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BO - Fairmont Fink Truss (1865)

Marion County, West Virginia

Photos 

Historical Photo

Historical Photo From HAER

License: Released into public domain

Enlarge

BH Photo #501366

Map 

Description 

The first all-metal bridge on the Fink plan, its detailing influenced the development of pin-connection in American bridges. Longest iron bridge in the United States in 1852.

-- Historic American Engineering Record

Facts 

Overview
Lost three span Fink through truss bridge over Monongahela River on Baltimore & Ohio
Location
Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia
Status
Replaced by a new bridge in 1887
History
Built 1865 replacing the temporary wooden span which replaced the 1852 span lost during 1863 Civil War; Replaced 1887
Builder
- B&O Mount Clare Shops of Baltimore, Maryland
Railroad
- Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (BO)
Design
Fink through truss
Approximate latitude, longitude
+39.46653, -80.14762   (decimal degrees)
39°27'60" N, 80°08'51" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
17/573322/4368896 (zone/easting/northing)
Inventory number
BH 88795 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (9,625)
B&O Mount Clare Shops (22)
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (585)
Built 1865 (61)
Built during 1860s (753)
Fairmont, West Virginia (9)
Fink truss (22)
Lost (31,787)
Lost 1887 (15)
Lost during 1880s (187)
 Marion County, West Virginia (58)
Monongahela River (47)
Owned by railroad (14,122)
Pin-connected (5,423)
Railroad (16,986)
Replaced by new bridge (21,679)
Skewed (5,107)
Through truss (19,024)
Truss (38,302)
West Virginia (1,616)

Update Log 

  • July 9, 2021: New photo from Nathan Holth
  • July 9, 2021: Updated by Art Suckewer: added second to the title
  • October 1, 2020: Updated by Art Suckewer: separated the pre and post Civil War versions.
  • October 1, 2020: Updated by Luke: Added builder
  • September 27, 2020: New photos from Art Suckewer
  • August 15, 2020: Updated by Art Suckewer: Corrected truss type from Bollman to Fink
  • March 31, 2020: New photo from Luke

Related Bridges 

Sources 

  • Luke
  • Art Suckewer - Asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com
  • Nathan Holth
Post a comment here

Comments 

BO - Fairmont Fink Truss (2nd)
Posted July 9, 2021, by Art S. (Asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com)

Thanks Nathan,

The new image 6 DEFINATEY a cleaner copy of image 1.

It's rare to know coloration from old black and white photography but if you enlarge image 6, its clear (to me) that the bridge's original color scheme had at least 3 colors!

Do you or any of the railroad guys know if B&O's records of the bridge's original color scheme exist?

Regards,

Art S.

B&O - Fairmont Fink Truss
Posted September 27, 2020, by Art S. (Asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com)

I'm not only fascinated by the structure of these early bridges but also the color.

I suspect that the tension members are white or cream but I'm not sure about the color of the compression members. I always assumed red but I would expect red to register as a deep black on old film. Also, in the first image there appears to be a third color on the endposts.

Anyone with knowledge of the color schemes or early photography care to comment?

Regards,

Art S.