CSX-MBTA Bridge Over East Street - Westwood, MA - Railroad Bridges on Waymarking.com

In the Westwood village of Islington is a railroad bridge that carries the MBTA and CSX railroads over East Street.

The bridge is located about an eight mile east of the center of Islington, where East Street and Washington Streets intersect.

The bridge has concrete and stone abutments on both sides of the road, and spanned by beams and plate steel. It currently supports two tracks; however, the abutments are wide enough to have supported another set of tracks. In fact, on the east side, there are two sections, defined by a staggered face. The bridge pass allows for passage of a narrow road as well as shelf little more than a couple feet wide for a sidewalk.

The signs say that the clearance is 10 ft. 6 inches high. The height is good enough for most passenger and utility vehicles (maybe not with bikes on the top), but it is too low for most trucks. The width is OK for passenger vehicles, but, again, not that wide for trucks. An article included documents the accidents that happen due, in part to the dimensions of the passage under the bridge. The town/railroads don't plan on any changes to the bridge any time soon. Of course, some people prefer it this way as a way to keep trucks from using East Street, which connects to Mass. Route 128/I-95.
The Norfolk Co. Railroad was built in 1846. The bridge probably didn't date that far back.

Source:

Patch.com (East Street Bridge Causes a History of Accidents):
(visit link)

MHC Report (Westwood):
(visit link)

Bridge Type: Girder Bridge Usage: Railroad Moving Bridge: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please provide a photo taken at the time of visit.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.