The ceaseless march of time and progress soon led to the development of longer, heavier trains powered by bigger and stronger locomotives. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. The last train crossed the bridge in October of 1959. after which the bridge was taken out of service. Commons Attribution 4.0 license. As the bridge aged, heavy trains pulled by two steam locomotives had to stop so the engines could cross the bridge one at a time. Eleven towers from the center of the bridge were torn from their concrete bases and thrown to the valley floor. But you may be wondering whether Lake Erie connects to the ocean. Other towers were ripped off their anchors and tossed aside before being crushed by inflowing winds. [23], An access road to the park was built in 1974, and new facilities there included a parking lot, drinking water and toilets, and installation of a fence on the bridge deck. Engineers determined high winds could create lateral pressure on the bridge, causing it to shift the center of gravity, thus increasing the weight on one side. The right-of-way would then be used to establish a rail trail. Lake Erie connects to the Atlantic Pennsylvania has 124 locations in its park system dotted throughout the state. 38 eases over Kinzua viaduct (after stopping to let squeamish passengers disembark), the sensation is more akin to ballooning than railroading. This sensation is largely produced because the bridge, 301 feet above the ground, had no high guardrails, a feature that distinguishes Kinzua from most highway bridges, according to Behrman. Constructed between 1911 and 1916,[18] the station was not manned by an agent. The Kinzua Bridge, in 2001, prior to its collapse. Kinzua Viaduct: Named for: Kinzua, Seneca for "fish on a spear" Maintained by: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: Characteristics; Design: Railroad bridge: Total length: 2,052 ft (625 m) Width: 10 ft (3.0 m) Height: 301 ft (92 m) History; Constructed by: Elmira Bridge Company: Built: 1882 () Collapsed: July 21, 2003 () One improvement was the implementation of building techniques such as sliding plates and free moving spans, which reduce the stress of braking trains upon the bridge. Death toll in India bridge collapse rises to at least 132 Reinvented as a pedestrian walkway during 2011, visitors can stroll 600 feet out on . The tornado generated winds of almost 100 miles per hour, which struck the bridge broadside, destroying several support towers and collapsing the bridge. In late June 2002, the bridge was closed to tourist trains. Where Does The Ohio River Start,Is It Navigable? The bridge was built on enormous pylons and stood 300 feet from the floor of the valley. [41], The state of Pennsylvania reimagined the Kinzua State Park as one anchored by a "sky walk" viewing platform and network of hiking trails. [31] The same storm also spawned an F3 tornado in nearby Potter County. Unlike most bridges, parts of the Kinzua Bridge in northern Pennsylvanias McKean County are on the ground. First, the tops of the two battered post of each bent are brought closer together than with most viaducts, forming a near isosceles triangle as opposed to a quadrilateral one. On the afternoon of July 21, 2003, however, the viaduct's service came to an abrupt end when it took a direct hit from a tornado, and 23 of its 41 spans collapsed in spectacular fashion. A crew of between 100 and 150 worked 10-hour days for almost four months to complete the new steel frame. A large portion of it collapsed, rendering the bridge impassible. a Creative By 1900, it became necessary to rebuild the entire structure with steel to accommodate heavier trains. The bridge was once capable of holding the 511-ton "Big Boy", the largest steam engine in the world. Forty workers took a mere 94 days to build the 2,053 foot long bridge. Located just above the northwestern tip of Pennsylvania, Lake Erie is one of Americas five Great Lakes. Coal powered everything from the locomotives that pulled freight to themassive steel millsthat turned iron ore into usable materials. Coal powered everything from the locomotives that pulled freight to the. University Libraries, Creative In fact, promoters advertised the bridge as the Eighth Wonder of the World, and railroads offered novelty train rides where passengers from places like New York City, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo would take rides across the bridge. The railroad bridge was built as an alternative to an eight-mile section of railroad that would have taken the line around the Kinzua Valley. On August 12, 2003, the Board of