What is oregon trunk rail bridge?

The Oregon Trunk Rail Bridge is a historic railroad bridge located near Madras, Oregon. It was built in 1911 by the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway as part of their mainline through Central Oregon. The bridge spans the Crooked River and is 464 feet long and 320 feet high. It was considered a significant engineering feat at the time of its construction, as it required the use of a cantilever design to support the weight of the trains that would travel over it.

The bridge remained in use until the mid-1990s, when it was deemed unsafe for the heavier freight trains that had begun to serve the region. The Oregon Department of Transportation acquired the bridge in the early 2000s and began work on a project to preserve and rehabilitate it. Today, the bridge is open to pedestrians and bicyclists as part of the Crooked River Canyon Scenic Bikeway. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.