Irvine Ranch Flatcar Bridge

[holasrmateo]

On a another thread I found out that on the Irvine Ranch in years past was once home to several flatcars repurposed as bridges to cross several of the creeks (arroyo might be a more appropriate term for most of them) on the ranch. Somewhat temporary structures, after periodic floods and decades urbanization, I had a feeling most of them would be long gone. Causalities of history in an area that is often regarded to have none...except at least one.

Knowing the bridges were old flatcars, restricting their length to 50', any remaining would have to be cross rather small arroyos as to not be washed away, fairly upstream as to not warrant significant channelization, and have to be in relatively undeveloped area to not have been removed. Within the city limits of Irvine, this pretty much only leaves the area outside of Spectrum and El Toro, namely all of the tributaries that eventually join to San Diego Creek. Using the satellite view on Google Maps, I found one possible flatcar bridge left, actually just off the parking lot of the Irvine Metrolink Station. Here are some pictures.











As you can see it is very dilapidated. The foundation and flatcar itself look sound but many of the boards and ground around it have been washed away and there is a layer of silt that is evidence of the torrent the creek was earlier this year.

I took a picture of the only marking I could find and it seems have originally belonged to the Southern Pacific (trackage in Irvine has historically been Santa Fe). Google Earth histories shows a vague image of the bridge as earlier as 1994 and judging by the size and construction, it has probably been around long than that.

It seems to have been a trail at some point although given the giant sinkhole next to it, I assume no one uses it anymore. It is however easy it find, and I struggled to take angles that didn't show any parked cars. I haven't contacted the Irvine Ranch Historical Society yet, to ask if it is protected, since I am sure few if any still exist on the Ranch.

The San Diego Creek and its tributaries that far upstream are hard to define from Google Maps because of the overgrowth of trees and exploring on the ground is technically trespassing. The only other places I can think any flat car bridges could be found are further in the hills and perhaps Limestone Canyon and/or in Laguna.



Indeed I did find another flatcar bridge randomly along Laguna Canyon Road, but its of modern origins given the length, width and construction.

Anyway that is my most recent discovery about local history. If it isn't protected, check it out before it is removed, and feel free to post any others you find in the area.

[MrMRL]

Very fascinating.

Here is a Google Maps link to the irvine bridge... http://g.co/maps/dk9j4

Mr. MRL

[Jaanfo]

Looks like it got it's last COT&S on 4/20/1971, so it was probably "put out to pasture" around 1975 or sooner.

[Holloran Grade]

There is another one in a strawberry field located adjacent to the Irvine Metrolink / Amtrak station.

You can see it as you pull out of the station going south, look to the west towards the freeway and it is over a small creek that runs through the field.

It is fairly close to the tracks.

[Myfordbrowning]

Not only were retired flatcars used as bridges in the agricultural areas of Irvine, a nursery purchased the frame from a boxcar for a bridge over Hicks Canyon Wash. Another crossing of a drainage was made with a retired SP tank car with the ends cutoff. Part of the SP reporting marks were still visiable.

Cliff

[AmtrakFan454]

I walked across that bridge ages ago to get a shot of 455 when it was in the wrap. I saw it washed-out (kind of) the other day, really a shame to look at.

[holasrmateo]

(11-28-2011 09:16 PM)Holloran Grade Wrote:  There is another one in a strawberry field located adjacent to the Irvine Metrolink / Amtrak station.

You can see it as you pull out of the station going south, look to the west towards the freeway and it is over a small creek that runs through the field.

It is fairly close to the tracks.

Yea that's actually the one. MrMRL linked it.

(11-28-2011 09:08 PM)Jaanfo Wrote:  Looks like it got it's last COT&S on 4/20/1971, so it was probably "put out to pasture" around 1975 or sooner.

Thanks, I didn't know what the numbers meant. I just knew the car itself was old and the bridge likely has been there for decades. If so that makes the bridge about as old as Irvine itself (1971).

(11-29-2011 03:19 AM)Myfordbrowning Wrote:  Not only were retired flatcars used as bridges in the agricultural areas of Irvine, a nursery purchased the frame from a boxcar for a bridge over Hicks Canyon Wash. Another crossing of a drainage was made with a retired SP tank car with the ends cutoff. Part of the SP reporting marks were still visiable.

Cliff

Are they still there? Was you I talked to about a former bridge in the Portola area before homes were built and its about the same place.

[holasrmateo]

(11-29-2011 08:24 AM)AmtrakFan454 Wrote:  I walked across that bridge ages ago to get a shot of 455 when it was in the wrap. I saw it washed-out (kind of) the other day, really a shame to look at.

It was interesting to see it in a "natural" state and all the more unique for it in a city like Irvine. I hope it is refurbished though and used as a bicycle trail of some sort.

[TC Smith]

The flats on Irvine Ranch crossed the irrigation canal, not the creeks. My post about them was deleted for some reason.


TCS - .

[holasrmateo]

(11-29-2011 02:36 PM)TC Smith Wrote:  The flats on Irvine Ranch crossed the irrigation canal, not the creeks. My post about them was deleted for some reason.


TCS - .

Exclusively or just that one? I imagine that they would be useful spanning small creeks and ravines most of the time, even in areas that might be washed away every ten years, if it wasn't important enough to have a real bridge.