May 24, 2018 i remember seeing the galloping gertie tacoma narrows bridge collapse in a physics class in high school, lucy walker told the atlantic, and the surprising image of something as. Tacoma narrows bridge 1940 simple english wikipedia, the. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse franklin miller, jr. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse gallopin gertie youtube.
The tacoma narrows bridge funsite scale model of 1940. Construction for the original structure first began in 1938, and it. Despite the engineers promise that the bridge would withstand hurricane force winds, the bridge quickly earned the nickname galloping gertie for its habit of swaying in even modern breezes. Well it flooded all the time we were there, with no slack. They slipped from their positions in the cable saddles atop each tower. The 1940 tacoma narrows bridge, the first tacoma narrows bridge, was a suspension bridge in the u. Tacoma narrows bridge galloping gertie 1940 duration. The collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge resulted in only one fatality. May 24, 2017 the collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge on the morning of november 7, 1940, is the most iconic example of a spectacular bridge failure in modern times.
It takes an average of about 10 years to repaint the entire tacoma narrows bridge from end to end, although repainting only happens in the summer months. It opened to traffic on july 1, 1940, and dramatically collapsed into puget sound on november 7 the same year. Tacoma narrows bridge, galloping gertie in washington collapses, 1940 00. Physicists over the years have spent a great deal of time and energy studying this event. Galloping gertie galloping gertie is a saloon piano song by sam fonteyn.
The portion of the bridge that fell into the water now serves as an artificial reef. It spanned the puget sound from gig harbor to tacoma, which is 40 miles south of seattle. Michael sullivan talks about the 1940 tacoma narrows bridge collapse and its effects on the study of bridge design and civil engineering cspans local content vehicles lcvs made a stop in. The footage became the basis for a textbook example of resonance, which is a standard topic in high school physics. Tacoma narrows and suspension bridges on pbs, nova online includes video of galloping gertie in oscillation action. And today, the rebuilt bridge is a key part of reaching communities out on the peninsula, which is why the harbor. Michael sullivan talks about the 1940 tacoma narrows bridge collapse. July 1 the first tacoma narrows bridge opens for business, built with an 8foot 2. Nov 05, 2019 the tacoma narrows bridge collapses due to high winds on november 7, 1940. Safely back at the toll plaza, i saw the bridge in its final collapse and saw my car plunge into the narrows.
Produced by koyo kim and raluca ifrim for national history day. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse sound version standard 4. As the bridge neared completion in may 1940, the ripple alarmed several workmen. When the tacoma narrows bridge over puget sound in the state of washington famously collapsed on november 7, 1940, it was captured on film for posterity.
At the time it was the third longest suspension bridge in the world, just behind the golden gate bridge and the george washington bridge. It will help to break this complicated series of events into several stages. Pdf the tacoma narrows bridge collapse on film and video. The bridges connect the city of tacoma with the kitsap peninsula and carry state route 16 known as primary state highway 14 until 1964 over the strait. Mar 28, 2018 the tacoma narrows bridge collapse was pivotal in how future structures would be built, with the careful incorporation of aerodynamics into design plans. The image of leonard coatsworths car stuck on the swaying tacoma narrows bridge known as galloping gertie might be one of the most well known from that disaster, but though its dramatic it does little to give viewers a true sense of just how large a span of the bridge collapsed. The primary explanation of galloping gertie s failure is described as torsional flutter. History and more of the tacoma narrows suspension bridges. A look back at the insane tacoma narrows bridge collapse video. The only victim of the tacoma narrows bridge collapse was a.
They chewed on lemons to counteract seasickness from the motion. Between 1939 and 1940, the tacoma narrows bridge over the puget sound between tacoma and gig harbor, washington. Heres a different view that jason kriess, who works for the washington national guard, recently came across. Jun 15, 20 galloping gertie the tacoma narrows bridge. The tacoma narrows bridge collapse is an iconic part of the northwest history. New video of galloping gertie the tacoma narrows bridge. There were no casualties except a dog trapped in a car stranded on the bridge. Purchase a download tacoma narrows bridge collapse.
