1963,1991,2011 PA-51 Rochester Beaver and 1913 NS/Pennsy Bridges over Beaver River

1963 PA-51: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

1913 NS/Pennsy: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

1963 PA-51 Bridge

Street View, Jul 2024

HistoricBridges_1963
The bridge is 993' (303m) long with a main span of 365' (111m).
"This bridge is a good example of a deck cantilever truss bridge....The bridge includes a 236.5 foot suspended span. The suspended span follows a modified Warren truss configuration, while Pratt truss thinking is evident in the remaining truss system." For once, PennDOT chose to extensively rehabilitate a truss bridge rather than replace it.

2009 photo by James Baughn via BridgeHunter_1963

This bridge is in the foreground and the Rochester-Bridgewater Bridge is in the background.

Climbing Skis posted
A boat enjoying an early morning trip down the Beaver River next to Bridgewater in Beaver County, PA.

This photo captures both bridges with the Rochester-Bridgewater Bridge in the background.

2009 photo by James Baughn via BridgeHunter_1963

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1913 NS/Pennsy Bridge

Street View, Sep 2024

"According to my brother-in-law, Wes, a structural engineer, this bridge is the heaviest bridge per foot of length in the world!" [Garry Sallade comment on ArchivedBridgeHunter]

HistoricBridges_1913
This 660' (201.2m) bridge has two 330' (101.6m) spans.
It was built for double track, but it now has only one track.

Climbing Skies posted
Train crossing the Rochester-Beaver Railroad Bridge, spanning the Beaver River, in Beaver County, PA.

1877 Eveland (Wilson's Ferry) Bridge over Des Moines River near Oskaloosa, IA

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; HAER; Satellite)

This 647' (197m) long  bridge has four 164' (50m) spans. [BridgeHunter]

HAER IOWA,62-OSK.V,2- -1
1. 3/4 VIEW FROM SOUTHWEST - Eveland Bridge, Spanning Des Moines River at 285th Street, Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, IA

"Significance: The Eveland Bridge is a rare example of a multiple-span Whipple truss bridge. A less common variation on the Pratt truss, the Whipple truss was seldom used for wagon trusses in Iowa, and only seven remain today. Spanning the Des Moines River, the Eveland Bridge was the primary connection for southwest Mahaska County and played a major role in county commerce for decades after its erection." [HAER_data]

HAER IOWA,62-OSK.V,2- -5
5. 3/4 VIEW FROM SOUTHEAST, VERTICAL

Aug 2015 photo by Chris Meiners via BridgeHunter

Aug 2015 photo by Chris Meiners via BridgeHunter

Aug 2015 photo by Chris Meiners via BridgeHunter

The Eveland Bridge with an 1877 construction date is perhaps the oldest Des Moines River Bridge remaining today. The bridge was originally built as a four span Whipple truss, but the northernmost span was replaced in 1903 with a Pratt through truss following a major flood which wiped out that span. Today, as a bridge containing three Whipple truss spans, it is one of the only known examples in the entire country of a highway truss containing more than two Whipple truss spans. 

There are several extremely rare and significant pin-connected truss bridges on the lower section of the Des Moines River. Each are distinguished as rare surviving examples of large, multi-span examples of their type. Among them, the Eveland Bridge stands out as the earliest example, and for its rare Whipple truss configuration and cast iron connection assemblies. The bridge was built by the Western Bridge Works of Fort Wayne, Indiana, in their first year of operating. The Western Bridge Works was a short lived company formed by two men, one an agent from Toledo, Ohio's Smith Bridge Company. The Western Bridge Works did well initially, but did not last long, shutting down in 1885. Based on HAER documentation, the firm was apparently known simply as as McKay and Nelson, after the names of the two people running it prior (or during) the formation of Western Bridge Works in 1877.

[HistoricBridges]

John Poston posted
Near Tracy, IA. DesMoines river.

John Poston commented on his post

1890,1936 Kellams Bridge over Delaware River near Hankins, NY

(Archived Bridge Hunter link to bridge is broken; Bridge Hunter; HAER; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

"The 1889 bridge actually had timber stiffening trusses rather than the steel seen today." The span is 384' (117m). [HistoricBridges]

Street View, Aug 2024

David Loose posted 10 photos with the comment:

Kellams Bridge is a 384-foot [87m] single lane underspanned  suspension bridge, built in 1889. It crosses the Delaware River from Stalker Village, PA to Hankins, NY. 

