Inside Jacksonville's Iron Giant: the Secrets of the Fec Strauss Trunnion Bascule Bridge
By Sophia Al-Mansoor
Q1: Why is the FEC bridge almost always left open?
A1: The bridge has a closed vertical clearance of only 5 feet at mean high water. Under Coast Guard regulations, the railway must prioritize maritime traffic on navigable waterways. The bridge only closes when a train is scheduled to cross, keeping river delays minimal.
Q2: Does Amtrak or passenger rail use the FEC Strauss Bascule Bridge?
A2: No. Amtrak trains traveling through Jacksonville use an inland route operated by CSX that crosses the St. Johns River further west via the McGirts Creek area. The FEC bridge is used almost exclusively by Florida East Coast Railway freight trains, with occasional work trains and maintenance equipment.
Q3: How heavy is the overhead concrete counterweight?
A3: The counterweight contains hundreds of tons of poured concrete cast directly inside a structural steel cage. Its weight precisely equals the dead weight of the 216-foot movable bridge leaf, calculated around the offset moments of the heel-trunnion pivot axis.
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