Mianus River Railroad Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mianus River Railroad Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Mianus River Railroad Bridge
Location in Connecticut Show map of Connecticut Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Metro-North Right-of-way at Mianus River, Greenwich, Connecticut
Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built	1904 (1904)
Architect	American Bridge Company
Architectural style	Deck Girder, Bascule
MPS	Movable Railroad Bridges on the NE Corridor in Connecticut TR
NRHP reference No.	87000845
Added to NRHP	June 12, 1987

The Mianus River Railroad Bridge, also known as the Cos Cob Bridge, is a special type of bridge called a bascule bridge. It was built in 1904 over the Mianus River in Greenwich, Connecticut. This bridge is important because it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

This bridge carries the Northeast Corridor, which is the busiest train line in the United States. Many trains use this line every day! The bridge is operated by the Metro-North Railroad and is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

What Kind of Bridge Is It?

The Mianus River Railroad Bridge is a "rolling lift" moveable bridge. This means a part of it can lift up to let boats pass underneath. It was built by the American Bridge Company and replaced an older, unsafe bridge.

The bridge is very long, measuring about 1,059 feet (323 meters) in total. It has 11 sections, called spans. Most of these are "deck truss" spans, which means they have a strong framework above the tracks. The main part that moves is 107 feet (33 meters) long.

An older view of the Cos-Cob Bridge, looking west, around 1849.

Other Important Bridges

The Mianus River Railroad Bridge is one of eight important movable bridges along the Northeast Corridor in Connecticut. These bridges help trains cross rivers and allow boats to pass. Here are some of the other bridges, listed from west to east:

• The Norwalk River Railroad Bridge (built in 1896)
• The Saugatuck River Railroad Bridge (built in 1905)
• The Pequonnock River Railroad Bridge (built in 1902, but has since been replaced)
• The Housatonic River Railroad Bridge (built in 1905)
• The Connecticut River Railroad Bridge (built in 1907)
• The Niantic River Bridge (built in 1907)
• The Thames River Bridge (built in 1919)

These bridges are all vital parts of the busy train system in the Northeast!