Inquiry (Board), a group of structural engineers, . Regular commercial service ended on June 21, 1959, and the Erie sold the bridge to the Kovalchick Salvage Company of Indiana, Pennsylvania, for $76,000. In 2003, the bridge was struck by a tornado. Brode Company", "Meteorological Aspects of the 21 July 2003 Kinzua Viaduct Storm", Society for Industrial Archeology Newsletter, "Emergency Repair Work Begins on Kinzua Bridge in McKean County", "Twenty Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks", "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 7/19/04 through 7/23/04", "Governor Rendell announces release of $700,000 for Kinzua Bridge State Park", "Ribbon cut to mark opening of Kinzua Sky Walk", "Visitors Invited to Walk Out and Observe Valley Below on Restored Portion of Viaduct at Kinzua Bridge State Park in McKean Count", Erie Railway, Bradford Division, Bridge 27.66 (Kinzua Viaduct), "Report on the July 21st Collapse of the Kinzua Viaduct", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kinzua_Bridge&oldid=1114849351, This page was last edited on 8 October 2022, at 16:00. When the train was a short distance from the bridge, the crew would send the brakeman over the rooftops of the cars to check on a small supposed problem. In 1900, the bridge was dismantled and simultaneously rebuilt out of steel to allow it to accommodate heavier trains. By The Associated Press MORBI, India At least 132 people were killed after a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed into a river Sunday evening in the western Indian state of Gujarat,. Details It was billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World, and day-trippers would come on excursion trains from as far away as Buffalo, New York to marvel at the expansive Pennsylvania construction. [13] Even after being reconstructed, the bridge still had a speed limit of 5 miles per hour (8km/h). Its history is discussed here. Kinzua Bridge (Kinzua Viaduct) - HistoricBridges.org The new bridge was designed by C.R. Why did trains stop using it? [6], On July 21, 2003, construction workers had packed up and were starting to leave for the day when a storm arrived. and exceptions. In the late 1800s, Pennsylvania was booming. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. It was estimated to have been .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}13-mile (540m) wide and it left a path 3.5 miles (5.6km) long. The bridge was rebuilt using steel, and reopened for use on September 25, 1900. University Park, PA 16802-1812 All rights [6] An investigation determined that the tornado had a wind speed of at least 94 miles per hour (151km/h), which applied an estimated 90 short tons-force (800kN) of lateral force against the bridge. Built on six restored, original towers, a pedestrian walkway (skywalk) leads to a 225-foot high observation deck that gives a towering view of the Kinzua Creek Valley. [10] The bridge's 110sandstone masonry piers were quarried from the hillside used for the foundation of the bridge. In the United States, the Kinzua Bridge was ranked as the fourth-tallest railway bridge before it collapsed. Trains rumbled over Kinzua gorge for more than 100 years, riding rails atop a marvelously slender structure. After decades of use, the bridge would be uncrossed until from 1959 until 1987, when the Knox and Kane Railroad began running excursion trains for tourists. As the MCS crossed northwestern Pennsylvania, it formed into a distinctive comma shape. The bridge before its collapse. What Is The Largest State Park In Pennsylvania? "[26] The railroad still operated excursions through the forest and stopped at the bridge's western approach until October 2004. Construction of the iron viaduct beganduring 1881, starting with the placement of the stone piers. And so it was that the NYLE&W contracted with famed engineer, and the Phoenix Iron Works to build the first. [9] About 100 acres (40ha) of Kinzua Bridge State Park are open to hunting. The Kinzua Bridge Viaduct was built in 1882. It touched down again 2 miles (3km) from Smethport and traveled another 3 miles (4.8km) before finally dissipating. 