NERR - Caney Fork River Bridge
Description
The current version of the bridge is a replacement for an earlier version that included two uncovered wood Howe through spans (12-panels each) that shared the main circular pier in the river. An early postcard shows this configuration, with one metal through span already in place on what appears to be the east side. Although the main pier is certainly designed to support a swingspan, this previous version including wood combination spans also did not have a swingspan.Facts
- Overview
- Through truss bridge over Caney Fork River on former Tennessee Central Railway
- Location
- Smith County, Tennessee, and Putnam County, Tennessee
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Built 1907
- Builder
- - Virginia Bridge & Iron Co. of Roanoke, Virginia [also known as Virginia Bridge Co.]
- Railroads
- - Nashville & Eastern Railroad (NERR)
- Tennessee Central Railway (TC)
- Design
- Warren through truss with all verticals
- Also called
- Southern Railroad Caney Fork
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +36.13775, -85.80312 (decimal degrees)
36°08'16" N, 85°48'11" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/607686/3999890 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Buffalo Valley
- Inventory number
- BH 44033 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- December 25, 2019: New photo from Todd Clark
- February 25, 2016: Updated by Royce and Bobette Haley: added design for 1 truss
- August 25, 2010: Updated by James McCray: added bridge to name
- April 17, 2010: New Street View added by James Baughn
- February 6, 2010: Added by J.P.
Sources
- J.P. - wildcatjon2000 [at] gmail [dot] com
- James McCray - jamesinslocomb [at] yahoo [dot] com
- Royce and Bobette Haley - roycehaley111 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Comments
I went today to photograph this bridge. The best view is from there st area ramp. However, I was told by the guy working the rest area that all the property surrounding it was private and there is no way to the bridge. I wanted to confirm this with you. Obviously you went into the bridge itself to photograph. Is this ok for the public to do? I don't want to go to jail for trespassing. Thanks!!
The western-most span has been reinforced by having piles driven into the ground under it. I've been across it on an excursion run by the Tennessee Central Museum in Nashville, and they take the bridge slowly. There has been an effort by city and county officials to get funding to rehab the bridge but had seen nothing in the last couple of months on that.
FYI, only two spans were built in 1907, they replaced a swing span based on the piers. Only these spans are confirmed Virginia Bridge and Iron. The remaining fixed spans are older pin-connected spans, and unknown builder and age, likely the same as the swing span.
I was going through my photos, when I realized a couple things, the side of the bridge I was able to photograph had laced end posts. If you look at the last picture from above, i noticed also the 1st, 3rd, and 4th truss look like they are pin connected.while the 2nd truss seems to be heavier. Also the small truss on the end looks like its only 3 maybe 4 panels. sorry i know random.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/tn/smith/bh44033/
I went today to photograph this bridge. The best view is from there st area ramp. However, I was told by the guy working the rest area that all the property surrounding it was private and there is no way to the bridge. I wanted to confirm this with you. Obviously you went into the bridge itself to photograph. Is this ok for the public to do? I don't want to go to jail for trespassing. Thanks!!