View of old roadroad bridge Kinzua Bridge State Park
Posted by: 
miatabug
N 41° 45.627 W 078° 35.237
17T E 700569 N 4625993
These binoculars provide a view of the remains of the once largest railroad bridge in the world.
Waymark Code: WM3EW5
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 03/25/2008
Views: 44
These binoculars are located on a newly constructed deck in the park. They offer very good views of the remaining Kinzua Bridge structure and the damaged pylons on the floor of the gorge. The binocular unit at the top level of the deck is wheelchair accessible.
According to the Pennsylvania State Parks website:
When built in 1882, Kinzua Viaduct was the highest railroad bridge in the world. It was constructed as an alternative to laying an additional eight miles of track over rough terrain along the line leading to McKean County’s coal, timber and oil lands.
Originally Built of iron, the original viaduct was 301 feet high, 2,053 feet long, and weighed 3,105,000 pounds. By 1900, it became necessary to rebuild the entire structure with steel to accommodate heavier trains. The new steel viaduct had the same measurements, but now weighed 6,715,000 pounds.
Freight traffic discontinued in June of 1959. In 1963, Governor William Scranton signed a law that created Kinzua Bridge State Park. The park officially opened in 1970. In 1977, Kinzua Viaduct received national recognition when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks.
Beginning in 1987, excursion trains traveled from Kane, PA through Allegheny National Forest, stopping on Kinzua Viaduct before returning to its point of origin.
Although the bridge received periodic inspections, it was not until a February 2002 DCNR inspection that engineers decided that the structure needed a full-scale inspection. In June, DCNR barred excursion trains from the bridge.
As the inspection continued, engineers found that sections of steel were rusted through. In August, the bridge was closed to all traffic, including pedestrians.
Engineers determined that high winds could create lateral pressure on the bridge. The wind hitting the bridge could shift the center of gravity, increasing the weight on one side. Such an event could send the whole bridge crashing to the bottom of Kinuza Gorge.
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.
On Monday, July 21, 2003, at approximately 3:15 p.m., an F1 tornado (wind speed 73 – 112 mph) struck the side of Kinzua Viaduct. Eleven towers from the center of the bridge were torn from their concrete bases and thrown to the valley floor. Fortunately no one was seriously injured.
Repairs continue in an effort to stabilize the remaining nine towers. DCNR is now in conducting feasibility studies to determine what to do with Kinzua Bridge.
Cost to Operate: Free
Primary Vista: Kinzua Bridge
Number of devices at the site: 2
Other Vistas at the location:
The area is a very good location for bird sightings. Viewers using the binoculars to look across the gorge can view the remaining hillside damage from the tornado. Very little vegetation has returned to the area since the 2003 tornado.
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