Rating:
3 votes

NS - New Hope Creek Bridge

Orange County, North Carolina

Photos 

New Hope Creek Bridge | by madurobob

View from SE

madurobob

View this photo at flic.kr

BH Photo #346387

Map 

Description 

Bridge over New Hope Creek for the University Railroad serving UNC and running from University Station (a few miles north of this bridge) to the University about 5 miles South. Rail line was completed in 1882 and acquired by Southern Railroad a couple of decades later. Date of this bridge unknown.

Rail line initially installed to carry students to and from the university. Now it only carries coal to the power plant at the university. Some history here: http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~orangecounty...

Access: Bridge is on private property (railroad). The right-of-way is broad with walking trails on either side of the rails. Its about 3/4 mile from the old Blackwood station on NC 86. The only traffic this line sees is a short, slow moving coal train, so walking along the right-of-way is relatively safe.

Facts 

Overview
Warren deck truss alt verts bridge over New Hope creek on Coal train to Chapel Hill power plant
Location
Orange County, North Carolina
Status
Sole traffic is a regular, slow moving coal train. Typically engine and 5-7 hopper cars
History
University RR line completed in 1882. No dates found on bridge yet
Railroads
- Norfolk Southern Railway (NS)
- State University Railroad (SUR)
Design
Dual trusses on either side, riveted together with large plates
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 60.0 ft.
Total length: 180.0 ft.
Also called
University Railroad - New Hope Creek
Approximate latitude, longitude
+35.99994, -79.06517   (decimal degrees)
35°59'60" N, 79°03'55" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
17/674392/3985673 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Chapel Hill
Inventory number
BH 70600 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Beam (13,689)
Deck truss (1,577)
Norfolk Southern Railway (1,514)
North Carolina (893)
Open (38,020)
Orange County, North Carolina (15)
Owned by railroad (10,869)
Railroad (14,206)
 Span length 50-75 feet (9,393)
State University Railroad (3)
Timber stringer (3,552)
Total length 175-250 feet (3,986)
Truss (30,722)
Warren deck truss (570)
Warren deck truss with alternating verticals (52)
Warren truss (6,021)

Update Log 

  • September 15, 2017: New photos from Royce and Bobette Haley
  • September 3, 2017: Updated by Royce and Bobette Haley: Cor. design, added approches
  • January 19, 2016: Added by Bob

Sources 

  • madurobob
  • Royce and Bobette Haley - roycehaley111 [at] yahoo [dot] com

Comments 

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