That was pretty cool to watch, especially seeing all the gearing and everything. Thank you for sharing this with us

This drawbridge also looks to show signs of decay. I know Florida works on such a limited budget and applying for federal grants for any infrastructural upkeep seems to be a "shot in the dark". The closest drawbridge I live close to is the Passyunk Avenue Bridge, over the Schuylkill River, (about 30 minutes from my hometown) just literally feet from where Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery had a huge explosion last month. The current bridge was completed in 1983. It was constructed on an alignment slightly to the north of its predecessor, a 2-lane double-leaf bascule bridge dating to 1911. It's still standing and structurally sound and fully functional.

I love the keys!!! I live in Miami but I love the keys!

Looking good my friend

Love drawbridge 👍

Dang I really liked this bridge

what was the orignal video?

Thats alot of land that is now un accessible , how does the tower get serviced now that it is cut off . helicopter

Again, political cost considerations rule, it probably was justified as the city of Miami nor state of Florida wanted to keep something going that to them was not economically viable nor practical. Marathon is one of the middle key islands but look at it from a political point of view, this roadway, US 1 , is off of the mainland. The state of Florida has enough of a massive mainland infrastructure to care for and needs no other projects in which to tie up man hours or funds repairing something small and obsolete. As it now appears, the waterway is an anchoring Harbor for small boats and since no large shipping traffic uses it, they removed the bridge for safety reasons allowing vessels to proceed unencumbered. When they factor things from a monetary standpoint, history just isn't considered .

I'm a fan of old bridges in general because all of them are becoming rarer to see heck in Memphis Tennessee you can walk across a huge railroad trestle that crosses the Memphis Arkansas border and it's worth seeing it's an amazing structure that's over a hundred years old now and I'm more than happy to send you footage of when I walked across it

Érdekes videó. Köszönöm.

Pretty cool! I liked this one. It's sad to see them dismantle this bridge but, looking at the rest of the bridge you can understand. Rust is creeping into the concrete railing you can only imagine what the rest of the bridge is like. Are they waiting for it to fall on its own, I only thought they did that here in Tennessee.

Some of my worst night maiers involved super high bridges and collapsed grates. Plungeing into a river at night.

That pretty awesome railrol that a great piece of history

Amazing Video. 🇮🇳

Looking at Google Maps, that's one huge undeveloped piece of real estate in a very crowded desirable section of Florida. I would think that island is a developers dream.

Good drawbridge videos can be taken in downtown Chicago. They’re still in use.

I love your videos

awesome applesauce R love the music and hate the old girl is gone. I lie these relics thanks Papi you rock :-)

I had to watch this again! This bridge could easily be fixed and reactivated

man, it's sad to see something like this die in a painful death.

Very cool video, I wouldn't mind seeing more like these.

Good stuff!

Fascinating stuff! I’m guessing that the folks that run the radio station transmitters located on the island will have to take a boat across when they need to work on their equipment. And another crossing gate mechanism lost to alcohol, always sad to see. Keep up the good work!

awesome

Nice Video!!! That's very cool how you saw a Drawbridge getting removed!

You must be my twin. Love drawbridges and any bridge honestly. Every bridge and railway has a story to tell. Its always fun to find out what that story is and why it should be shared with others. Great vid!

Very interesting video. You have Railroad force powers. It's good to hear from my best Florida friend. Heavy Machinery in action doing all the hard work. You look healthy for 37. My lady is 37. Love you brother. Always good to hear from you my friend. We're friends. One day when I get some money I'll visit you. I bet you if you was in NY you find some interesting things without using any tools. You have a real RailRod82 scent

Drawbridge videos in addition to railroad videos works for me. Time and weather sure has started taking its toll on bridge handrail/guardrail, wonder about bridge structure too. One day the bridge will probably collapse into bay below under it's own weight, unless there is intervention by some government agency (local, state or federal). Probably will not happen until a menace to marine traffic tho. Thank you for taking us along and giving history along with old pictures. Great choice on audio track for video, thought rather fitting IMOHO.

Wow, it’s amazing to think that that very bridge was once bustling with action, but it is now just dead. It’s crazy and sad. But anyways, awesome video! I enjoy these drawbridge videos as well as the railroad videos!

Wow!

Boot Key Harbor is where all the liveaboards that cannot afford a slip (like me) live dirtbag style “on the hook.” Nice Ry Cooder type blues music in the still shots. I like your bridge videos as well. Very cool!

Good work, very nice video! Greetings :-)

They should have made a ramp for the Duke boys or the Fall Guy...you just never know.

I would love to see videos about draw bridges. I love history of ALL bridges!

Neat video. Definitely do more drawbridges

One thing I would like to see, is a Truss bridge and how they are constructed. On my model railroad, I have section across a door way with a bridge to cross it. I need to build a bridge in three sections. A flat side plate sections under the track at each end and a Truss bridge in the center. I found a source for plastic strips the simulate steel I-beams, and other bridge components. I just can't find any drawings for a Truss bridge. The only one close to here in is Massillon, Ohio and I don't know if I can get access to it to take pictures without trespassing on CSX right of way.

Movable bridges always cool. Be they road or rail

Cool

Thanks for the great tour.

its sad that the stat don't want to save that bridge

Cool

Cool draw bridge! Why did they close it down? WIll they reopen that road again or is it gone for good?

Wow! That was an amazing drawbridge!! This was the WORSE demise of one I’ve ever seen! 😢 that is old 1960, they don’t make mechanical gates out of metal much anymore. Even the stop light is old, I’m sure it just had a blinking yellow light. I can see it was a single leaf drawspan. The rest of the bridge looks like it’s in good condition. They could have easily replaced that draw span which wouldn’t have been that huge of an expense and + upgraded it and the control tower. Or they could have replaced it with a fixed span like they are currently doing, leaving that area if the Keyes with nothing to cross. Shame on them! I hate when I see a drawbridge go 😢😢 other wise excellent vid and shots of the sprockets and machinery I see the counter weight is obviously gone too. Excellent vid , I know it’s not railroad, but yes keep more drawbridges coming, it adds spice!! 😀 Thank You ROL ROL!!

Good find ROL82. That drawbridge is almost 60 yrs old.

Sorry the drawbridge had to go.The city didn't do enough.They can be fixed.

Any time you find some history no matter what it is my friend feel free to film it because that's how history stays alive! Loved the video Roly keep it up buddy!

I love all transportation related video's please keep them coming but remember safety first my friend. so sad to see another great piece of history gone!

didn't you do an earlier video?

This is just sad. That looked like a fine bridge. By the way, drawbridge videos sound cool

👍

That was neat to see. I like that sport of thing as well. Could you see if the motor that moved the bridge was still in place on the gears?

Drawbridges are cool, I wouldn't mind seeing one every now and then :)

At least take it to the Museum and not remove it. Also i went to Tampa, FL in April

A much smaller version of the Chicago bridge. Interesting. Think the occasional one in Railrol82 otherwise it'd need its own channel.

It would have been a nice job to have wouldn't it? I like the concrete side rails and support posts for the bridge! Nice interesting video on a part of Florida history!

RIP Drawbridge 1960---- 2019

Hey look, there's an empty bottle of something on the desk in the bridge tender's office ... 😂 ... sure, drawbridges would be cool, road or rail ...

Less talk