Manning-Rye Covered Bridge, Wooden railway bridge in Whitman County, United States
The Manning-Rye Covered Bridge is a wooden railway bridge spanning the Palouse River with a single timber Howe truss frame supported by pile abutments. The structure was later modified to carry automobiles by replacing the train rails with wooden planking.
The bridge was built in 1922 by the Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad to carry train traffic across the river. When the Great Northern Railroad transferred it in 1967, private owners eventually converted it for vehicle use.
The bridge demonstrates how people adapted traditional construction methods to support railway operations in the early 1900s across the region.
Access to this bridge is limited as it sits on private property and has been modified for vehicle use over many years. Visitors should arrange advance permission with property owners and take proper precautions when inspecting the structure.
The bridge had an open top section rather than a fully enclosed roof to allow overhead electrical power lines for trains to pass through. This design difference from typical covered bridges shows how the structure was specifically engineered for electric railway operations.
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