My grandfather worked during the end of World War II on the new, present day bridge over the Colorado River. It may have even been under construction when this picture was taken.

The single track bridge seen in the photo (commonly called the Red Rock Bridge) became the new US66 bridge shortly after Santa Fe moved over to its new double track bridge. Then the original US66 bridge, an steel-arch structure, was used for a pipeline. The reason US66 moved was it needed a stronger bridge to handle heavier loads.

The Red Rock Bridge served US66 for about twenty years or so and then was replaced by a new, four-lane interstate highway bridge for I-40. The old Red Rock Bridge (located just south of the I-40 bridge if I recall) remained in place until about 1980 when it was demolished. Its builder's plaque is in the Needles Museum. The original US66 steel-arch bridge, now painted white, is still in use today for a pipeline.

It should be noted that the Red Rock Bridge wasn't the original bridge across the Colorado River, but it was the first at Topock. Originally, the Santa Fe (Atlantic & Pacific) crossed the river just east of the yard at Needles and ran down the Arizona side to near Topock to meet the original grade. That original bridge was unspectuclar I have been told. This original right-of-way, vary prone to flooding is still visible in spots and can been followed by satellite photos.