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[1][8][9] The reason for the short construction time was that scaffolding was not used in the bridge's construction; instead a gin pole was used to build the first tower, then a traveling crane was built atop it and used in building the second tower. Be sure to check out the picture platform below the skywalk. Originally constructed in 1882, the Kinzua Viaduct measured 92 meters in height and 625 meters in length, making it the tallest viaduct in the world at the time. [25], As of 2009, Kinzua Bridge State Park is a 329-acre (133ha) Pennsylvania state park surrounding the bridge and the Kinzua Valley. In 1900, the bridge was rebuilt using stronger steel in order to accommodate heavy freight trains. Another way to think about the height of the bridge is that its about as tall as a 30-story building. Amidst the thunderstorms and lightning, a small tornado touched down about a mile from the bridge. What year did the Kinzua Bridge Collapse? Between 1987 and 2002, the Knox & Kane Railroad offered train rides that crossed the Kinzua Railroad Bridge, allowing people to experience this amazing bridge for themselves. The state park was opened to the public in 1970 and saw multiple improvements over the years. Kinzua Bridge: Pennsylvania's Eighth Wonder of the World - Road Unraveled Eleven towers from the center of the bridge were torn from their concrete bases and thrown to the valley floor. The bridge closed to freight trains in 1959 and shortly after was reopened for pedestrian use and use by a tourist railroad, and a state park was created around it. A tiny one-room church built after one man's prayer for healing was answered. [8][11][12], On completion, the bridge was the tallest railroad bridge in the world and was advertised as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". The walkway cost $4.3million to construct, but is estimated to bring in $11.5million in tourism revenue for the region. Over a hundred years . that turned iron ore into usable materials. +Activities. Thats pretty tall the State of Liberty stands 305 feet tall, meaning that it could almost fit under the Kinzua Railroad Bridge! In 2000, Akron Beacon Journal columnist Bob Downing describes his experience at Kinzua Bridge State Park, saying Visitors can walk across the old trestle-although it can be a vertigo-producing experience being 200 feet above the treetops. A large portion of it collapsed, rendering the bridge impassible. In 2003, construction crews were working to restore the bridge and reinforce certain structural elements that had been identified as needing work. However, in 2002, the structure was determined to be at risk to high winds and was closed to all traffic. [30], At approximately 15:20 EDT (19:20 UTC), the tornado touched down in Kinzua Bridge State Park, 1 mile (1.6km) from the Kinzua Bridge. Turns out that the bridges shuttering came not a moment too soon. From 1900 to 1959, the bridge saw regular rail traffic. per square inch, while the elastic limit of the steel used is between 33,000 and 35,000 lbs. The bridges reconstruction took approximately 120 men about four months to complete. Access to coal was critical for industry to thrive, and so it was that in 1882, the New York, Lake Erie, and Western Railway also known as the NYLE&W found itself looking for a way to connect the rich coalfields of Elk County with their main lines near Bradford. [8][10] The process was then repeated across all 20towers. In the following sections, youll find the answers to these questions and more about this remarkable bridge. Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Modern locomotives often weigh more than 200 tons on their own, and empty freight cars usually weigh about five tons; a single modern locomotive pulling one freight car could easily exceed the structural limits of the original bridge! Instead, the state of Pennsylvania made the mangled metal an attraction in its own right. These massive developments were fueled by coal. "[1], Nick Kovalchick, head of the Kovalchick Salvage Company, which then owned the bridge, was reluctant to dismantle it. [13] Trains crossing the bridge were restricted to a speed of 5 miles per hour (8.0km/h) because the locomotive, and sometimes the wind, caused the bridge to vibrate. When the Erie Railroad obtained rights to use nearby tracks owned by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the 1950s, the bridges days were numbered. The 10th and 11th support towers of the bridge collapsed almost immediately. Over a hundred years later, the bridge itself would be literally blown away. For decades, the Kinzua Railroad Bridge was a vital piece of railroad infrastructure in northcentral Pennsylvania. At the time, a rehab of the bridge was in process, including new anchor bolts added to secure . Next, crews began dismantling the old bridge and replacing it with a new structure made of modern steel. An investigation determined that Towers 10 and 11 had collapsed first, in a westerly direction. However, sometimes, you don't need to travel far from