1877+1911 NS/CNO&TP/Sou/CS High Bridges over Kentucky River near Wilmore, KY

1877: (Bridge Hunter) A cantilevered truss

1911: (Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; HAER; Satellite)

To explain the title, Cincinnati built and owns the Cincinnati Southern route, but it now leases it to the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific (CNO&TP), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Norfolk Southern.

The 1929 successor bridge is documented here.

The original bridge was opened by President Rutherford B. Hays in 1877. At that time, at 275' tall, it was the highest railroad bridge in the world. Gustav Lindenthal designed the 1911 replacement. The track of the new bridge was 33' above the 1877 track so that the new bridge could be built around the old one while the old one continued to carry traffic. It was double tracked in 1929. Until the 1950s there was a walkway on the west side of the bridge because excursion trips were run to the bridge until the 1930s. [Bogart]

Gary Miller posted two images with the comment: "Southern RR bridge over Kentucky River known as HIGH BRIDGE. The second postcard shows old arches & depot. The arches & depot were demolished when the bridge was rebuilt in 1911."

David Morse: That is after High Bridge was rebuilt.

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In this photo, the new bridge has been opened but they have yet to remove the old truss.

Henri Charles shared
[1877 Bridge Hunter identifies this as "Louis Edward Nollau High Bridge Photographic Collection, University of Kentucky."]

 

Bridges Now and Then posted
Working on the High Bridge, Kentucky, November 29, 1910. (The Louis Edward Nollau High Bridge Collection)
Dennis DeBruler: This 1911 bridge was built around the 1877 bridge. Note the railroad tracks down in the middle of the new truss.

transportation.ky.gov, p49

We can see one of the suspension bridge towers that Roebling started in 1851 for a different railroad. The Panic of 1857 terminated the construction of that bridge. When the original railroad resumed construction, they picked a different route that had a lower crossing of the Kentucky River. The CNO&TP acquired the charter for this route and finished a bridge. [Bogart] "It is the first cantilever bridge built on the American continent. The large twin towers were torn down in 1929." [Anonymous comment] The towers were removed when the bridge was double tracked. [Ed Hollowell comment]]

Elmer L. Foote Lantern Slide Collection, Lexington Public Library via 1877 Bridge Hunter

The longest (1125 feet) and highest (275 feet) cantilever bridge in the world when built in 1877. It was the highest bridge of any type in North America until 1888 when Young's High Bridge was built to 283 feet a few miles away. A new bridge was built around this bridge in 1910-11 which was 308 feet tall, surpassing Young's High Bridge. The 1877 bridge continued in use during construction of the new bridge around it and was only dissembled sometime after the 1911 bridge was in use. The Cincinnati Southern Railway was and still is owned by the city of Cincinnati. Contract cost for bridge was $390,000. Final cost of the bridge was $404,856.58. Cincinnati Southern Railway built and owns the bridge. Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific (CNTP) leased and continues to lease the line from Cincinnati Southern though CNTP is owned by Norfolk Southern (formally Southern).

[1877 Bridge Hunter]

 

This photo has been moved to "1929 NS/Sou/CNO&TP/CS"

 

Look at the base of the tower and you can see that the two cranes have started constructing the new tower around the old one. A concrete layer has been added to the cut stone pier.

Louis Edward Nollau F Series Photographic Print Collection, University of Kentucky via BridgeHunter-1877

They added temporary supports next to each tower to help balance the trusses while they were cantilevered during construction.

Louis Edward Nollau F Series Photographic Print Collection, University of Kentucky via 1877 Bridge Hunter

The deep truss allowed it to be built around the old truss. Note the engine under the traveler on the right to get a sense of scale.

Engineering Record, Vol. 62, 1910. Digitized By Google. from Historic Bridges

Elmer L. Foote Lantern Slide Collection, Lexington Public Library via 1877 Bridge Hunter

I knew that L&D #7 was part of the Kentucky River System, but I did not realize that there was such large fleeting areas for barge.

OnlyInYourState, Facebook/Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
"Many people gathered for the dedication in hopes of seeing then President Rutherford B. Hayes, who was in attendance. Notably, also in attendance was General William Tecumseh Sherman."
"In 1911, a new bridge was built around the existing one and then in 1929 it was expanded to two tracks."

HAER KY,57-HIBR,1--1

SteelRails posted
Norfolk Southern, NS 4824, Rebuilt GE AC44C6M, lead NS28C over the NS high Bridge  in Wilmore, Kentucky on the NS CNO&TP Second District, also known as the Rathole, on June 8, 2024.

SteelRails posted
On June 8, 2024, Norfolk Southern, NS 1834, Rebuilt EMD SD70ACC, lead NS29F over the NS high Bridge on the CNO&TP Second District, also known as the Rathole in Wilmore, Kentucky.