Our plan was to ride the tail end of the ebb current to the tacoma narrows bridge on vimeo. Also covers galloping gerties creation, subsequent studies involving its aerodynamics, and finally the construction of a second bridge spanning the narrows. The bridge collapsed into puget sound on november 7 of the same year. For the first time, footage of galloping gerties collapse from the gig harbor side is being shown to the public. Galloping gertie, collapsed in a windstorm on november 7,1940. Collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge on the 7th november.
How galloping gertie collapsed left us a lasting design legacy. Jun 18, 20 check out this amazing footage of the collapse of the worlds third largest suspension bridge at the time, tacoma narrows bridge, washington, in 1940. The worlds third largest suspension bridge, the latest and most advanced in its sleek design, was a twisted tangle of steel and broken concrete. Tacoma 1940 tacoma narrows bridge galloping gertie.
Tacoma narrows bridge learning from building failures. In november, 1940, the newly completed tacoma narrows bridge, opened barely four months before, swayed and collapsed in a 42 mileperhour wind. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse on film and video, phys. Watch the amazing gallopin gertie november 7, 1940 film clip. A new tacoma bridge was built in 1950, consisting of a wider roadway and features designed to secure the. The tacoma bridge is built, with some amazing and exciting footage of men dangling from cages to put the beast together, after a of course pompous bridge opening ceremony, disaster strikes, as the bridge starts weaving to and fro, its still pretty incredible to see such footage today. This month marks the 75th anniversary of the tacoma narrows bridge collapse. Tacoma narrows bridge 1940 simple english wikipedia. The tacoma narrows bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges that span the tacoma narrows strait of puget sound in pierce county, washington. For the bridge known as galloping gertie, see tacoma narrows bridge 1940. Tacoma narrows bridge, galloping gertie in washington. Apr 07, 2017 1940 tacoma narrows bridge collapse from twcs weather caught on camera duration.
Leachs footage originally on film but then recorded to video cassette by filming the. The very first tacoma narrows bridge collapsed on november 7, 1940. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse gallopin gertie 1940. University of washington libraries online exhibit of 190 images gives the story of the construction, collapse and rebuilding of the bridge.
The fifthlongest suspension bridge in the nation, the original became known as galloping gertie. An example of resonance waves in structures, circles unit angles inscrib. Successcreating the narrows bridge, 19371940 galloping gertie collapses, november 7, 1940. During the collapse, the main suspension cables were thrown violently side to side, twisted, and tossed 100 feet into the air. Tubby, a black cocker spaniel who was riding with leonard coatsworth, a news editor for the tacoma news tribune. Spanning over the tacoma narrows strait of puget sound, this nowpair of bridges link tacoma and the kitsap peninsula. University of washington libraries digital collection tacoma narrows bridge collection more than 152 images and text documenting the infamous collapse in 1940 of the tacoma narrows bridge.
I remember seeing the galloping gertie tacoma narrows bridge collapse in a physics class in high school, lucy walker told the atlantic, and the surprising image of something as. Colour footage of the tacoma narrows bridge youtube. Galloping gertie the collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge examines the creation and demise of the original tacoma narrows bridge. In 1998, the tacoma narrows bridge collapse was selected for preservation in the united states. There were no casualties except a dog trapped in a car stranded on the. I also filtered the sound track to get rid of the hiss and to cut down on the tinny sound. The bridge s collapse has been described as spectacular and in. The bridge was built over the tacoma narrows strait of puget sound between tacoma and the kitsap peninsula.
Historically, the name tacoma narrows bridge has applied to the original bridge nicknamed. The original, 5,939footlong tacoma narrows bridge, popularly known as galloping gertie, opened to traffic on july 1, 1940 after two years of construction, linking tacoma and gig harbor. The collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge on the morning of november 7, 1940, is the most iconic example of a spectacular bridge failure in modern times. An engineers perspective on the tacoma narrows bridge collapse, explaining how it was. It received its nickname galloping gertie because of the vertical movement of the deck observed by construction workers during windy. The tacoma narrows bridge collapse on film and video.
