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NS - Whitewater River Bridge

Wayne County, Indiana

Photos 

South face of arch

Photo taken by Anthony Dillon in August 2010

Enlarge

BH Photo #174967

Map 

Description 

This span is a unique combination of a massive stone arch approach span over a roadway, and a 2-span Pratt deck truss over the river. I do know that it is tied into the nearby Pennsylvania Railroad Station, so I am assuming that it was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The stone arch is likely of older vintage than the deck trusses as a concrete base has been added where the trusses sit on the arch.

Another opportunity for our railroad enthusiasts to add to (or correct) the information I have given here.

The bridge also crossed the C & O railroad on the east side of the Whitewater river. That right of way was converted into the Cardinal Greenway, a pedestrian and bike trail which gives easy and legal access to the east side. The Pennsylvania Railroad line which this bridge served was heavily rebuilt and upgraded in 1910 and that is likely when the newer part of this bridge was added. The stone arch on the west side would likely date from before the 1910 update.

Facts 

Overview
Deck truss bridge over Whitewater River on Norfolk Southern Railroad in Richmond
Location
Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana
Status
Open to traffic
History
Originally built about 1870, current trusses built in 1902 on original stone substructures.
Railroads
- Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O; CO)
- Conrail (CR)
- Norfolk Southern Railway (NS)
- Penn Central Railroad (PC)
- Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
Design
2 Span Pratt deck truss over the Whitewater River with a beautiful stone arch approach over a roadway. The stone arch is likely original, whereas the deck trusses might be a replacement for an earlier span. The stone arch is probably ca. 1880 and the deck truss ca. 1900
Also called
PRR - Whitewater River Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+39.83537, -84.89599   (decimal degrees)
39°50'07" N, 84°53'46" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/680035/4411603 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Richmond
Inventory number
BH 45986 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Arch (12,662)
Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (217)
Conrail (1,710)
Deck arch (11,898)
Deck girder (6,305)
Deck truss (1,927)
Girder (11,175)
Indiana (5,098)
Norfolk Southern Railway (2,095)
Open (40,969)
Owned by railroad (13,505)
 Penn Central Railroad (1,538)
Pennsylvania Railroad (1,027)
Plate girder (8,730)
Pratt deck truss (407)
Pratt truss (10,309)
Railroad (16,463)
Richmond, Indiana (33)
Stone arch (3,285)
Truss (35,508)
Wayne County, Indiana (138)
Whitewater River (Indiana) (56)

Update Log 

  • February 12, 2019: New photo from Tony Dillon
  • April 20, 2013: Updated by Ed Hollowell: Added East Branch to "crosses"
  • January 9, 2011: New photos from Ed Hollowell
  • January 3, 2011: Updated by Ed Hollowell: Added to history and discription.
  • August 28, 2010: Updated by Anthony Dillon: Added photos and fixed my coordinate screw-up

Sources 

  • Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
  • Ed Hollowell - erhollowell [at] aol [dot] com

Comments 

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