Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge |
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Center span, from south bank of the Allegheny, looking NW
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| Coordinates | 40°26′53″N 79°59′46″W / 40.4480°N 79.9961°W |
| Carries | 2 tracks of NS / Amtrak Fort Wayne Line |
| Official name | Bridge No. 1, Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 985 feet (300 m) 5 spans |
| Longest span | 319 feet (97 m) |
| Clearance below | deck is 40.9 feet (12.5 m) above Emsworth Dam normal pool level (710 feet (220 m) above sea level) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1901-1904 |
The Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge is a special kind of bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's a double-deck steel truss bridge, which means it has two levels and is made of strong steel beams shaped like triangles. This bridge crosses over the Allegheny River. It's also known as the Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The top level of the bridge is very busy! It carries two sets of train tracks. These tracks are part of the Fort Wayne Line and are used by Norfolk Southern freight trains and Amtrak passenger trains. The lower level of the bridge is not used anymore. The bridge stands about 40 feet (12 meters) above the Allegheny River. Its longest section, called a span, stretches 319 feet (97 meters) across the water.
Building the Bridge
This important bridge was built between 1901 and 1904. A company called American Bridge Company constructed it. What's interesting is that they built the new bridge right next to an older bridge from 1868. The old bridge stayed in use while the new one was being built!
The older bridge, built in 1868, was made of wrought-iron. It had five main sections and was used by the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway.
Bridge Changes Over Time
In 1918, the Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge and other bridges nearby were made taller. This was done to make sure that boats and ships could pass underneath more easily. This change helped improve river travel.
The lower level of the bridge used to be busy too. It carried local freight trains that moved goods around the Downtown area and the Strip District. However, these tracks were removed in the 1980s. This happened as part of a big project to change the train tracks and platforms near Pennsylvania Station in Pittsburgh.
Images for kids
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Center span, from a parking lot
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From the south bank of the river
