Cumberland Valley Railroad Bridge (1916)
Description
This massive bridge contains an incredible 43 segmental arch main spans, plus two more concrete deck arch spans at the western end of the bridge. The bridge is significant as an example of an extremely long concrete arch bridge that also appears to retain good historic integrity. Although the bridge crosses City Island Park, it does not end at the island, and instead continues at high level over the island.This bridge is important, just as its near-twin the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Bridge is. The two bridges are together important since they offer an easy way to see how two railroads that competed with each other approached the problems associated with bridge construction.
This bridge, much like its nearby neighbor, replaced a metal truss bridge that sat on stone piers. The existing bridge's concrete piers encase these original stone abutments. Construction of the Cumberland Valley Railroad Bridge was accomplished by the use of extensive falsework during the process. Construction was briefly interrupted when a flood destroyed part of this falsework.
Although abandoned for rail use over the past several decades, the bridge is poised to be the principal crossing for the Corridor One rail commuter system to serve the renewed rail needs of the metropolitan area and of Harrisburg's west shore.
credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_Valley_Railroad_Brid...; http://www.historicbridges.org/pennsylvania/cumberland_valle...
This was the fifth bridge at this location. The first was a Town truss double-deck wooden bridge built in January 16, 1939. Inside the lower level was a two-lane roadway, and the roof was for the railroad.
In 1887, an iron bridge replaced the wooden bridge, and in 1916 this concrete arch bridge was built.
MORE INFO: http://catherderxc90.blogspot.com/2011/11/cumberland-valley-...
Facts
- Overview
- Closed-spandrel arch bridge over Susquehanna River on former CRVV
- Location
- Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
- Status
- Tracks removed
- Future prospects
- Could become part of a walking bridge or Corridor One
- History
- Built 1916
- Railroads
- - Conrail (CR)
- Cumberland Valley Railroad (CVRR)
- Penn Central Railroad (PC)
- Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
- Design
- Closed-spandrel arch
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 77.0 ft.
- Also called
- CV - Susquehanna River Bridge (1916)
CV - Susquehanna River Bridge (1916) - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +40.25277, -76.88463 (decimal degrees)
40°15'10" N, 76°53'05" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 18/339718/4457516 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Harrisburg West
- Inventory number
- BH 46447 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- December 31, 2018: New photos from Jodi Christman
- October 22, 2018: New photos from Jodi Christman
- December 20, 2017: New photos from Royce and Bobette Haley
- November 4, 2016: New Street View added by Dana and Kay Klein
- January 5, 2012: New photos from Jodi Christman
- December 9, 2011: New Street View added by Jodi Christman
- November 20, 2011: Updated by Jodi Christman: Corrected details on 1st bridge in description essay
- October 24, 2011: Updated by Daniel Hopkins: Updated GPS
- July 20, 2011: Updated by Daniel Hopkins: Updated status
- April 2, 2011: New photos from Jodi Christman
- December 28, 2010: Updated by Jodi Christman: Added details to Description
- October 8, 2010: Added by Jodi Christman
Related Bridges
- CV - Susquehanna River Bridge (1886) (Predecessor)
Sources
- Jodi Christman - masterofchaos [at] outlook [dot] com
- Daniel Hopkins - chimera [at] clovermail [dot] net
- Wikipedia
- Luke
- Dana and Kay Klein
- Royce and Bobette Haley - roycehaley111 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Comments
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