Old Vicksburg Bridge

my father grew up in mississippi, but we were raised in oklahoma. we always went back to see his family, at least once a year and often twice. the old bridge was unlike any other; pretty much an exercise in terror! i remember how the steel curbs along the side were polished to a brilliant shine from the truckers rubbing their tires as they would slowly make their way, creeping bumper-to-bumper across the river. if the slow crawl and the close quarters weren't enough, then the train would come rumbling down the bridge, shaking the whole thing! that must be an INCREDIBLY strong structure to support all the weight it has. sadly, dad died just a few months before the new bridge opened, and he never got to drive it. now i cannot even drive over the old bridge to reminisce about my fond memories of dad, mississippi, and our trips. *sigh*...

Thank the 412th Engineer Command, based in Vicksburg for the nice American Flag flying attop the bridge. Helps keep us all focused.

This bridge is a key element in the novel, "The Trainman", by P.T. Deutermann, 1999, St. Martins Press.

An entire novel featuring RR bridges over the Mississippi.

Good read, specially for bridge fans, just remember it's only fiction as they come tumbling down!!!

I remember crossing the old Vicksburg Bridge in a semi in the summer of '71. There was glass all over the roadway from broken mirrors because it was so narrow people's mirrors would get knocked off by oncoming traffic. The bridge was part of truckers' lore for a few decades. I you hadn't been across the Vicksburg Bridge, you weren't a real trucker.

If I remember right, this bridge is part of a 99 year lease that the railroad retains. Somehow, this lease works out that the bridge will be maintained by the RR for the most part, and can not be demolished so long as they keep "ownership" of it.

I took a pic of it today and drove across the new bridge!

The bridge replaced a ferry. I've seen references stating that it opened 1 May 1930, but at least one reference (at http://nchgs.org/transportation/A&VRR/) indicates that the railroad started using it 28 April 1930. Warren County, MS, purchased it 30 April 1947.

You can see a picture of the old ferry here: http://www.rootsweb.com/~lamadiso/madphotos.htm (scroll down under "Miscellaneous").

I know that the Vicksburg Bridge Company promoted it and US 80 heavily for coast-to-coast travel. They published at least one promotional map "U. S. 80 San Diego to Savannah via Vicksburg, Mississippi," which occasionally pops up on the online auction services.

If anyone knows what this bridge replaced, when it was built in 1930, please reply to fordpower03@yahoo.com, subject "Old Ms. River Bridge"..... THANKS!!