Ohio Connecting Railroad Bridge
Encyclopedia
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
, USA. It consists of two major through truss spans
over the main and back channels of the river, of 508 feet (154.8 m) and 406 feet (123.7 m) respectively, with deck truss approaches.
could bypass the congested passenger station in downtown
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. Traffic could move in either direction between the Pennsylvania Railroad mainline
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 through Island Avenue Yard to get to the mainline.
Trains at the south end of the bridge could be directed east onto the Monongahela Division or south/southwest onto the Panhandle Division, Scully Yard, or onto the Chartiers Branch.
In 1968 the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with the New York Central to form Penn Central. Penn Central became a part of Conrail in 1976. In 1999, CSX
and Norfolk Southern Railway
(NS) bought Conrail with NS getting 58% and CSX getting 42%. The Ohio Connecting Bridge was acquired by NS.
use. This practice was started by Conrail in 1995. Many coal trains coming out of the Monongahela Valley also use this bridge. Sometimes mixed freight and other types of trains use the bridge. No scheduled
passenger trains use the bridge.
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
at Brunot's Island
Brunot Island
Brunot Island is a island in the Ohio River at the west end of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It was named for Dr. Felix Brunot who settled the island with his extended family in the late 1700s.. The family entertained the Lewis & Clark expedition on the...
at the west end of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, USA. It consists of two major through truss spans
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...
over the main and back channels of the river, of 508 feet (154.8 m) and 406 feet (123.7 m) respectively, with deck truss approaches.
History
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 RailroadPennsylvania 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....
could bypass the congested passenger station in downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. Traffic could move in either direction between the Pennsylvania Railroad mainline
Main line (railway)
The Mainline or Main line of a railway is a track that is used for through trains or is the principal artery of the system from which branch lines, yards, sidings and spurs are connected....
in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania
Pitcairn, Pennsylvania
Pitcairn is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh. Early in the 20th century, it was the site of large railroad yards and shops that employed nearly ten thousand men. The population increased from 2,601 in 1900 to 6,310 in 1940, but has since declined...
(part of the Pittsburgh Division at that location) and the Fort Wayne Line
Fort Wayne Line
The Fort Wayne Line and Fort Wayne Secondary is a rail line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway , Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad , and CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana...
at the north end of the Ohio Connecting Bridge. Trains would traverse the Port Perry Branch
Port Perry Branch
The Port Perry Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from the Pittsburgh Line in North Versailles Township southwest through the Port Perry Tunnel and across the Monongahela River on the PRR Port Perry Bridge to the...
, 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
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
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
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
is directed east it must pass through Island Avenue Yard to get to the mainline.
Trains at the south end of the bridge could be directed east onto the Monongahela Division or south/southwest onto the Panhandle Division, Scully Yard, or onto the Chartiers Branch.
In 1968 the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with the New York Central to form Penn Central. Penn Central became a part of Conrail in 1976. In 1999, CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
and 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...
(NS) bought Conrail with NS getting 58% and CSX getting 42%. The Ohio Connecting Bridge was acquired by NS.
The present
NS continues to use the bridge as part of the route trains with double-stack containersDouble-stack rail transport
Double-stack rail transport is a form of Intermodal freight transport where intermodal containers are stacked two high on railroad cars. Introduced in North America in 1984, double stack has become increasingly common, being used for nearly 70% of United States intermodal shipments...
use. This practice was started by Conrail in 1995. Many coal trains coming out of the Monongahela Valley also use this bridge. Sometimes mixed freight and other types of trains use the bridge. No scheduled
Public transport timetable
A public transport timetable is a representation of public transport information to assist a passenger with planning a trip using public transport. A timetable details when vehicle will arrive and depart specified locations and may be organised for by route or for a particular stop...
passenger trains use the bridge.