North Fork River Big Four Bridge
Description
August 5, 1893This bridge, consisting of 13 bents of trestle on the west end, two 60ft. spans, a 30ft. tower and a central span of 144 ft., was approached on each side by heavy grades. Four cars of a freight train, in going up one of these grades, broke off, the rear half running back down the grade. It was brought to a stop on the bridge and left standing with the brakes set. In this condition it was struck by another freight train. The bridge being in a sag, the speed of the second train was considerable, since the grade was operated as a momentum grade. By the sudden stopping of the second train, the brakes being set on the first train, the bridge was shoved forward allowing the rear end to drop off its pier, forming an incline down which the cars on the bridge rolled, smashing against the pier at the bottom. The missing section was replaced by a timber trestle. The entire bridge was replaced in 1902 by a two-span concrete culvert, currently carrying an access road to Danville Metal Stamping, and the CSX railroad on an earth embankment about 30 feet high.
References: Engineering News 1893, Volume 2, p. 159 - The Engineer, Volume 76, p. 265
Facts
- Overview
- Lost Deck truss bridge over North Fork Vermilion River on former Big Four Railroad in Danville
- Location
- Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois
- Status
- Replaced by a new bridge
- History
- Built 1868, main span replaced after collapse in 1893, replaced in 1902
- Design
- Main span: 144' deck truss
Two 60' Pratt deck trusses
West approach: Timber stringer - Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 144.0 ft.
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +40.12956, -87.64312 (decimal degrees)
40°07'46" N, 87°38'35" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/445207/4442336 (zone/easting/northing)
- USGS topographic map
- Danville NW
- Inventory number
- BH 52994 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/il/vermilion/big-four-iron/