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Port Trevorton Railroad Bridge

Snyder County, Pennsylvania, and Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

Photos 

Port Trevorton Bridge Remains

Piers and west abutment of former Port Trevorton Railroad Bridge, looking east from western shore in Port Trevorton

Photo taken by Alexander D. Mitchell IV in December 2011

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BH Photo #223304

Map 

Description 

Construction begun 1852 by Susquehanna & Union Bridge Co. [Snyder County was at the time still part of Union County, seceded 1855] to connect coal mines on the Trevorton, Mahanoy & Susquehanna Railroad with the Pennsylvania Canal to ship coal to tidewater. Bridge company consolidated with TM&S in 1854, and name changed to Trevorton & Susquehanna Railroad. First cars pushed across uncompleted bridge in Dec. 1853; bridge completed summer 1854, railroad completed Jan. 1855. Wooden deck for horse/foot/stage traffic apparently laid on bridge. Railroad later reorganized several times, finally being taken over by Philadelphia & Reading RR in 1871, after abandonment of bridge in 1870. Bridge used briefly by Northern Central RR 1857-58 to connect with Pa. Canal until completion of NCRR to Sunbury in May 1858. Only known sketch of bridge shows what appears to be uncovered Long trusses with arches. Bridge abandoned 1870 due to deteriorated condition, changes in traffic patterns, and anticipated completion of railroad river bridge at Selinsgrove, several miles north. Western abutment and portions of two piers of bridge survive near west shore of river and is visible from Port Trevorton shore, location of several other piers can be seen in both channels of the river on either side of White's Island, which was spanned with trestlework. Information from "Chronology of Selinsgrove, Pa." by William Marion Schnure.

Info from article by Earl J. Heydinger, Railway & Loco. Historical Society Bulletin 108, April 1963: Eight 150-foot spans over east channel; 1400-foot trestle over White Island, fifteen 150-foot spans over western channel. 40 feet wide, railroad on southern half, road and footpath on northern half, with description saying no partition between lanes.

Facts 

Overview
Lost Long through truss bridge over Susquehanna River on Trevorton, Mahanoy & Susquehanna Railroad
Location
Port Trevorton, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, and Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
Status
Removed
History
Built 1853-55 to connect coal mines on east side of river with Pennsylvania Canal on west side; abandoned August 1870 and later demolished
Builders
- David Rockefeller of New York, New York
- Susquehanna & Union Bridge Co.
Railroads
- Northern Central Railway (NCRY)
- Philadelphia & Reading Rail Road (1833-1896) (P&R)
- Trevorton, Mahanoy & Susquehanna Railroad (TM&S)
Design
Two sections of Long through truss with arches, connected by trestlework over island
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 150.0 ft.
Also called
Trevorton & Susquehanna Bridge
Trevorton, Mahanoy & Susquehanna Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+40.71003, -76.85943   (decimal degrees)
40°42'36" N, 76°51'34" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
18/342931/4508231 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Pillow
Inventory number
BH 48861 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

David Rockefeller (1)
Herndon, Pennsylvania (1)
Long truss (34)
Lost (23,398)
Lost 1870 (5)
Lost during 1870s (54)
Northern Central Railway (9)
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (58)
Pennsylvania (5,079)
Philadelphia & Reading Rail Road (1833-1896) (9)
 Port Trevorton, Pennsylvania (1)
Railroad (14,939)
Snyder County, Pennsylvania (44)
Span length 125-175 feet (4,136)
Susquehanna & Union Bridge Co. (1)
Susquehanna River (83)
Through truss (14,542)
Trevorton, Mahanoy & Susquehanna Railroad (1)
Truss (31,937)

Update Log 

  • March 30, 2016: Updated by Alexander D. Mitchell IV: Removed "Reading" from name and description as bridge was abandoned before takeover of rail line by Phila. & Reading RR
  • July 11, 2013: Updated by Luke Harden: Added categories "Trevorton, Mahanoy & Susquehanna Railroad", "Philadelphia & Reading Railway", "Northern Central Railway"
  • January 20, 2013: Updated by Alexander D. Mitchell IV: Added categories "Railroad", "Toll"
  • January 13, 2012: New photos from Alexander D. Mitchell IV
  • June 5, 2011: Added by Alexander D. Mitchell IV

Sources 

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Comments 

Port Trevorton Railroad Bridge
Posted October 5, 2012, by Larry Donahoe (larryannadonahoe [at] msn [dot] com)

I also have a sketch of one span of the bridge drawn by William C. Weer drawn in 1854

Port Trevorton Railroad Bridge
Posted June 17, 2011, by Amy (pipster17847 [at] yahoo [dot] com)

Thank you for the info! I've always wanted to know what bridge it was and no one from the area seemed to know. Heck, most people don't even know that pier still exists. Too busy texting, I guess. Google Earth shows a really good view of the remaining piers in the water across the whole span of the Susquehanna (40 deg 42' 35.90" N and 76 deg 51' 28.39" W). Love this site, keep up the hunting!