Old Bridge Plans
Old Bridge Plans
4
bridgebuster (Civil)
(OP)
This site may be of interest to some. early to mid 20th Century bridge plans posted by the Arkansas Highway Department.
Link
Some interesting work by our ancestors. They plans are grouped by counties but you have to open them up to see the type of bridge.
Link
Some interesting work by our ancestors. They plans are grouped by counties but you have to open them up to see the type of bridge.





RE: Old Bridge Plans
RE: Old Bridge Plans
RE: Old Bridge Plans
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Old Bridge Plans
On my last day on the job, had a working set of drawings reproduced and sent the originals to the company's long-term archive.
www.SlideRuleEra.net
www.VacuumTubeEra.net
RE: Old Bridge Plans
SRE - did that bridge have the cast iron Phoenix Columns? I've only seen two bridges with them. Oddly enough, one was the approach spans leading up to a swing bridge in NYC, which was demolished a replaced a few years ago. I've also seen some drawings of lamp poles and park benches with intricate detail. I have a ruling pen buth I never got the knack for using it.
RE: Old Bridge Plans
www.SlideRuleEra.net
www.VacuumTubeEra.net
RE: Old Bridge Plans
Just started working on a project for a major span where literally only 7 pages of the original design drawings had survived -- and partially illegible at that.
RE: Old Bridge Plans
Shoot for the Moon, even if U miss, U still land among Stars!
RE: Old Bridge Plans
You brought back a lot of memories...
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Old Bridge Plans
RE: Old Bridge Plans
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Old Bridge Plans
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Old Bridge Plans
I started as a drafter of shop drawings in 1969. Graduated from a string-type straight edge to an arm-type machine to a bar-type machine. I used to use ink (on vellum) for items that needed to stand out on a print and were unlikely to change - everything else was pencil. We typically shaded on the back side of the vellum when it helped to improve drawing readability (walls & concrete columns). Because of my use of ink, I got very good at Mike's technique. I also got very good at splicing in a clean piece of vellum when revisions got frequent or extensive - always had a razor blade and tape in my drawer.
Now I work and think via AutoCAD, BUT remember how important drawing readability is. Far too many of today's drafters do not grasp that concept. Almost none of my drawings will go out until I have put them on paper (or into .PDF form) so I can see how well they convey the information.
Now if we could only get adequate and sensible dimensions from Architects and many engineers ...
Ralph
Structures Consulting
Northeast USA
RE: Old Bridge Plans
Even when first drafting in 1946 I didn't get exposed to it. Saw the rolling glass toppped tables at CE building of Cornell to roll out on the roof for timed exposure to the sun, but of no use then.
RE: Old Bridge Plans
Made plenty of white prints (diazo), but no blue prints.
RE: Old Bridge Plans
RE: Old Bridge Plans