Altura Rd Culvert. Fort Worth, TX

Urban drainage under Altura Road between north and southbound Inwood Road

Abandoned Pratt Through Truss Bridge Over West Fork Trinity River on Great Southwest Railroad

The Great Southwest Railroad was a small yet vast switching railroad, chartered on May 7, 1957, to serve industries in Arlington and Grand Prairie, TX. The line was built and operations commenced two years later. It connected to the then-Texas & Pacific line in Arlington, and meandered northward to a connection with the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific at a small community called Tarrant. Just a year after it started operations, in 1960, 90% of the GSWRR was purchased by its two connecting railroads, the T&P and the CRI&P, each with a 45% share. In 1985, the Missouri Pacific, which had purchased the T&P, purchased the Rock Island's shares outright, giving MP complete 100% control; the GSWRR was subsequently merged into the MP in 1987. Today, some of the tracks are still used to serve local industries by Union Pacific. While its northern connection has been severed with the Rock Island (which is now owned by the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, on which their Trinity Railway Express commuter trains run), the southern connection with UP still sees about a train daily. Some of the spurs have since been abandoned. The map presented plots out the GSWRR in its entirety, based on 1981 topographical maps. https://www.abandonedrails.com/great-southwest-railroad

Trammel Davis Bridge

The first bridge at this location was a railroad bridge on a spur route off the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. The original railroad bridge was removed in the late 60's, but the trestle pilings are still visible. The bridge was then replaced and used for a gravel mining operation. It is now abandoned. There is severe erosion on the western edge and the westernmost section collapsed down into the Trinity. http://dallasfreeways.com/dfwfreeways/old-highway-maps/1957-ashburn-fort-worth-regional-large.jpg

Old Handley Road Overpass

The Northern Texas Traction Company (NTTC) Interurban operated between Fort Worth and Dallas from 1905 to 1933. This bridge was built for Handley Road to pass over the tracks. Handley began to develop with the arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railroad in 1876, but its real growth was the result of the NTTC depot, powerhouse, shops and a resort, Lake Erie, built on the south side of town. Handley Road connected Fort Worth to the southeastern part of Tarrant County and remained in use as a secondary road until truncated by freeway construction in the mid 20th century. The interurban track veered southeast off the Dallas Pike (Lancaster Avenue), passed under Handley Road and the T&P tracks, and then proceeded to Northern Texas Traction Company’s Lake Erie trolley park and then east to Dallas again along the pike. Old Handley Road begins at Lancaster near Erie Street in downtown Handley. The road once ran west parallel to the T&P tracks to Tierney Road. Although now split by the east Loop, Old Handley Road still exists. Erie Street runs south toward Erie Lake (absorbed by Lake Arlington in 1957). (https://hometownbyhandlebar.com/?p=450)

Union Pacific Railroad Over Bear Creek/ Apache Trail.

US 377 Bridge in Background Keller Texas

Union Pacific Railroad Over Bear Creek/ Apache Trail.

Keller Texas

Old Handley Ederville Road Bridge

Abandoned pratt pony truss bridge over an old channel of the West Fork Trinity River on an old alignment of Handley Ederville Road. The Current Handley Ederville Road Bridge was built in 1987.

Old Handley Ederville Road Bridge

Abandoned pratt pony truss bridge over an old channel of the West Fork Trinity River on an old alignment of Handley Ederville Road. The Current Handley Ederville Road Bridge was built in 1987.

Old Handley Ederville Road Bridge

Abandoned pratt pony truss bridge over an old channel of the West Fork Trinity River on an old alignment of Handley Ederville Road. The Current Handley Ederville Road Bridge was built in 1987.

Old Handley Ederville Road Bridge

Abandoned pratt pony truss bridge over an old channel of the West Fork Trinity River on an old alignment of Handley Ederville Road. The Current Handley Ederville Road Bridge was built in 1987.

