Had to make a 5 hour round trip to a Dr.s appointment yesterday for the boss. On the way home we decided to stop at the Kinzua Bridge. It is a state park about a half hour from where we live, but neither of us had been there in quite some time.
The bridge was a railway bridge built the first time out of wrought iron in 1882. At the time it was built, it was over twice the size of the largest similar structure of the time and held the record of the tallest railroad bridge for two years. It was re-built in 1900 out of steel to accommodate the heavier engines safely. It was sold to the state and became a park in 1963.
In 2003 a tornado went through the valley and took out a vary large section of the bridge. Before the tornado hit, it was 301 feet tall at the center, and 2054 feet long across the valley. Up until that point, it was still the fourth tallest railway bridge in the United States.
I can remember when I was younger walking across the bridge, then down the trail across the valley to get back.
They have done some re-enforcing work to the remains to allow foot traffic and added a nice visitor center a few years ago. This was the first time I'd been out there since this was added.
The bridge was a railway bridge built the first time out of wrought iron in 1882. At the time it was built, it was over twice the size of the largest similar structure of the time and held the record of the tallest railroad bridge for two years. It was re-built in 1900 out of steel to accommodate the heavier engines safely. It was sold to the state and became a park in 1963.
In 2003 a tornado went through the valley and took out a vary large section of the bridge. Before the tornado hit, it was 301 feet tall at the center, and 2054 feet long across the valley. Up until that point, it was still the fourth tallest railway bridge in the United States.
I can remember when I was younger walking across the bridge, then down the trail across the valley to get back.
They have done some re-enforcing work to the remains to allow foot traffic and added a nice visitor center a few years ago. This was the first time I'd been out there since this was added.
