Big Four Railroad Bridge
Photos
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Overview Photo taken June 2005 by James Adorno |
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North end Photo taken June 2005 by James Adorno |
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Side view Photo taken May 1975 by Jack Boucher for the Historic American Engineering Record |
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Main span Photo taken May 1975 by Jack Boucher for the Historic American Engineering Record |
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South end Photo taken May 1975 by Jack Boucher for the Historic American Engineering Record |
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Stone piers Photo taken May 1975 by Jack Boucher for the Historic American Engineering Record |
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Date marker Photo taken May 1975 by Jack Boucher for the Historic American Engineering Record |
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From the Jeffersonville Indiana side. May 2008. The John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge is in the background. Photo taken by Joe Virruso |
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From the Jeffersonville Indiana side. May 2008 Photo taken by Joe Virruso |
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From the Jeffersonville Indiana side. May 2008 Photo taken by Joe Virruso |
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Photo taken by J.P. in April 2009 |
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Photo taken by J.P. |
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Piers the piers are in place for the 2nd half of the walk way ramp Photo taken by J.P. |
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first part of the walk the first part is done and they have the piers in place for the 2nd part of the ramp, really can't wait till they reopen this bridge to the public. though no one is sure whats going on with the Indiana side. Photo taken by J.P. |
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Photo taken by J.P. |
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From the water front park this has to be my favorite bridge crossing the ohio in louisville Photo taken by J.P. |
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2nd span on louisville side Decided to just take shot after shot of the bridge. Photo taken by J.P. |
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The first stone pier on the louisville side Intresting story about these. These were moved from charlestown state foresty and rose island. They use to belong to a welsh fort that was there long time ago. Photo taken by J.P. |
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First span louisville side underneat this you see the big mound, its the lower section of the big curl. Photo taken by J.P. |
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detail shot looking at on of the connections. Photo taken by J.P. |
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The pigtail This is were it leaves the mound and starts upwards. Photo taken by J.P. |
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outside ring of the pigtail the big swing out of the pig tail. side note this will be a ramp. no stairs. Photo taken by J.P. |
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underneath just looking up at the beast. Photo taken by J.P. |
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looking down just looking down the west side of the bridge. Photo taken by J.P. |
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one of the massive spans These are some of the biggest Penn trusses i have ever seen. Photo taken by J.P. |
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detail shot of the trusses Photo taken by J.P. |
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pigtail shot Photo taken by J.P. |
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pig tail shot Photo taken by J.P. |
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the platform Photo taken by J.P. |
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A sign just showing what the bridge is suppose to look like when done. Photo taken by J.P. |
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louisville portal shot. I really like the spider web design of the of the portal Photo taken by J.P. |
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The bottom ramp Photo taken by J.P. |
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still lots of work to be done Photo taken by J.P. |
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i hate fences Photo taken by J.P. |
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the east side of the landing platform Photo taken by J.P. |
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bracings Photo taken by J.P. |
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one of the main penns trusses Photo taken by J.P. |
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Photo taken by J.P. |
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Photo taken by J.P. |
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date stamp on a pier Photo taken by J.P. |
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detail shot Photo taken by J.P. |
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west side shot Photo taken by J.P. |
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first two spans louisville side Photo taken by J.P. |
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distance shot of the bridge Photo taken by J.P. |
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closest i could come to getting all the trusses in one shot with out standing on i 65 Photo taken by J.P. |
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one the massive penn truss portals Photo taken by J.P. |
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Historic photo |
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Historic photo |
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Photo taken by J.P. |
Description
According to "Railroads of Indiana" built by Big Four Railroad in 1893. C & O Railroad owned 1/3 interest in the bridge and B & O Railroad, a road closely aligned with C & O owned the road approaching the bridge from the north. Big Four bought out C & O's interest in the bridge in 1927. It was rebuilt in 1929 by Big Four who relied on the B & O to provide access. On Feb. 1, 1930 New York Central took over operation of the Big Four. Strangely B & O never used the bridge and took it's traffic over the Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railway Bridge three miles further downstream. When NY Central and Pennsylvania Railroads merged the Penn Central routed traffic away from the bridge. It was last used in 1969 and the approach spans were scrapped shortly later.Facts
- Overview
- Abandoned six-span through truss railroad bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville
- Status
- Awaiting rehabilitation to reopen as a pedestrian bridge
- History
- Originally built 1895 by the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Big Four). Reconstructed 1929 using existing stone piers from the Prince Madoc Fort on Rose Island (Devil's Backbone) at junction of 14 Mile Creek. Abandoned 1969.