It is the only remaining underspanned suspension bridge in the United States. 

The Kellams Bridge was built to replace a ferry operated by William Kellam from 1860 to 1888. A toll of .35 cents (roundtrip) was charged from 1891 until 1932. 

Kellams Bridge has had several closures and structural  repairs/replacements over the years, but remains open and safe.— in Wayne County, Pennsylvania.

[This photo shows what an "underspanned suspension bridge" is. It allows the use of shorter towers. This is the first time I have seen one.]

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This view shows the suspension cables going below the deck and not coming back above the truss until far, far away.

Bridge View, Aug 2024

This is a good view of the under suspension.

Photo by Matthew via BridgeHunter

A closeup of the under suspension:

HAER PA,64-STALK,1--6
6. 3/4 VIEW FROM WEST. - Kellams Bridge, Spanning Delaware River at Stalker-Kellams Road (State Route 1018), Stalker, Wayne County, PA

1902,2002,? Jefferson Avenue Footbridge over BNSF/Frisco Railyard in Springfield, MO

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

562' (171m) long, including stairways, with a 175' (53m) main span. The length of the cantilever truss is 375' (114m)  [HistoricBridges]

It crosses the BNSF/Frisco Railyard.

Street View, Jun 2022

Street View, May 2022

HistoricStreet
"Built in 1902, the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge was the first bridge of its kind to be built in Missouri. Constructed by The American Bridge Company of Pennsylvania. The bridge was built to connect the Woodland Heights Neighborhood, that resides across the railroad tracks, to the Commercial Street District. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, the Footbridge has been closed to the public since 2016. The Jefferson Avenue Footbridge alone brings tons tourists to the area each year to see Springfield’s own pedestrian bridge spanning over thirteen railroad tracks."

On Mar 1, 2016, the bridge was closed because an inspector found some "pack rust." The city evidently hired an engineering firm that designs new bridges, and, surprise, that firm decided the bridge needs to be replaced. Concerned citizens hired a firm with experience restoring historic bridges, and they concluded it would be cheaper to fix the bridge. [HistoricBridges]

springfield

The city evidentially revised the history of the bridge. Their website implies the initial recommendation was to rehabilitate rather than replace. At any rate, they are now (2024) soliciting bids to rehabilitate the bridge.

Dan AndJenni Dawson posted

Since I've lucked out on sharing a press release about Rail Fest on Commercial Street in Springfield this coming Saturday 15 June, I'll try a different way. This is an example of what you could see at Rail Fest, 2 trains meeting at the farmer's market located by the footbridge. 

This event will celebrate the impact Frisco had on Springfield and will have model railroad exhibits and vendors, and visitors can register to win prizes. The Railroad Historical Museum at Grant Beach Park will have a display of items and volunteers will be available to answer any questions. Hope to see you there!

Andy Tegethoff: Is the footbridge open?

Dan AndJenni Dawson: Andy Tegethoff, not yet. Work should begin soon.

Robert Xander: Is the organization that owns the Footbridge gets on their feet and fix it we had more real fans coming to this rail yard because that rail yard is an active real yard and we have more people coming to Springfield to see the trains that bridge has been out of commission for at least 4 years that I know of they were going to fix it but I was told by a local they had got the money but somebody had spent the money on other things like a scandal they had got taxpayers money donations and somebody use the funds for other means it's very upset me when I used to live in Springfield I used to walk on the bridge all the time and see the trains

Sep 11, 2025:

Bright Light posted

City of Springfield says………

Shuttered to the public for more than five years for safety concerns, north Springfield’s historic Jefferson Avenue Footbridge will soon be given another chance at life.

The City of Springfield recently received authorization from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to solicit bids from qualified contractors for the rehabilitation of the 119-year-old cantilever truss bridge. Bids will be accepted through 10:30 a.m., Oct. 19, 20

1869-1873 Collapsed Truesdell Bridge over Rock River in Dixon, IL

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Satellite, this is the location of the historic marker.)

When I did a Google search for "dixon il people bridge" to research the "People Bridge," most of the results were about this tragedy.