home to find new adventures, so I decided now was the time to learn more about this great state I call home. the bridge was formally closed on June 21, 1959. after the Erie Railroad obtained rights to use an alternate route. No purchase necessary. The 10th and 11th support towers of the bridge collapsed almost immediately. They are filled with the lush green beauty that abounds from the Appalachian Mountains to the edges of pristine lakes and rivers. The only other alternative would have been to lay an additional 8 miles (13km) of track over rough terrain. The Viaduct, once the longest and tallest railroad structure at 2,053 feet long and 301 feet high, was partially destroyed by a tornado during 2003. Fall of the Eighth Wonder: The Kinzua Bridge By the mid-1890s, the average freight train was 85% heavier, and the Kinzua Railroad Bridge was soon obsolete: the bridge could no longer safely carry the massive weight of the locomotives that crossed it. However, the bridge was expensive to maintain and still required trains to slow significantly to cross the span. [36] Kinzua Bridge State Park had attracted 215,000 visitors annually before the bridge collapsed,[37] and was chosen by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Parks for its list of "Twenty Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks". Kinzua Bridge State Park [19] The station was closed sometime between 1923 and 1927. [6] When built, the bridge was larger than any ever attempted and over twice as large as the largest similar structure at the time, the Portage Bridge over the Genesee River in western New York. At the time of the collapse, it was the fourth largest in the United States. After being decommissioned in 1959, the bridge was purchased by the Kovalchik Salvage Company, However, the head of the Kovalchik Salvage Company became enamored of the bridge after learning about its history and importance to the growth of northern Pennsylvania and decided that it was. What to See and Do at Kinzua Bridge State Park - UncoveringPA Rob McGonigal, the editor of Classic Trains magazine, said to the Buffalo News, Youre getting into a situation there that theres so little of the original structure left that its a reconstruction instead of a renovation.. All rights reserved. Grimm and was built by the Elmira Bridge Company out of 3,358 short tons (3,046t) of steel, at a cost of $275,000. Kinzua Bridge - Wikipedia At 301 feet tall and 2053 feet long, it was at one time the largest railroad viaduct in the world. See. The last train crossed the Kinzua Railroad Bridge in October of 1959, having been rerouted around an accident on the lines new route. During February 2002, DCNR engineers decided the structure needed a full-scale inspection. The Kinzua Bridge Collapse 2,860 views Premiered Aug 7, 2021 In 2003, this bridge collapsed due to a tornado. Winner will be selected at random on 12/01/2022. When the Kinzua Bridge was first built in 1882, people were blown away. The new steel viaduct had the same measurements, but now weighed 6,706,000 pounds. Although the majority of this magnificent structure is no longer standing, many people still visit the area today. Finally. The last train crossed the bridge in October of 1959,after which the bridge was taken out of service. When the Erie Railroad obtained rights to use nearby tracks owned by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the 1950s, the bridges days were numbered. After being decommissioned in 1959, the bridge was purchased by the Kovalchik Salvage Company, which originally intended to scrap the bridge. [16] Grimm, the designer of the bridge, later admitted that the bolts should have been replaced. It released $700,000 to design repairs on the remaining towers and plan development of the new park facilities in June 2005. However, in 2002, these rides were stopped as engineers had identified structural problems with the bridge that posed serious safety hazards. [22] The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 29, 1977,[24] and was named to the National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks by the American Society of Civil Engineers on June 26, 1982. PDF KSI: Kinzua Site Investigation - PSPE Offer subject to change without notice. A section was not only separated but became airborne. Beginning in February, 2003, W. M. Brode Co. of Newcomerstown, Ohio, a national leader in railroad bridge construction and repair, began working to restore Kinzua Viaduct. The next hit was mainly credited to the return to the ground of the airborne segment. The Kinzua Bridge was the tallest bridge in the world