The Freeport Rail Bridge is a truss bridge

Truss bridge

A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...

 that carries the Norfolk Southern Railway

Norfolk Southern Railway

The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...

 across the Allegheny River

Allegheny River

The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

 between Freeport

Freeport, Pennsylvania

Freeport is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States; it is situated along the Allegheny River in the southwest corner of the county. The population was 1,962 at the 2000 Census. Freeport received its name from David Todd, who declared it to be a free-port where no man would be...

 and Allegheny Township

Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Allegheny Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,002 at the 2000 census. The municipality borders the townships of Harrison, Upper Burrell, and Washington; and the boroughs of Oklahoma, Vandergrift, Leechburg, West Leechburg, Lower Burrell,...

 in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

.

A structure originally created on this site by the Pennsylvania Railroad

Pennsylvania Railroad

The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

 as part of their West Penn Line in 1866. In 1895, the railroad replaced this bridge; the third and current incarnation was completed in 1950, along with new approach ramps that eliminated a narrow tunnel.

Prior to 1957, passenger service was carried along this line alongside freight. Following the decline of the PRR, Conrail took over control of the bridge. Currently, it is operated as part of the Pittsburgh Division of Norfolk Southern.