Hibblen Radio - Black And White Gallery

It's hard to explain how I become so endeared with this railroad bridge, to the point that it practically haunts me, even nine years after moving far away, by making recurring appearances in dreams. As a kid growing up in North Little Rock, I loved looking over at it when my family would drive across the I-30 bridge, crossing the Arkansas River directly beside it. I liked the Rock Island Bridge because its big, round spans made it visually more appealing than the other railroad bridges connecting Little Rock and North Little Rock. Also it seemed busier than the others, with trains frequently rolling across.

On the north river bank, December 2002, happy the bridge will survive - Click to enlarge

In 1979 I was bused for second grade to Redwood Elementary, in downtown North Little Rock. Directly in front of the school was the Rock Island's busy main line, just a short distance from the bridge. I loved watching the trains through my classroom windows and during recess. I also liked knowing that when I saw a train on the bridge, it was heading toward or had just passed my school. But in February 1980 I was heartbroken when the trains suddenly stopped coming. After two decades of struggling, the bankrupt Rock Island had been shut down.

In 1989, as part of a high school research paper, I wrote to Union Pacific, which had reluctantly become owner of the bridge, which it neither needed or wanted. Viewing it as a liability, the railroad wrote back that it would be taking down the bridge in 1991 or 92, with the lift span to be used on a bridge near Seattle, while the rest of the spans "will be removed and scapped." Crushed that time would be running out for the bridge, which had been there since 1899 (except for the lift span, which was added in 1972), I started trespassing on the bridge, to get a good look at it. I also frequently took my camera to document the bridge before it was gone.

NOTE: The five photos featuring the Second Street overpass were taken by photographer Louise T. Taft for the Historic American Engineering Record in 1988 while historic designation was being considered. They are government materials not subject to copyright. The other 10 were taken by me, most in 1994.


The first time I actually went over to the Rock Island bridge in 1989, it had basically become part of a hobo jungle.	I was rather stunned to find, mixed with one person's belongings on the ground, a photo that I'm guessing is of a loved one.	At that time there was no fence or even any no trespassing signs to stop anyone from walking out onto the bridge.

The entire area of what had once been a busy railroad complex, was completely abandoned and decaying with buildings boarded up and trash strewn about.	This stunning little overpass, built in a design identical to that of a bridge span, was for vehicle and foot traffic on 2nd Street, so idle trains wouldn't stop traffic.	The Rock Island paid to have the overpass built in 1915. Sadly it was removed in the mid-90's, despite pleas that it be given historical designation.

It's a great shame the overpass is gone. It would have added even more charm to the Clinton Presidential Library. Sadly it's not the only item from this area now gone, that could have contributed greatly.	The underside of the overpass. In 1989 I would often see mattresses here, with the bridge providing a little protection from the elements for homeless. Also visible is a small control panel for the bridge.	Looking east, along the track that crossed directly in front of the bridge's track, going into what was a small rail yard and railroad freight depot, which disappointingly was demolished in 1999.

When I returned to the bridge in 1994 a fence had been placed at the south entrance, although it was fairly easy to swing around the razor wire on the side.	At the edge of the south span, just in front of the lift span's counter weight. Sadly the span has not been lowered in more than two decades and may never.	Looking up an internal ladder in the south tower, that provided access to the lift span and the walkway leading to the small machinery house above the rails.

Because you never knew who you might run into on the bridge, I never went alone. Here's one time radio co-host Sean Corrigan, by two block signals that had been pulled down near the north end.	This sign in the south span reminded engineers that there were no more block signals to prevent a head-on collision between the bridge and Rock Island's Biddle yard, a few miles down the line.	The greatest joy of climbing the bridge was sitting back and watching the world race by from an abandoned, yet stunning vantage point. Here I am sitting on the edge at the north side of the lift span.

Click to read the article from April 19, 1996

In 1996 I wrote an article for the Little Rock Free Press about a proposal for preserving the Rock Island Bridge by making it part of a plan that has since been implemented to reviatalize the city's downtown area, just west of the bridge. The area that had once been the Rock Island's busy riverfront complex is now the home of the Clinton Presidential Library. And I'm pleased to see that the library incorporates the bridge as a pedestrian walkway, linking Little Rock and North Little Rock. Renovations are to begin soon. My only disappointment is that from what I've heard, they don't plan to repair the lift span to have it come up and down, but rather will have elevators on each side or an elevated walkway. I know it would cost more to repair the span and to have someone in charge of raising and lowering it for river traffic, but in my opinion if the span doesn't move then the bridge is still dead. I would like to see this stunning bridge come back to life.