Rostov railway drawbridge, Railway vertical-lift bridge in Rostov-on-Don, Russia
The Rostov railway drawbridge is a 300-meter structure spanning the Don River with two railway tracks and a central lifting section for ships to pass through. It connects Rostov Glavny and Zarechnaya stations and moves aside when larger vessels need to travel on the river below.
Engineers designed this double-track version in 1917 to replace an older single-track bridge that once stood at this location. After suffering damage during World War II, it was completely rebuilt between 1949 and 1952.
People in Rostov call this structure the 'American bridge' because of how its vertical-lift design matches engineering approaches popular in North America during the early 1900s. The nickname reflects local pride in this piece of infrastructure and how residents see it as a symbol of modern technology from that era.
The best light for photographs comes early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun hits the steel structure at a pleasing angle. You can view this structure from various points along the riverbank or watch it pass by from a moving train.
This structure underwent multiple reconstructions over its lifetime, not just the major rebuild after World War II. These ongoing improvements show how essential this crossing remained for the region through different periods.
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