Nostalgia & History > RR emblems on concrete bridges

Another TO member and I were corresponding when this subject came up.

This is from the concrete underpass in Salem, Oregon. It was completed in 1936. My father-in-law, age 86, told me he remembers they had a celebration when it was completed as it was the first RR and highway grade separation in Salem. It was considered the showpiece of Salem for many years along the main N-S highway, State Route 99E.

Please post your photos of "cast" RR emblems.

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Here's one I took not too long ago so I had it handy.

Former Western Pacific (now BNSF) overpass at Highway 89 just below Canyon Lake near Almanor, CA. This is on the former Western Pacific NCE (aka Highline).

BTW, I know its not an "emblem". AFAIK WP didn't cast their complicated emblem into concrete bridges or structures. This is as close as they got.

Cheers!

Mike

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Here is a pic of a PRR overpass hearld taken in Columbus Ohio.

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A couple more cast in place road names on overpasses in Columbus Ohio. The Pennsylvania overpass is located on Fields Ave and the Norfolk and Western is on East Broad St. I shot the N&W overpass thru the windshield of my car.

Phil

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Restored WM bridge in Hagerstown MD.

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Old SP Bridge in Burbank, CA. over Victory Blvd, now Metrolink.

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As a kid in the summers when we traveled from the East to the Midwest to visit our relatives in Indiana addition to keeping my eyeballs peeled for trains I would also note railroad emblems and names on bridges.

Two that stick our were the big cast metals ones for the New York Central and B&O--the NYC one being an oval and the B&O one a circle. We traveled mostly the interstate but as late as they were built, at least the railroads still had the pride to advertise their route. But then again, maybe the taxpayer was footing the bill for these interstate overpasses100%?

I'll bet they make great collector items.

I these two pics the railroad name is not cast in place but its starting to show or reappear thru the faded paint on the overpass. This is the Goodale St overpass on CSX's Columbus Subdivision.

Phil

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Does anyone have a picture of the LA & Salt Lake emblem on the UP Branch in Whittier, CA that ran next to then over Whittier Blvd? The large bridge is still there, but the recently tore down the other small bridge that had the emblem.

There are 1 or 2 bridges in Newport News VA which retain the black-PAINTED C&O "doughnut" logo, just west of the NN Amtrak station. Across Hampton Roads harbor, NS's bridge over several streets (the mainline near downtown Norfolk heading into Lambert's Point coal docks) all have nicely CARVED [out of each structure's concrete], N&W circle-heralds: JUST like the ones from other places/railroads pictured above. Up in Pittsburgh PA, there are similarly carved B&O capitol dome logos on several overhead bridges, not far south of downtown. Or, at least they were there when I was living in Pittsburgh back in 1992-1994.

Chariton, IA on the Burlington.

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The nicest ones I've seen in recent years, painted SP logos on either side of the UP/Caltrain/Amtrak bridge over The Alameda (Route 82) in San Jose, CA - just north of the former SP Cahill St. Station (now Diridon). Photo from 12/05.

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This is a great thread! Thank you for thinking this one up. Great subject and stories......Charles

No pic. but I have the cast iron metal one from a bridge given me on the KP line that was built in 1899. upkpfan

CSURAM Wrote:
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> Does anyone have a picture of the LA & Salt Lake
> emblem on the UP Branch in Whittier, CA that ran
> next to then over Whittier Blvd? The large bridge
> is still there, but the recently tore down the
> other small bridge that had the emblem.

I had the same thought as I saw this topic. I passed under that bridge dozens of times and always thought I should get a photo...but didn't.

In my hometown of Dayton, Ohio here is most of what we have to offer. For added fun see if you can spot the trolleybus overhead in the second two pictures. Yes, Dayton still operates trolleybuses, or trackless trolleys.

1) Pennsylvania Railroad bridge over Patterson Blvd for what used to be the Hempstead secondary from Dayton Union Station south to Hempstead, Centerville, Lytle, and at one time all the way to Cincinnati. The tracks were removed back around 1982 but the bridge remains as a reminder of the NCR facility just south of here that this branch lived for.
2) Pennsylvania Railroad mainline from Columbus to Indianapolis (via Dayton), this is inbetween Wayne Ave Jct and Dutiot Street. This is now part of a branch to Delco in Kettering and is rarely used.
3) B & O Toledo sub crossing First Street just north of CP Second St.

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And now here's one from the city I currently reside in, Cincinnati, OH. This is the N & W Hyde Park Branch across Groveland Ave. The white metal sign is some kind of neighbourhood watch program notice. The branchline is the home turf of Norfolk Southern's local from Berry Yard TQ-07.

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PasadenaSub Wrote:
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> The nicest ones I've seen in recent years, painted
> SP logos on either side of the UP/Caltrain/Amtrak
> bridge over The Alameda (Route 82) in San Jose, CA
> - just north of the former SP Cahill St. Station
> (now Diridon). Photo from 12/05.

I seem to remember that there is an emblem just like this on the bridge over H Street in Sacramento.

Elizaabeth

No picture, but just a little further up 99E in Oregon City (about 30 miles north of Salem) there is another overpass of the SP over 99E with what appears to be a sign (rather than embossed in the concrete) emblem, at least southbound (west side of the tracks).

A painted SP logo is also evident on an overpass on the former Molalla Branch (now the Oregon Pacific RR) on a county road east out of Canby.

I wish I saw this thread earlier. Interesting topic,

This is at 7th St in West Oakland from 1987. Far as I know it's still there. Weren't the Sunset signs in San Jose restored at some point?

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