Tower Bridge

[mcjones94]

I was wondering how the Tower Bridge operates? Does it still have people working in the little building on the bridge? How do you get the bridge raised if you're a large enough boat? Just any interesting info on how the bridge operates would be cool! I've always wondered about this, but never knew who to ask. I figured someone on here would probably know.

 

[Markinsac]

I don't know if there is someone there all the time, but a radio call on one of the marine channels can have it raised. I believe that the same procedure is used for the I Street Bridge just north of there. It has been quite a few years since I helped someone who did tours on the river.

Interesting fact - the Tower Bridge raises - the I Street Bridge rotates.

 

[Sac916]

I was wondering how the Tower Bridge operates? Does it still have people working in the little building on the bridge? How do you get the bridge raised if you're a large enough boat? Just any interesting info on how the bridge operates would be cool! I've always wondered about this, but never knew who to ask. I figured someone on here would probably know.

They have bridge tenders (state employees) that operate the Tower Bridge and I Street bridge. I actually met one of the Tower Bridge operators a few years ago, said it was pretty boring. HA

The bridges have hours of operation and tenders post in the towers on each bridge.

The bridges communicate with vessels on 156.4500 - Just yesterday the Old Sacramento "Hornblower" had to be delayed at the I Street bridge due to pedestrians not getting off the bridge quick enough.

In Old Sac they have a couple boats that do river tours and dinner cruises, these trips cause the bridges to raise/rotate. Every great once in a while a civilian vessel will come through and request passage. If you ever want to catch the bridges in action, go pick up a schedule of the boat cruises in the afternoon and evening. The "river tour" season just started.

The waterways are patrolled by the Coast Guard, Sac PD and Sac Sheriff.

 

[selgaran]

The waterways are patrolled by the Coast Guard, Sac PD and Sac Sheriff.

As well as Yolo County Sherrif (year-round) and West Sacramento PD (seasonal).

 

[xts3000r]

Coast Guard is in the db and p25

 

[KD6RRR]

I do not know any details about the Tower Bridge. The I Street bridge, however, is actually owned, maintained, and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. It is staffed 24/7 by a railroad employee called a control operator, who responds to radio requests or prearranged approaches from marine traffic, controls the railroad signal system to either stop or allow to proceed rail traffic, and stop or allow to proceed vehicle and pedestrian traffic on the street above.

 

[KD6HRI]

I was a seasonal Bridge Operator for three years with the County Of Sacramento many years ago. I operated 4 County bridges which were Georgiana slough and Tyler Island which were both swing spans and Freeport and Walnut Grove which were bascule bridges. The bridge operator was hailed via a VHF marine radio or by one long and one short blast on the horn. From November 1st to April 30th the hours of operation were 9am to 5pm and from May 1st to October 31st was 6am to 10pm. If you needed an after hours opening you needed to contact the County and make a reservation so a Bridge Operator could ba avaliable for the opening. It was a pretty cool job when I was younger and I may look to get back into it after I retire from my current job in a few years.

 

[KD6RRR]

Here is some info for you-

http://www.valcomnews.com/?p=3017