East 1st Street Bridge

"Riveted steel plate girder bridge built in 1936. Perched high above the West Fork of the Trinity River, the Albright Bridge is composed of three spans of riveted steel plate girders erected over massive reinforced concrete two column piers. Tarrant County built this bridge on East First Street in 1936 after a design by noted Dallas bridge engineer, F.D. Hughes. To create this crossing, Hughes utilized three riveted steel plate girders that could be supported without placing a pier in the center of the river. Although situated in a rural setting, special attention was given to the design of the bridge’s rail. Framed by curving concrete entry walls, the finespun steel rail features small circles placed between each picket." --------------------- source: Historic Bridge Foundation, 2003

East 1st Street Bridge

"Riveted steel plate girder bridge built in 1936. Perched high above the West Fork of the Trinity River, the Albright Bridge is composed of three spans of riveted steel plate girders erected over massive reinforced concrete two column piers. Tarrant County built this bridge on East First Street in 1936 after a design by noted Dallas bridge engineer, F.D. Hughes. To create this crossing, Hughes utilized three riveted steel plate girders that could be supported without placing a pier in the center of the river. Although situated in a rural setting, special attention was given to the design of the bridge’s rail. Framed by curving concrete entry walls, the finespun steel rail features small circles placed between each picket." --------------------- source: Historic Bridge Foundation, 2003 The new bridge on the left was built in 2015

East 1st Street Bridge

"Riveted steel plate girder bridge built in 1936. Perched high above the West Fork of the Trinity River, the Albright Bridge is composed of three spans of riveted steel plate girders erected over massive reinforced concrete two column piers. Tarrant County built this bridge on East First Street in 1936 after a design by noted Dallas bridge engineer, F.D. Hughes. To create this crossing, Hughes utilized three riveted steel plate girders that could be supported without placing a pier in the center of the river. Although situated in a rural setting, special attention was given to the design of the bridge’s rail. Framed by curving concrete entry walls, the finespun steel rail features small circles placed between each picket." --------------------- source: Historic Bridge Foundation, 2003

East 1st Street Bridge

"Riveted steel plate girder bridge built in 1936. Perched high above the West Fork of the Trinity River, the Albright Bridge is composed of three spans of riveted steel plate girders erected over massive reinforced concrete two column piers. Tarrant County built this bridge on East First Street in 1936 after a design by noted Dallas bridge engineer, F.D. Hughes. To create this crossing, Hughes utilized three riveted steel plate girders that could be supported without placing a pier in the center of the river. Although situated in a rural setting, special attention was given to the design of the bridge’s rail. Framed by curving concrete entry walls, the finespun steel rail features small circles placed between each picket." --------------------- source: Historic Bridge Foundation, 2003

East 1st Street Bridge

"Riveted steel plate girder bridge built in 1936. Perched high above the West Fork of the Trinity River, the Albright Bridge is composed of three spans of riveted steel plate girders erected over massive reinforced concrete two column piers. Tarrant County built this bridge on East First Street in 1936 after a design by noted Dallas bridge engineer, F.D. Hughes. To create this crossing, Hughes utilized three riveted steel plate girders that could be supported without placing a pier in the center of the river. Although situated in a rural setting, special attention was given to the design of the bridge’s rail. Framed by curving concrete entry walls, the finespun steel rail features small circles placed between each picket." --------------------- source: Historic Bridge Foundation, 2003 The new bridge on the right was bult in 2015

East 1st Street Bridge

"Riveted steel plate girder bridge built in 1936. Perched high above the West Fork of the Trinity River, the Albright Bridge is composed of three spans of riveted steel plate girders erected over massive reinforced concrete two column piers. Tarrant County built this bridge on East First Street in 1936 after a design by noted Dallas bridge engineer, F.D. Hughes. To create this crossing, Hughes utilized three riveted steel plate girders that could be supported without placing a pier in the center of the river. Although situated in a rural setting, special attention was given to the design of the bridge’s rail. Framed by curving concrete entry walls, the finespun steel rail features small circles placed between each picket." --------------------- source: Historic Bridge Foundation, 2003

East 1st Street Bridge

"Riveted steel plate girder bridge built in 1936. Perched high above the West Fork of the Trinity River, the Albright Bridge is composed of three spans of riveted steel plate girders erected over massive reinforced concrete two column piers. Tarrant County built this bridge on East First Street in 1936 after a design by noted Dallas bridge engineer, F.D. Hughes. To create this crossing, Hughes utilized three riveted steel plate girders that could be supported without placing a pier in the center of the river. Although situated in a rural setting, special attention was given to the design of the bridge’s rail. Framed by curving concrete entry walls, the finespun steel rail features small circles placed between each picket." --------------------- source: Historic Bridge Foundation, 2003

