Drawbridge: Saginaw River Bridge, Bay City, MI - (LSRC)

This swing bridge is currently used by the Lake States Railway between Bay City and North Bay City, crossing the Saginaw River was built in 1896. The bridge is described in 1903 as 220 feet in length and made of steel truss construction. The bridge is 12 feet above water level, and the river is 32 feet deep at the location. The bridge was swung by engine power. Permission to cross was signaled by the bridge tender with red and white signals. This bridge was half owned by the D&M and half by the Pere Marquette. It is now part of the Lake State Railway.

Image info: Top, the Lake States Railway 311 job is shoving 49 cars south over the Saginaw River swing bridge towards Bay City yard. 2025. After the shove back, they will proceed to Saginaw. [Mike Fogelsinger photo]. 2nd photo, the freighter American Courage proceeds through the open drawbridge heading towards Saginaw Bay. Note the Lake States yard engine which is waiting for the bridge to close and signal to proceed to North Bay City yard. May, 2025. [Todd Shorkey photo]

Notes

In earlier days under Detroit & Mackinac operation, the bridge was used by the PM to deliver interchange traffic with the Detroit & Mackinac Railway. It was said to be owned jointly by the D&M and Pere Marquette when it was built.

The Pere Marquette also used this bridge to reach their beltline in North Bay CIty and the Wolverine coal mine in northwest Wenona.

Because of the track arrangement, northbound LRSC trains must pull west, and then shove backwards over the bridge to North Bay City yard. There is no southeast quadrant on this wye at Foss due to underground pipelines. [FOG]

Time Line

1896. April 12. Work is well under way on the Detroit & Mackinac bridge across the Saginaw River in the 10th Ward. The first abutment on the north side of the river has been started and there is sufficient stone cut so that there will be no delay when the masonry begins. The contract for the substructure has been let to M. J. Griffin of Detroit. The superstructure is also underway in the shops so that it will be ready to put up as soon as the piers are finished. [DFP-1896-0412].

1910. The swing span of the bridge was struck by the barge G. K. Jackson, which nearly knocked it off its abutments.

1910. August 8. Repairs to the Detroit & Mackinac railway bridge are being rushed as fast as possible. By using a scow and the tug Witch, the swing span, which was knocked off its center and almost dumped into the Saginaw river by the barge G. K. Jackson, has been replaced on the pier. The centerpiece will be cast in Detroit and shipped here, and soon as it is placed under the swing, the bridge can be brought back into commission. [DFP-1910-0817]

1927. This bridge requires that all trains must come to a full stop. Enginemen will give four short blasts of the whistle and will not proceed until signaled by the Bridge Tender and must not exceed a speed of six miles per hour while any portion of the train is on the bridge. [ETT-1927]

2025. The bridge is operated by a LRSC engine house employee. It was recently set up to operate from controls on the south end of the truss portion of the bridge (rather than taking a boat to the center). Navigation has the right-of-way on the Saginaw River and the bridge tender needs to talk with the USCG prior to closing the draw. [FOG]