The Rusty Thorn in our Iconic Skyline

[Wacca Pilatka]

Btw, every time I see images of the old Acosta Bridge, I wish it would have been kept and converted into a pedestrian, bike, and transit bridge....

No question.  Not only would it be a great amenity, it looked great in conjunction with the Main St. and the other bridges. 

[David]

I doubt it was possible to keep the old Acosta and build the new one correct? I'm all for preserving our history, but I dig the design of the new Acosta. It adds to the skyline.

Never thought to even question the FEC railroad. It's just, always been. Now I'm going to notice how rusty it is! Thanks  

[Charles Hunter]

I doubt it was possible to keep the old Acosta and build the new one correct? I'm all for preserving our history, but I dig the design of the new Acosta. It adds to the skyline.

Never thought to even question the FEC railroad. It's just, always been. Now I'm going to notice how rusty it is! Thanks  

Good points.  I don't know where a new one would fit in with the old one still there.  When they built it, they build half the new one before tearing down the old one, to fit the space.

[Ocklawaha]

No new one scheduled but a major remake is in the works and coming soon.


I'm not sure if y'all are aware of just how iconic that bridge is, FAMOUS! A model of this bridge was issued and distributed world wide starting around 1980. My neighbor the bridge engineer for Archer-Western told me it is a required part of a study of bascule lift bridges in Argentina and the USA.


The only other significant waterway railroad bridges in our neck of the woods are:
CSX-Sanford=St. Johns River
Sunrail-Sanford=St. Johns River-swing span
CSX-Palatka=St. Johns River-swing span
CSX-Palatka=Rice Creek-swing span
CSX-Flemming Island=Black Creek
CSX-JAX=Ortega River-
CSX-JAX=Trout River-Swing Span
CSX-JAX=Broward River
CSX-JAX=Dunn Creek
CSX-JAX=St. Johns River (Blount Island)
CSX-Brooker=Santa Fe River
CSX-Half Moon Island=Nassau River
CSX-Suwanne River State Park=Suwannee River
FCRR-Amelia Island=Amelia River
NS-Fargo=Suwannee River
and...
believe it or not...
FP&LRY/St. Johns Light and Power, The Bridge of the Lions-St. Augustine=railroad bridge, track removed.

Lastly that Jacksonvillians?? The historic name for the citizens is Jaxson's, as in 'Jackson de Ville' unfortunately like the 'Cowford myth,' not even many long-time residents know it.

Here are a few more you may not have seen.


FEC RY DOWNTOWN


FEC RY DOWNTOWN


FEC RY DOWNTOWN


FEC RY DOWNTOWN


FEC RY DOWNTOWN


FEC RY DOWNTOWN


CSX TROUT RIVER


SOUTHERN RAILWAY (NS) SUWANNEE  RIVER


JACKSONVILLE TRACTION COMPANY, ORTEGA

[Ocklawaha]

I doubt it was possible to keep the old Acosta and build the new one correct? I'm all for preserving our history, but I dig the design of the new Acosta. It adds to the skyline.

Never thought to even question the FEC railroad. It's just, always been. Now I'm going to notice how rusty it is! Thanks  

Good points.  I don't know where a new one would fit in with the old one still there.  When they built it, they build half the new one before tearing down the old one, to fit the space.

Yes and the COJ/FDOT promised us that they would preserve the center span and towers as a monument in some nearby park... Like everything else historic in this city... Now you see it-now you don't.

[spuwho]

Interesting in that many equate the bridge as part of a "closed" railway.

Old Acosta....built on the cheap, with low grade iron and very low weight ratings. In this case it was a "weeble that wobbled, but didn't fall down" until torn down.

Keep the faith Ock, I betcha there is a COJ warehouse around Duval somewhere where they have saved "everything". City of Chicago once started "cleaning house" in the middle 1990's and found warehouses of statues, art works, terra cottas given to the city as far back as the Columbian Exposition. (1892) Everyone had thought them lost forever. And yes, they were all arts that the city had promised to put back up after they were taken down. In some case it just took almost a hundred years!

New Acosta....is a great looking bridge, but pedestrian friendly it is not due to trying to make a waterway minimum clearance and shorten the approaches at the same time. Makes for a steep arc. But, it was the first thing I saw of downtown at night when I first laid eyes on the city, It's a great looking lady!

If the city of Chicago could put colored lights on their bascule trunnion bridges and call it art, I am sure we could too.

In this case, for breast cancer awareness.

[I-10east]

New Acosta....is a great looking bridge, but pedestrian friendly it is not due to trying to make a waterway minimum clearance and shorten the approaches at the same time.

Boy, that's really nit-picky... I don't think that sidewalk grade is all that steep, and it's not anything unusual from many other bridges.   

[thelakelander]

You must have never used it. Try walking from MOSH to the new Fresh Market in Brooklyn and tell me the easiest way to get there. Better yet, try riding with a 10-year old and let me know how safe and accommodating it is trying to play frogger across expressway lanes. Without a doubt, bike/ped was an afterthought in the design of that structure. Facilities like it are one of the main reasons Florida's cities are the most dangerous in the country for cyclist and pedestrians.

[riverside_mail]

Nice pics, Ock. Especially the NS F3 A-B-B-A units. I didn't realize NS had a set of them still around.

[Ocklawaha]

I realize the old Acosta likely couldn't be saved as-in the Bridge of the Lions. But its a damn shame the city went back on their promise and my understanding dumped it in the ocean. The towers and center span on a trail through say the Springfield Parks, Arboretum etc... would have been a nice attraction and photographic wonder. Don't believe it? You ought to see the visitors to the antique swing span that was preserved as a fishing pier on US-17 between Debary and Sanford.

I've got no problems with the new bridge, the neon is a cool touch and has become iconic.

[David]

Trying not to get too far off topic here....BUT... this thread triggered off a lot of memories of the old Acosta Bridge. My mom told me a story one time of how she was driving to work at Riverside Hospital and somehow got stuck on the center span after the gates had closed and it started to rise. The bridge operator quickly lowered the span so she could drive off. It must've been quite a terrifying experience for her.

And if any of you miss the old Acosta Bridge you can pay it a visit offshore where it lives on as an artificial reef:

http://www.jaxrrt.org/reef-map/acosta

[camarocane]

Dont know if its the case with this bridge but there is a form of sacrificial protection where rust is allowed to occur, thus protecting the underlying metal. Think galvanization but with rust.

[Josh]

I believe those types of anodes won't do anything for the parts of the structure not buried or underwater.

[camarocane]

^Not to get off subject, but FPL has a 500kV transmission line running down the state where some structures are protect above ground in this fashon. The rusted superstructure is not buried or underwater.

[Lunican]

Railroads do not typically paint their bridges. It is expensive and unnecessary.