Schuylkill Arsenal Railroad Bridge

Schuylkill Arsenal Railroad Bridge is a wrought iron, two-track, deck truss swing bridge across the Schuylkill River between the University City and Grays Ferry neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] It was built in 1885–86 by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Today, its swing span has been fixed shut, and the electrical catenary de-energized.

Schuylkill Arsenal Railroad Bridge
Schuylkill Arsenal Railroad Bridge, looking east from upstream
Coordinates39°56′36″N 75°11′30″W
CarriesCSX Harrisburg Subdivision
CrossesCSX tracks, Schuylkill River, Schuylkill Expressway
LocaleGrays Ferry neighborhood, eastern approach, University City neighborhood (western approach) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Other name(s)Arsenal Railroad Bridge, Arsenal Bridge
OwnerCSX Transportation
Preceded by1862 single track
Characteristics
Designdeck truss spans
Materialwrought iron
Total length832 feet
Longest span192 feet
No. of spans9
Piers in water3
Statistics
Daily trafficopen

The bridge is named for the Schuylkill Arsenal, which operated from 1799 to 1926 near the bridge's eastern approaches.[2] Its western approach runs past the University of Pennsylvania's Meiklejohn Stadium.[3]

In January 2014, a CSX train carrying crude oil derailed on the bridge.[4]

Original bridge

The 1886 bridge replaced the original Arsenal Bridge, which was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1861 and put in operation on January 27, 1862,[5] as part of the Delaware Extension. It carried a single track over three wrought-iron spans on stone piers and a central center-pivot swing span.[6]

See also

References
  1. Messer, David W. (2000). Triumph III: Philadelphia Terminal, 1838–2000. Barnard, Roberts and Co. pp. 293–294. ISBN 978-0-934118-25-5.
  2. historical lewis and clark vasco at l3-lewisandclark.com
  3. "Meiklejohn Stadium". University of Pennsylvania. 2004-07-01. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  4. Bunch, Will (January 21, 2014). "Crude-oil tankers go off the rails above Schuylkill". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  5. Triumph III: Philadelphia Terminal, 1838–2000. p. 286.
  6. Triumph III: Philadelphia Terminal, 1838–2000. p. 293.
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