By using opensource analysis tools and digitized footage of the disaster, physics students in both high. Our plan was to ride the tail end of the ebb current to the first caisson, dive the slack, then ride the flood back home. Some believed that galloping gertie would go down in a matter of months. A look back at the insane tacoma narrows bridge collapse. The tacoma narrows bridge was built in washington during the 1930s and opened to traffic on july 1, 1940. The gigantic twisting motion of the bridge threw coatsworths car against the curb, and he climbed out of an open window to try to crawl to safety. Howard clifford running off the bridge as it collapsed unable to withstand the increasingly brutal torsional twisting, a number of galloping gerties suspender cables snapped, shifting the weight of the deck onto the remaining cables. It was used as the play me off, johnny music by the vaudeville characters johnny and. Twin views of the tacoma narrows bridge collapse, dvd and users guide, r. Tacoma narrows bridge, galloping gertie, operation catapult, newsreel, suspension bridge, french fleet, oran, royal navy, battleship richelieu, vichy, wwii, world war ii, tacoma, washington this historic newsreel shows some interesting events in the 1940s including the attack on the french fleet by the british at oran and the collapse of the. My buddy dave and i decided to try and dive the collapsed galloping gertie from shore using scooters. Today, the 1940 tacoma narrows bridge s failure continues to advance the scientific method. At first, the bridges deck began to experience vertical moment as a result of severe winds.
The fact that we have video footage of the bridge collapse is thanks to barney elliott, who owned a nearby camera shop and recorded the event on 16 mm film. Jul 19, 2012 galloping gertie the collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge examines the creation and demise of the original tacoma narrows bridge. The original tacoma narrows bridge roadway twisted and vibrated violently under 40mileperhour 64. Check out this amazing footage of the collapse of the worlds third largest suspension bridge at the time, tacoma narrows bridge, washington, in 1940. When reporters asked lead project engineer clark eldridge to explain why the narrows bridge collapsed, he could not hold back. Lost footage of historical tacoma narrows bridge collapse revealed. Dec 06, 2011 the original tacoma narrows bridge opened on july 1, 1940. The song was featured in blackened sponge season five, episode fourteen of spongebob squarepants. Dec 09, 2006 watch the amazing gallopin gertie november 7, 1940 film clip. The 1940 tacoma narrows bridge, the first tacoma narrows bridge, was a suspension bridge. Construction began on november 23, 1938, and was finished a little over a. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse now, the day that the tacoma narrows bridge collapsed wasnt the first day wind had caused it to oscillate hence the nickname galloping gertie given to it before.
Galloping gertie the collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge. It collapsed just four months later during a 42mileperhour wind storm on nov. The only victim of the tacoma narrows bridge collapse was. The original tacoma narrows bridge opened on july 1, 1940. The collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge, 7 november 1940. November 2015 physics today65 the collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge. The tacoma narrows bridge opened to traffic on july 1, 1940 and collapsed into puget sound on november 7 of the same year. It received its nickname galloping gertie because of the vertical movement of the. That headline appeared in the tacoma times on november 9, 1940, two days after the collapse of galloping gertie. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse color video youtube.
Science busts the biggest myth ever about why bridges collapse. Torsional motion of the bridge screenshots taken from video. The tacoma narrows bridge also known as galloping gertie is a wellknown and welldocumented suspension bridge failure that occurred on november 7, 1940 at approximately 11am, four months after the bridge was first opened to the public. The 1940 tacoma narrows bridge was the first version of the tacoma narrows bridge. A rescue was attempted by the man with the pipe, but the frightened animal would not leave the car. The tacoma narrows bridge collapse was pivotal in how future structures would be built, with the careful incorporation of aerodynamics into design plans.