StructureMag

hmdb, cropped

WTTW
The Silver Bridge collapse on the Ohio River also had 46 fatalities. But it nine injuries compared to the 56 injuries cause by this collapse.

“It’s not as though the bridge just collapsed and went straight down,” says Tom Wadsworth, 70, a retired magazine editor and expert on the calamity. “It turns over on top of these people. ... As the (Chicago) Tribune said, the truss ‘fell over with the weight and imprisoned the doomed in an iron cage with which they sunk and from which there was no escape.’”

Wadsworth wouldn’t be telling the story had Gertie Wadsworth, his great-grandmother, not survived. Family lore holds that as Goble, 51, plunged to her death, she tossed the toddler into the river beyond the reach of the failing superstructure. The tot was rescued downstream.

...

“You could look down and see their faces. They couldn’t get to the surface because all that iron was on top of them,” Wadsworth said. “It’s frightening to look down, but to look up and to see daylight, to be only 12 inches from air?”

[WTTW]

In better times.

BridgeHunter

This shows that the bridge could easily hold 200 people if they are distributed across the bridge. The bridge collapsed because the 200 spectators were concentrated on the sidewalk on the west side near the north end of the bridge.

BridgeHunter

"Before the opening, the bridge was test loaded in a fashion by placing “four harnessed teams hauling stone, a load of flour, and a large group of bystanders, all weighing at least 45 tons.”" The City Engineer advised the city council to not accept Truesdell's bid. They had 13 other proposals to choose from. In fact, some on the council were accused of accepting bribes. But that was never proven. [StructureMag]

It hurts my head that the authorities would use people as part of a load test. What if the bridge failed the test?

1959,1994 PA-51 East Rochester-Monaca Bridge over Ohio River

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Street View, Sep 2024

Street View, Jul 2023

HistoricBridges
This cantilever bridge has a main span of 730' (222.5m) and a total length of 2,037' (621m).
"The bridge's central truss span has very short cantilever arms (only three panels), making the suspended span unusually long, occupying the majority of the central span with its fourteen panels."

2010 photo by Jason Smith via BridgeHunter

This bridge is in the background and the Rochester-Monaca Bridge is in the foreground.

Climbing Skies posted
Barges being brought back down the Ohio River and in between the E. Rochester / Monaca & Rochester / Monaca Bridges in Beaver County, PA. 

I think this photo is of this bridge. In general, the containers on the two cars in the left foreground carry garbage. Or sometimes contaminated dirt. Note that they are heavy enough that they can only put six containers on a car even though there is room for eight.

Climbing Skies posted
Train on the tracks and the old toll bridge spanning the Ohio River in Beaver County, PA.

This confirms that the above photo is of this bridge.

Climbing Skies posted
Looking down the Ohio River towards the East Rochester-Monaca (old toll) Bridge in Beaver County, PA. The bridge opened in 1959 and was tolled until 1973. 

1906 Abandoned/SP Bridge over Guadalupe River near Comfort, TX

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Street View, Aug 2023

2014 photo by Royce and Bobette Haley via BridgeHunter

Lonestar Hippie Hiker posted
One of my favorite old bridges to photograph.
Lonestar Hippie Hiker shared

Elizabeth Rowland commented on Lonestar Hippie Hiker's post

Elizabeth Rowland commented on Lonestar Hippie Hiker's post
Love it too, in high school in the late 1970's there was an abandoned home on that road that we thought was haunted, the occasional squeal of the windmill would get us running away, ha; we loved that bridge and think we had more access to it then.

Gary Miller commented on Lonestar Hippie Hiker's post

Gary Miller commented on Lonestar Hippie Hiker's post

Gary Miller commented on Lonestar Hippie Hiker's post

Michael B Huwar commented on Lonestar Hippie Hiker's post

Lonestar Hippie Hiker posted
From the side of the road..... 
Lonestar Hippie Hiker shared

This photo shows that the two longer spans are pin connected and were built in 1900. Other photos show that the shorter span was built in 1906. I wonder if the 1906 span replaced a part of the wood trestle that got washed out during a flood.

2014 photo by Royce and Bobette Haley via BridgeHunter
[Thay have provided a lot of detail photos in BridgeHunter.]

1964/66 Waring Quad @ 24,000