Tower Bridge (Sacramento, California) collection, 1944 - 1966

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Summary

Abstract:
One bound ledger records maintenance to the bridge between March 1, 1944 to March 30, 1946. Colorful ink drawings embellish the endpapers. There are also a few clippings regarding the bridge's history.
Extent:
.17 Linear Feet 1 half-box
Language:
English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Tower Bridge (Sacramento, California) Collection, MS 38, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

One bound ledger records maintenance to the bridge between March 1, 1944 to March 30, 1946. Colorful ink drawings embellish the endpapers. There are also a few clippings regarding the bridge's history. A few photographs have been filed with the Museum's photograph collections of Sacramento Northern bridges.

Biographical / historical:

The Tower Bridge, which spans the Sacramento River from the foot of Capitol Mall (M Street) to West Sacramento replaced an earlier swing-span bridge. Rails were first laid across that bridge in 1912 to carry the trains of the Sacramento & Woodland and the Oakland, Antioch & Eastern Railroads (which were later merged into the Sacramento Northern Railroad). The Tower Bridge is a vertical lift bridge across the Sacramento River, linking West Sacramento in Yolo County to the west, with the capital of California, Sacramento, in Sacramento County to the east

During the sixteen-month construction period, automobile traffic was routed across the M Street Bridge, while the Sacramento Northern electric trains operated across a temporary wood bridge, located just adjacent upstream. The new bridge was dedicated December 15, 1935. The last Sacramento Northern train over the Tower Bridge operated on November 15, 1962.

The Tower Bridge is the only lift draw bridge on the Sacramento River. The clearance between the towers is 186 feet and the lift span weighs 500 tons. Two rows of 12 cables attach each corner of the lift span to the balancing counterweights on each tower. Those 96 heavy cables pass over grooved wheels which are 12 feet in diameter set near the top of each tower. A 100 horsepower motor raises and lowers the bridge. It can be raised to its full height of 100 feet in one and one-half minutes.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Earl Wendricks, 1981
Physical location:
Statewide Museum Collection Center
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Bridges
Vertical lift bridges

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research by appointment. Contact Library Staff.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Library & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Tower Bridge (Sacramento, California) Collection, MS 38, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.

Location of this collection:
111 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 323-8073
Library.CSRM@parks.ca.gov
Website