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Perception Deception

Vehicle carrier approaching Cape Cod Railroad Bridge

The railroad bridge has a 544-foot main span, with a 135-foot clearance when raised. It is the second longest lift bridge in the United States, At the time of its completion 1935, it was the longest vertical lift span in the world. The Railroad Bridge is a vertical lift bridge. The center span lifts up and down. After ensuring the Canal is clear of large commercial traffic, the bridge span will be lowered for a train

to cross. Counterweights are the secret to how it

moves. The 2,200-ton center span is counter-weighted by two 1,100-ton concrete filled steel-plated boxes that hang in each tower. The span is connected to the counterweights by 40 steel cables that hang in each tower.

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Uploaded on August 31, 2025