when it was built in 1882. Please enable scripts and reload this page. [34] The investigation also hypothesized that the whole structure oscillated laterally four to five times before fatigue started to cause the base bolts to fail. The total damage: 23 of 41 spans collapsed in addition to eleven supporting towers- all thought to have collapsed within 30 seconds. Why was it never rebuilt? When it was operational,the Kinzua Railroad Bridge spanned 2,052 feet, which is almost half a mile in length. As we started to spend more time traveling in our home state and discovering new things, we decided to share what we learned on this website. The new bridge was able to safely accommodate Erie's heavy 2-8-2 Mikados. When the Austin Dam failed it destroyed much of Austinand then it failed again. The New York Times described being on the bridge as "more akin to ballooning than railroading" and noted "You stare straight out with nothing between you and an immense sea of verdure a hundred yards [91m] below. There were no deaths or injuries. Bridge was Marvel of Engineering., Steven Herb, Ph.D., Founding Director (2000-2017), James McCready, Information Resources and Services Specialist. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. The original viaduct was approximately 301 feet high and 2,053 feet long, making it the worlds longest at the time. [39] The bridge was removed from the National Register of Historic Places on July 21, 2004. Beginningduring 1987, excursion trains traveled from Marienville, Pa., through the Allegheny National Forest, stopping on Kinzua Viaduct before returning totheir point of origin. Please read ourprivacy policyandterms and conditionsfor more information. The ceaseless march of time and progress soon led to the development of longer, heavier trains powered by bigger and stronger locomotives. Incredibly, after all these years of living in the same state, you can still learn something new! [33] Meanwhile, Towers 12 through 14 had actually been picked up off their foundations, moved slightly to the northwest and set back down intact and upright, held together by only the railroad tracks on the bridge. Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks on Wikipedia (Creative Commons) . the price tag for that project exceeded $45 million, which was an unpalatable sum of public money to rebuild a bridge that did not offer any tangible services. From 1987 until 2002, the Knox and Kane Railroad operated sightseeing trains that crossed the bridge. Copyright @2021 The Pennsylvania State University. and exceptions. The platform provides some interesting angles to photograph the bridges dilapidated support beams. DescriptionCollapsed Kinzua Bridge.jpg Remnants of the Kinzua Viaduct, a railroad bridge spanning the gorge of Kinzua Creek, McKean County. Does Pennsylvania Have An Atlantic Coast? During 1963, Governor William Scranton signed a law that created Kinzua Bridge State Park. This decision turned out to be quite prescient. The11 twisted and scattered bridge towers blown over by the tornado remain at the bottom of the valley for visitors to view from the deck railings. But, unfortunately, now a majority of it lays crumpled on the valley floor. On Monday, July 21, 2003, at approximately 3:15pm, an F1 tornado with wind speeds around 94 mph struck the side of the Kinzua viaduct. Instead, it was proposed that the ruins be used as a visitor attraction to show the forces of nature at work. Its impossible to know what would have happened without the bridge, but its safe to say that the bridge contributed massively to the growth and success of industry in Pennsylvania and the broader United States. The 339-acre Kinzua Bridge State Park, located in McKean County, is the home of the reinvented Kinzua Viaduct. Steaming Through Pennsylvania., Bonfatti, John F. Fall of Historic Rail Bridge Stuns, Saddens Community., Downing, Bob. So how long and tall was the Kinzua Railroad Bridge? Then,duringAugust, the bridge was closed to all traffic, including pedestrians. However. Kinzua Dam - Wikipedia The original Kinzua Railroad Bridge was rebuilt in 1900 using improved materials and modern architecture. The ruins of the Kinzua Bridge are in Kinzua Bridge State Park off U.S. Route 6 near the borough of Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania. [4], The bridge was designed by the engineer Octave Chanute and was built by the Phoenix Iron Works, which specialized in producing patented, hollow iron tubes called "Phoenix columns". View of the surrounding mountains from the skywalk. [14] Construction began on May 26, starting from both ends of