Sinnakdong
Steel Bridge
Sinnakdong Steel Bridge (신낙동강철교; map) is a decommissioned, truss railroad bridge near the intersection of the Miryang River (밀양강; map) and mighty Nakdong River. It touches both Miryang (밀양시; map) and Gimhae (김해시; map) Cities just above Busan (부산시; map).
Though the bridge first let trains cross in 1962, Korea laid its foundation in 1938 during Japanese Occupation. World War II (1939~1945) and the Korean War (1955~53) paused the bridge’s completion for over twenty years.
Once running on the Gyeongjeon Rail Line, Sinnakdong Steel Bridge lost its job to the Nakdong River Railroad Bridge (낙동강철교; map) in 2009. Hanging only 350 meters upriver, this newer, double-track bridge carries KTX trains from Daegu to Jinju (진주시; map) Cities.
In 2010, Gimhae City transformed Sinnakdong Steel Bridge into part of the Gimhae Nakdonggang Rail Park (김해낙동강레일파크; map). On sunny days, dozens of families chug up and down the steel latticed bridge’s old train tracks on pedal-powered rail bikes.
At the south end of the rail line, the rail park turned the quieted rail tunnel into the Gwangyang Wine Cave (광양와인동굴; map). In its dark and temperate interior dwell barrels of aging raspberry wine, art adorned walls, and countless photo-zones.
The Sinnakdong Steel Bridge is one of five bridges clustered along this section of the Nakdong River. From the Sinnakdong Steel Bridge, the others are:
- Nakdong River Railroad Bridge (낙동강철교; map; 350 m upstream) — KTX railroad bridge built in 2009. It took over the Sinnakdong Bridge’s duties.
- “Old” Samrangjin Bridge (삼랑진교; map; 250 m downstream) — a single-lane bridge completed in 1905. It still allows bikes and small to midsize cars across.
- “New” Samrangjin Bridge (신삼랑진교; map; 700 m downstream) — completed in 2011, this two-lane truss bridge connects local roads between Miryang and Gimhae Cities.
- Nakdong “Big” Bridge (낙동대교; map; 1.7 km downstream) — carries the tolled New Daegu Busan Expressway (신대구부산고속도로; map).
