Thursday, September 9, 2021

W&LE/N&W/P&WV/Wabash Bridges over I-376 and Rook Yard in Pittsburgh, PA

Whiskey Run Viaduct: (Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; 3D Satellite)
Little Sawmill Run Viaduct: (Bridge Hunter;  3D Satellite)
Railyard: (Satellite)

W&LE = the 1990 version of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway
P&WV = Pittsburgh & Western Virginia Railway  This was a link in George Gould's attempt to build a truly transcontinental railroad. And it is the railroad that helped the Wabash RR get into Pittsburgh. It was part of the Alphabet Route that consisted of the Nickle Plate to the west and Western Maryland to the east.

Because this was one of the later railroads that was constructed, all of the river valleys in the Pittsburgh area already had railroads in them. So this railroad went over valleys and through hills. Thus it has quite a few impressive trestles including two over the valley that I-376 uses to get out of the Pittsburgh area. And their Greentree Tunnel is between those two tunnels.

Whiskey Run Viaduct

Street View

Shane Welling posted
Yet another Wheeling and Lake Erie bridge. This one features train 643 coming east out of Rook yard crossing over route 376. Taken by me on 8/28/21

Patches Croteau commented on Shane's post
I got this photo outside of Pittsburgh. Is is the same bridge?
Shane Welling: Patches Croteau yep
The bridge is very unusual because sections of it are continuous trusses. The section of the bridge seen directly over I-376 is a two-span deck truss that has a single pier under it, which is also not located at the center of the bridge. Despite this asymmetry, the truss's depth does not change throughout the two continuous spans. Other sections of the bridge include deck plate girder spans. The bridge is supported by built-up steel bents which visually compliment the built-up girder and truss superstructure. [HistoricBridges]
Street View


Little Sawmill Run Viaduct

This is an example of the girders between the towers being deeper than the ones across the towers.
Street View

This trestle must have been rebuilt to accommodate the roads because an older bridge has trusses.
Retrographer via BridgeHunter-sawmill, License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike (CC BY-SA)
View of the railroad bridge, looking back toward Woodville Avenue.
May 28th, 8
Location
Banksville
Address
Banksville Avenue
Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection
Source
Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection, 1901-2002, AIS.1971.05, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh Original URL


40°25'47.8"N 80°01'40.8"W


Rook Railyard

Satellite

I wondered if the lobe on top used to be the steam engine servicing facilities with the roundhouse up by Mansfield Ave. A topo map confirms that that was the case.
1948 Pittsburgh West @ 1;24,000

Both Bridges


Dave Kuntz posted four photos with the comment: "West End Branch of Pittsburgh PA revisited:  It's hard to believe that these two lines met each other only half a mile away, so I figure I'd show both ends.  The left line is still active although one track is removed and climbs high above the valley before tunneling into Rook Yard as part of the Wheeling & Lake Erie RR (ex NW).  The right line delved downward toward the Ohio River and was abandoned circa 2012.  The interstate below is about to enter the tunnel and will reappear in downtown Pittsburgh."
Tom Anthony: I believe the lower abandoned bridge is slated for removal as part of an interchange reconfiguration project.
1
Mike Repka: Rails are still there!

2

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