Fort Worth and Western Railroad Bridge Over SW Loop 820 at Granbury Road

I-20 Bridge Over Granbury Road

I-20 Bridge Over Granbury Road and Fort Worth and Western Railroad

Bomber Spur

In 1941, on the outset of the United States' direct involvement in World War II, a new plant was built on the west side of Fort Worth, Texas, officially named Air Force Plant #4. Its sole purpose was to build B-24 Liberators by the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Company. The plant continues to manufacture airplanes to this day, and has seen many contractual owners since the war: Convair, General Dynamics, and now Lockheed Martin. It has also produced many planes in its history; after the B-24 during WWII, it also produced B-29s, B-36s, B-52s, F-111s, F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s, the last three of which it currently produces. During WWII, materials and prefabricated parts for the bombers needed to be shipped to the bomber plant; it was deciced to ship them in via railroad. Thus, the government contracted the Texas & Pacific Railroad to build a railroad spur from the T&P's mainline (about 5 miles to the south) to the plant. And so the "Bomber Spur" was born. Soon after, Carswell AFB needed jet fuel for their airplanes, so the T&P constructed a spur to Carswell that connected to the Bomber Spur that served the plant. Officially known as "Carswell AFB Industrial Lead", the Bomber Spur served both the "bomber plant" and Carswell. It handled bulk materials to the bomber plant (in various types of cars), and jet fuel to Carswell (mainly in tanker cars). After the war, the spur was used for many years with decreasing regularity. After some time, a pipeline was installed to transport jet fuel to the base, thus the tracks to the base were no longer need or used. The arrival of bulk materials to the plant by truck was a sign of the beginning of the end for the Bomber Spur, and the tracks lay dormant for a few years before finally being removed.

Bomber Spur

In 1941, on the outset of the United States' direct involvement in World War II, a new plant was built on the west side of Fort Worth, Texas, officially named Air Force Plant #4. Its sole purpose was to build B-24 Liberators by the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Company. The plant continues to manufacture airplanes to this day, and has seen many contractual owners since the war: Convair, General Dynamics, and now Lockheed Martin. It has also produced many planes in its history; after the B-24 during WWII, it also produced B-29s, B-36s, B-52s, F-111s, F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s, the last three of which it currently produces. During WWII, materials and prefabricated parts for the bombers needed to be shipped to the bomber plant; it was deciced to ship them in via railroad. Thus, the government contracted the Texas & Pacific Railroad to build a railroad spur from the T&P's mainline (about 5 miles to the south) to the plant. And so the "Bomber Spur" was born. Soon after, Carswell AFB needed jet fuel for their airplanes, so the T&P constructed a spur to Carswell that connected to the Bomber Spur that served the plant. Officially known as "Carswell AFB Industrial Lead", the Bomber Spur served both the "bomber plant" and Carswell. It handled bulk materials to the bomber plant (in various types of cars), and jet fuel to Carswell (mainly in tanker cars). After the war, the spur was used for many years with decreasing regularity. After some time, a pipeline was installed to transport jet fuel to the base, thus the tracks to the base were no longer need or used. The arrival of bulk materials to the plant by truck was a sign of the beginning of the end for the Bomber Spur, and the tracks lay dormant for a few years before finally being removed.

Bomber Spur Over I-30

In 1941, on the outset of the United States' direct involvement in World War II, a new plant was built on the west side of Fort Worth, Texas, officially named Air Force Plant #4. Its sole purpose was to build B-24 Liberators by the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Company. The plant continues to manufacture airplanes to this day, and has seen many contractual owners since the war: Convair, General Dynamics, and now Lockheed Martin. It has also produced many planes in its history; after the B-24 during WWII, it also produced B-29s, B-36s, B-52s, F-111s, F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s, the last three of which it currently produces. During WWII, materials and prefabricated parts for the bombers needed to be shipped to the bomber plant; it was deciced to ship them in via railroad. Thus, the government contracted the Texas & Pacific Railroad to build a railroad spur from the T&P's mainline (about 5 miles to the south) to the plant. And so the "Bomber Spur" was born. Soon after, Carswell AFB needed jet fuel for their airplanes, so the T&P constructed a spur to Carswell that connected to the Bomber Spur that served the plant. Officially known as "Carswell AFB Industrial Lead", the Bomber Spur served both the "bomber plant" and Carswell. It handled bulk materials to the bomber plant (in various types of cars), and jet fuel to Carswell (mainly in tanker cars). After the war, the spur was used for many years with decreasing regularity. After some time, a pipeline was installed to transport jet fuel to the base, thus the tracks to the base were no longer need or used. The arrival of bulk materials to the plant by truck was a sign of the beginning of the end for the Bomber Spur, and the tracks lay dormant for a few years before finally being removed.

Southbound Riverside Drive Over West Fork Trinity River

Continuous Multi Plate Girders Built in 1931

US 377(East Belknap) Over West Fork Trinity River

Continuous Concrete Girder (Tee Beam) Built in 1932