[1][2] It was operated by buttons on the approach trestles, and had a 5-horsepower (3.7 kW) electric motor, as well as fabric belts and bevel gears.

[2] When planning out their commuter rail system, SMART estimated that it would cost approximately 20 million dollars for the bridge to be used for passenger service, so they opted for the cheaper option of buying a used drawbridge.

They decided upon the old Galveston Causeway railroad bridge, that was planned to be scrapped.

[4] Officials say the bridge should be good for around 75 to 80 years of passenger rail service.

[3] The new bridge has a host of new electrical systems, such as programmable logic control and flux vector variable frequency drives.