Pacific Electric Railway Bridge

Last crawled date: 1 year, 11 months ago

The Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge or Southern Pacific Railroad Bridge is a historic double-tracked arch bridge located in Torrance, California, spanning Torrance Boulevard at Bow Street, west of Western Avenue. It was once part of the north/south Torrance to San Pedro spur line of the Pacific Electric Railway, that agency's first interurban line to San Pedro. After splitting off to the east from the Union Tool Company plant which was once a short distance south of the bridge, the line terminated at a Columbia Steel steel mill (later United States Steel) by running up and over that railroad's east/west Torrance local line in much the same manner as a viaduct and is the only part of the PE which crossed itself in such a manner. Designed by Irving Gill and built in 1913, the bridge became the city's second entry in the National Register of Historic Places on July 13, 1989. It is also listed with the California Office of Historic Preservation. Though trackage, turnouts and remnants of a switch remain on the bridge, it is no longer in use nor has it been for quite some time. There is no chance of the bridge returning to service, since the right-of-way at either end has been redeveloped. #bridge #historic #Pacific_Electric #railroad #railway #Torrance