Bridge: River Rouge Wabash Railway Drawbridge, Detroit, MI

The Wabash Railroad (then the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific), which was built into Detroit in 1881, likely had two bridges over the Rouge River, prior to the construction of their current bridge. The first was probably a simple bridge fixed crossing of the Rouge River, which at the time was not used by heavy industrial boats. As this changed and the river was widened, a larger more robust swing bridge was built.

When the Army Corps of Engineers widened the Rouge River to allow lake freighters or ore to serve the Ford Rouge Works in the early 1920's, all of the bridges along the river were replaced and the current bridge (2023) was put in place.

This page pertains to the older bridges. For the new bridge, Click Here.

Notes

Time Line

1900. September 1. Two Wabash locomotives and the three freight cars of the Wabash fast eastern freight train No. 9, plunged through an open drawbridge into the Route River river at Delray. The engine crews had remarkably narrow escapes and no one was injured. The heavy train approached the bridge too rapidly to be controlled. The rule is to stop 100 yards from the bridge unless signaled otherwise. Engineers Wagner and McNab say that the signal indicated to come ahead. The bridgetender noted that the signal was set to stop. The engineer and fireman of the head engine jumped off easily. The men on engine No. 2 narrowly got out through the tender gangway. The bottom of the Rouge is very soft and the engines have sunk out of sight. [SJH-1900-0901]