Ohio Connecting Bridge
| Ohio Connecting Bridge | |
|---|---|
The Ohio Connecting Railroad Bridge (with the McKees Rocks Bridge in the background).
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| Coordinates | 40°27′46″N 80°02′34″W / 40.4628°N 80.0429°WCoordinates: 40°27′46″N 80°02′34″W / 40.4628°N 80.0429°W |
| Carries | 2 rail lines |
| Crosses | Ohio River |
| Locale | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Steel truss bridge |
| Longest span | 508 feet (155 m) |
| Clearance below | 68 feet (21 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1915 |
The Ohio Connecting Railroad Bridge is a steel bridge which crosses the Ohio River at Brunot's Island at the west end of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It consists of two major through truss spans over the main and back channels of the river, of 508 feet (155 m) and 406 feet (124 m) respectively, with deck truss approaches.
The original Ohio Connecting Bridge was built in 1890 by the Ohio Connecting Railway. It was a single-track bridge. It was built as a freight bypass so the freight trains of the Pennsylvania Railroad could bypass the congested passenger station in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traffic could move in either direction between the Pennsylvania Railroad main line in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania (part of the Pittsburgh Division at that location) and the Fort Wayne Line at the north end of the Ohio Connecting Bridge. Trains would traverse the Port Perry Branch, Monongahela Division, and Panhandle Division in order to reach the Pittsburgh Division or the Fort Wayne Line.
By 1915 the original bridge was not large enough to handle the increasing freight traffic, so a new bridge was built with two tracks. The new bridge was built around the old bridge while the old bridge was still in service. The new bridge also had a siding and car elevator in the center so coal could be delivered to the coal-fired power plant on the island.
This 1915 bridge is still in service.
The north end of the bridge has a wye so trains can be directed west or east. If a train is directed east it must pass next to Island Avenue Yard on the Isle Connector to get to the mainline.
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Wikipedia