VTR - Otter Creek Bridge (Middlebury)
Photos
VTR - Otter Creek Bridge (Middlebury)
Northern Approach
Photo taken by Michael Quiet in January 2015
BH Photo #314554
Facts
- Overview
- Double-intersection Warren through truss bridge over Otter Creek on Vermont Railway
- Location
- Middlebury, Addison County, Vermont
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Built 1893 by Elmira Bridge Co.; Rehabilitated 2016
- Builder
- - Elmira Bridge Co. of Elmira, New York.
- Railroads
- - Rutland Railroad (RUT)
- Vermont Railway (VTR)
- Design
- Double-intersection Warren through truss With sub-panels
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 231.0 ft.
Total length: 235.0 ft.
- Also called
- Vermont Railway Bridge No. 239
Rutland Railway Bridge No. 239 - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +44.00959, -73.16688 (decimal degrees)
44°00'35" N, 73°10'01" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 18/646946/4874571 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Middlebury
- Inventory number
- BH 62068 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- May 1, 2017: New photos from Michael Quiet
- January 26, 2015: Updated by Michael Quiet: Added categories "Riveted", "Wrought Iron"
- July 29, 2014: New Street View added by Ian Martin
Sources
- Ian Martin
- Middigital.middlebury.edu - Old photo
- VTrans - Bridge Inspection Photos (06/2014)
- VTrans - Original Construction Plans
- Michael Quiet - mquiet [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
George, it was my first time ever coming across that stamp in all of my travels, so I don't think it was too common (of course its not like mid 1890's railroad bridges are anywhere near as common as I'd like).
I did find it odd that the stamp was just "Reading, PA" though. But for companies at that time and place Reading Iron Co. seems to fit.
Michael,you said in picture # 29 the iron was stamped with Reading meaning Reading Iron Co.I worked for Cambridge-Lee Industries who Reading Iron became.Didn't know there was iron from that company on any bridges.
Did a site visit on April 30th. I was very happy to see that the bridge got a rehabilitation in 2015, showing that the VTR intends to keep this bridge in service for more years to come. This is important as this is the oldest RR bridge still in service in VT, as well as the only wrought iron one and also as long span example of a riveted double intersection Warren truss
There was some loss of historic integrity of the bridge with this rehab though; Both abutments were rebuilt with concrete (replacing one original stone abutment), some strengthening steel plates were added to the endposts, several rivets replaced with bolts, and the largest hit being the original girder deck stringers being replaced by modern steel stringers. However the overall function of the truss was not affected, and no repairs or modifications had to be made to the truss web.
Not too bad overall. Wish more truss bridges were maintained like this!
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/vt/addison/bh62068/
Michael,you got me thinking about something when you mentioned rail.If i'm not mistaken and i might be Reading Iron Co could have made rail parts like the plates,spikes and of course rail.I wouldn't put nothing past an iron company to do that.Like i said i worked for the company that took over Reading Iron so i don't really know what they made with the iron they had.