No Hands Bridge (Auburn, California)

USA / California / North Auburn / Auburn, California
 NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, railway bridge, historic landmark
The Mountain Quarries Railroad was established around 1910 to connect the Mountain Quarries, a huge limestone quarry to the Southern Pacific mainline in Auburn, California. The Portland Cement Company owned the Mountain Quarries Railroad and sometimes the railroad is referred to as the Portland Cement Railroad or the Pacific Portland Cement Railroad. The line was about 10 miles long, but despite its short length, it crossed 18 trestles (some sources indicate only 15 trestles), including one of the most unique railroad bridges in the United States, the No Hands Bridge. Most of the trestles crossed small creeks while the railroad hugged the north bank of the American River on its way to the city of Auburn. The No Hands Bridge, crossed the American River itself.

In 1910 a construction crew of over 800 men were gathered together to begin construction of what would be at the time, the longest concrete railroad bridge in the world. 200 men worked from one side, while 600 worked from the other. A major cement manufacturing plant was built on the banks of the American river next to the bridge site. In approximately two years the bridge and the rest of the railroad was completed.

www.brian894x4.com/MtQuarriesRailroad.html
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Quarries_Bridge
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   38°54'45"N   121°2'30"W

Comments

  • What is so unique about it? Why is it called the No Hands Bridge??
  • The name "no hands" came from veteran horse rider, Ina Robinson, who would drop her reins to ride across the then guardrail-less bridge. - http://www.edcgov.us/Living.aspx?id=8841&terms=no+hands+bridge
This article was last modified 2 years ago