Salisbury Viaduct - Great Allegheny Passage - Meyersdale, Pennsylvania
N 39° 50.096 W 079° 02.817
17S E 667119 N 4411261
The Salisbury Viaduct on the Great Allegheny Passage spans Old and New US Route 219, the Casselman River, CSX Mainline and a stream in Summit Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Waymark Code: WME0AT
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 03/16/2012
Views: 5
Salisbury Viaduct - Great Allegheny Passage - Meyersdale, Pennsylvania
The Salisbury Viaduct is one of the more massive structures that is a remnant of the Western Maryland Railway section of the Great Allegheny Passage. Known to the WM as Bridge 199.4, which is 1,908' long and 101' high.
The bridge was constructed by the McClintic-Marshall Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (later became part of Bethlehem Steel) and construction of the viaduct was going fairly well until July 10,1911 ,at which time a electric crane lifting a girder up to the deck level failed and crashed 100 feet below, taking seven men with it. Five died instantly, one hours later. About a month later, another worker died when he fell off the deck. After almost another mishap and all these tragedies, the first trail crossed the viaduct on January 18, 1912 with much applause from the townspeople.
The bridge was decked with concrete for trail use in 1999 by Somerset County Government.