you can have a boat sail under a pedestrian, who is walking under a LRT train, that is running under a plane. We like our multiple-duty bridges!

Craig Scott

Edmonton, AB

http://smallempires.wordpress.com/
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Marc W Regular poster 113 posts
Marc W

one of

I think they missed out the key words "one of".  It's certainly a rare occurrence and probably happens on the Boston bridge more frequently than at other sites as the Boston bridge is under the flight path to Logan airport.

The same situation could occur on the Oresund Bridge, it has 4 lanes of traffic over 4 railway lines:  

or_r01.png 
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