- Design
- From north to south:
One riveted, 8-panel Parker through truss
Three riveted, 16-panel Pennsylvania through trusses, each 547 ft. long
Two riveted, 10-panel Parker through trusses - Dimensions
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Length of largest span: 547.0 ft.
Total length: 2,525 ft.
- Also called
- Bridge to No Where
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +38.26603, -85.73930 (decimal degrees)
38°15'58" N, 85°44'21" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/610286/4236083 (zone/easting/northing)
- USGS topographic map
- Jeffersonville
- Inventory number
- BH 18821 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- May 3, 2010: New Street View added by J.P.
- April 4, 2010: Updated by J.P.: sorry found a better view on 65 on the louisville side
- March 28, 2010: Updated by Ed Hollowell: Additional discription information.
- March 28, 2010: New photos from Anthony Dillon
- March 8, 2010: Updated by James McCray: Updated History and added essay.
- March 7, 2010: New photos from J.P.
- August 29, 2009: New photos from J.P.
- April 20, 2009: New photos from J.P.
- May 28, 2008: New photos from Joe Virruso
- April 27, 2008: Updated by Max Johnson
- October 10, 2005: Posted photos from James Adorno
Sources
- James Adorno
- HAER KY-10 - Big Four Bridge, Spanning Ohio River, Louisville, Jefferson County, KY
- Joe Virruso - virrusofamily [at] att [dot] net
- J.P.
- blog with news video - There is a local news video were a the journalist gets to go to the top of the ramp. LUCKY!!!!!!
- James McCray - jamesinslocomb [at] yahoo [dot] com
- Anthony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
- Ed Hollowell - erhollowell [at] aol [dot] com
- Wikipedia - Artical on Big Four Bridge
Comments
since this is a 2nd bridge should the first be given its own profile.
Neat pic JP......I have seen a picture of the old bridge from the side, but not this one.
so i realized that this was not the original bridge at this location. i did find a picture of the first bridge here. which looked liked it was pinned.
http://digital.library.louisville.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/cs&CISOPTR=794&CISOBOX=1&REC=7
emailed the person who is the contact of the Indiana side of this project, and they expect to have the designs done by this fall, with construction (crosses fingers) starting spring of 2011. the bridge i believe is scheduled to be open spring of 2012. Can't wait to walk across this bridge.
love this bridge
just added pictures of the big four rehabilitation that is going on. Its amazing the work they have done in the last few months. Saddly indiana has yet to even start their side. Ahh Jeffersonville what are you doing.
I finally see working being done on the louisville side of the big four. You can actually see supports standing for the approach to the bridge. I found an article saying that the bridge should be opened by summer 2011. Indiana is still trying to decide how to do their approach, but it sounds like it will be coming over the flood wall. I'm looking foward to this bridge being reopened.
"Construction could be complete by late 2007. " 2009 and still no walkway. This thing has been "coming next year" since 1989. It'd be great if it ever gets done... but after a while you have to say "I'll believe it when I see it".
Can't wait to walk this....saw note though that this will be longest pedestrian bridge in the USA...doubtful...
there is one in Florida 2.6 miles long...and a number over a mile.
great bridge!
I heard newspaper about fire in truss bridge since May 8, 2008. They already put out of fire. It is still standing. It was not damagetruss bridge. Thank you.
The Big Four Bridge caught on fire today 05-07-08. They news says it will not hurt the construction that is ongoing for the walk-way. I hope it doesn't prolong its opening I want to see it done in this life time.
its official for the Big 4
Construction on Phase III began in late Spring 2005, which will add 13 acres (53,000 mē) and include the conversion of the former Big Four Railroad bridge into the longest pedestrian only bridge in the world. The bridge will connect to Jeffersonville Indiana's waterfront park. Several more lawn areas, tree groves, walking paths, and picnic areas will also be added. Construction could be complete by late 2007.
The "Big Four" bridge was the first thing that caught my eye during a recent visit to Louisville. I stood at the north end and marveled at how man can put such effort into building an engineering marvel only to abandon it just a few decades later.
I also vistited the "Falls of the Ohio" bridge and admired the remnants of the stone structures at the bridge entrance where now only one set of tracks now crosses.
Oh,how I would love to travel back in time to the heyday when the rails were alive!
Andy Cole,
Hawaii
This bridge is in the works to being apart of the Waterfront Park in Louisville. When the bridge is completed, it will be used as a walk over bridge over the Ohio River. A great example of a bridge being reused as such is the Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis.
There has also been a rumor that a private orginization would like to build apartments on the bridge, in such a way to allow for a "waterfront" view.