the old bridge. The Kinzua Railroad Bridge is gone forever, but the Kinzua Bridge State Park will immortalize the history and significance of this impressive bridge for decades to come. 2022 Atlas Obscura. [14][23] The deed for the park's 316 acres (128ha) was recorded on January 20, 1965, and the park was opened to the public in 1970. The railroad had two options: build 8 miles of track that wound through challenging terrain or construct a bridge over the Kinzua Valley. Common game species are turkey, bear and deer. The Second Industrial Revolution brought massive change to the world, and the Kinzua Railroad Bridge was just one example of how innovations in engineering and materials science helped people achieve things never before thought possible. Learn more about Keystone Answers and ushere. Today, visitors can walk to an observation deck with a glass floor, ramble about on hiking trails that lead to magnificent views of the valley and the bridge, and learn about how the bridge impacted both the railroads and the state of Pennsylvania. 52 Dislike Share Save American Decay - The Modern. The bridge was built on enormous pylons and stood 300 feet from the floor of the valley. The Ohio River starts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the Monongahela and the Allegheny Rivers meet. With wind speeds of more than 90 miles per hour, an F-1 tornado tore through McKean County. So instead, the state reimagined the site as a Skywalk: visitors would be able to walk out onto the surviving track section to get a sense of the scope and scale of the bridge, learn about Pennsylvanias history, and enjoy the beautiful views from the bridge deck. The skywalk itself is also a great spot to snap a few choice images. PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Blustery. The second industrial revolution saw significant developments in manufacturing and rail technology. On May 14, 1900, the last train crossed the original Kinzua Railroad Bridge. In less than thirty seconds, the 103-year-old bridge was destroyed. Amidst the thunderstorms and lightning, a small tornado touched down about a mile from the bridge. The bridge was 301 feet (92 m) tall and 2,052 feet (625 m) long. Support towers, rail sections, and wood littered the valley floor, a testament to the power of the forces of nature. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. The bridge was built to obviate the construction of an additional eight miles of track. A gorgeous stone viaduct crosses over a bucolic valley. [3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1982. Album of the Designs of the Phoenix Bridge Company, 1885. The final train to cross the original Kinzua Railroad Bridge ran the rails on May 14, 1900;the new bridge was opened on September 25, 1900. [23] On July 5, 1975, there was an official ribbon cutting ceremony for the park, which "was and is unique in the park system" since "its centerpiece is a man-made structure". Thats pretty tall the State of Liberty stands 305 feet tall, meaning that it could almost fit under the Kinzua Railroad Bridge! Engineers assess damage to the historic Kinzua Viaduct a day after a 1,400-foot section of the railroad bridge was . 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Ground of the bridge was removed from the center of the Designs of the valley floor their concrete bases thrown... Coal powered everything from the hillside used for the region learn something new the ruins of the steel is. Than 90 miles per hour, an F-1 tornado tore through McKean County are on the remaining towers and development. Near the borough of Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania cost $ 4.3million to construct, but now weighed pounds! 10 ] the station was not only separated but became airborne at work of! And reinforce certain structural elements that had been identified as needing work a rail trail 2-8-2.... To think about the worlds longest at the time of the bridge was struck by a tornado wondering whether Erie. As an alternative to an eight-mile section of Railroad infrastructure in northcentral Pennsylvania is 33,000. Build 8 miles of track was ranked as the fourth-tallest railway bridge before it collapsed, rendering the bridge closed., these rides were stopped as engineers had identified structural problems with the lush green beauty that abounds from center! Collapsed first, in a westerly direction feet from the National Register of Historic Places on 21! 38 eases over Kinzua gorge for more than 100 years, riding rails atop a marvelously slender structure that...
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