Manayunk Bridge: Difference between revisions
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The '''Manayunk Bridge''' (a.k.a. '''Pencoyd Viaduct''') is a historic bridge in [[Pennsylvania]] across the [[Schuylkill River]] and adjacent [[Schuylkill Canal]] between [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala Cynwyd]], [[Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Montgomery County]] and the [[Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Manayunk]] neighborhood of [[Philadelphia]]. Built by the former Schuylkill Valley Division of the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]], it is notable as a large [[concrete]] [[Arch bridge|open spandrel arch bridge]] built on a [[reverse curve]], earning both the current bridge and its 1883 wrought-iron-truss predecessor the nickname of "S-Bridge."<ref>Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. PA-551, [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.pa3761 "Pennsylvania Railroad, Manayunk Bridge,"] 2000, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.</ref> |
The '''Manayunk Bridge''' (a.k.a. '''Pencoyd Viaduct''') is a historic bridge in [[Pennsylvania]] across the [[Schuylkill River]] and adjacent [[Schuylkill Canal]] between [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala Cynwyd]], [[Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Montgomery County]] and the [[Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Manayunk]] neighborhood of [[Philadelphia]]. Built by the former Schuylkill Valley Division of the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]], it is notable as a large [[concrete]] [[Arch bridge|open spandrel arch bridge]] built on a [[reverse curve]], earning both the current bridge and its 1883 wrought-iron-truss predecessor the nickname of "S-Bridge."<ref>Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. PA-551, [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.pa3761 "Pennsylvania Railroad, Manayunk Bridge,"] 2000, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.</ref> [[SEPTA]] acquired the bridge in 1976 for its [[Cynwyd Line]]. |
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The bridge's challenging geometry was executed by T. L. Eyre, a Philadelphia contractor. Another notable feature is the saw-toothed construction joints along a 65-degree [[Skew arch|skew]].<ref>Albert M. Wolf, "New Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge at Manayunk, Pa.," Railway Review 62, No. 6 (9 February 1918): 194-9.</ref> Weather-related expansion and contraction of the bridge, coupled with corrosion of its internal steel reinforcement, led to its closure by SEPTA on October 25, 1986. |
The bridge's challenging geometry was executed by T. L. Eyre, a Philadelphia contractor. Another notable feature is the saw-toothed construction joints along a 65-degree [[Skew arch|skew]].<ref>Albert M. Wolf, "New Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge at Manayunk, Pa.," Railway Review 62, No. 6 (9 February 1918): 194-9.</ref> Weather-related expansion and contraction of the bridge, coupled with corrosion of its internal steel reinforcement, led to its closure by SEPTA on October 25, 1986. |
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Fearing demolition, a rehabilitation campaign commenced in 1996<ref>Rafail Veksler and Abhay P. Thorat, "The Arch Bridge Mystery," Civil Engineering 69, No. 9 (Sep. 1999): 48-51.</ref> and completed in 1999. |
Fearing demolition, a rehabilitation campaign commenced in 1996<ref>Rafail Veksler and Abhay P. Thorat, "The Arch Bridge Mystery," Civil Engineering 69, No. 9 (Sep. 1999): 48-51.</ref> and completed in 1999. |
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==Manayunk Bridge Rail Trail== |
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SEPTA had little interest in restoring passenger train service after rehabilitation was completed.<ref name=williams>{{cite book| last = Williams| first = Gerry| authorlink = | coauthors =| title = Trains, Trolleys & Transit: A Guide to Philadelphia Area Rail Transit| publisher = Railpace Newsmagazine| year = 1999| location = | pages =84 | url = http://www.railpace.com/store/septa_book.htm| doi =| id = | isbn =}}</ref> Indeed, many attempts were made in 1996 to terminated Cynwyd service altogether due to its lower ridership (the 1986 cutback to Cynwyd removed three of the line's six stations).<ref name=williams/> Strong rider and political pressure led to SEPTA not only retaining service, but expanding service by 1997.<ref name=williams/> However, train service did not resume over the bridge as expected. Though there have been repeated calls to restore the discontinued service between Cynwyd and Ivy Ridge, SEPTA permanently dropped plans for restoration in 2008 when all 2.5 miles of trackage north of Cynwyd to Ivy Ridge was removed between 2008 and June 2010 for the Cynwyd Heritage Trail<ref>[http://www.cynwydtrail.org/ cynwydtrail.org/]</ref> and Ivy Ridge Trail.<ref>[http://www.ivyridgegreen.org/2010/06/ Ivy Ridge Green]</ref> The Manayunk Bridge is slated to be converted in a rail trail connecting the two trails.<ref name=1.3mil>{{cite news |first=Aaron |last=Aaron Moselle|url=http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/10767-bike-trail-| title=City secures $1.3 million for Manayunk Bridge trail | work=www.newsworks.org| date=January 8, 2011| accessdate=2011-09-08}}</ref> |
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==Further reading== |
==Further reading== |
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Revision as of 14:10, 8 September 2011
Manayunk Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Manayunk Bridge in 1999. | |
| Coordinates | 40°01′31″N 75°13′35″W / 40.02528°N 75.22639°W |
| Carries | Former Cynwyd Line |
| Crosses | Schuylkill River and Schuylkill Expressway |
| Locale | Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Other name(s) | Pencoyd Viaduct |
| Maintained by | SEPTA |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Open spandrel deck arch |
| Material | Concrete |
| Longest span | 150 feet (46 m) |
| No. of spans | 15 |
| Piers in water | 3 |
| History | |
| Designer | Pennsylvania Railroad |
| Constructed by | T. L. Eyre (Philadelphia) |
| Construction end | 1918 |
| Closed | 1986 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Manayunk Bridge (a.k.a. Pencoyd Viaduct) is a historic bridge in Pennsylvania across the Schuylkill River and adjacent Schuylkill Canal between Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County and the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia. Built by the former Schuylkill Valley Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, it is notable as a large concrete open spandrel arch bridge built on a reverse curve, earning both the current bridge and its 1883 wrought-iron-truss predecessor the nickname of "S-Bridge."[1] SEPTA acquired the bridge in 1976 for its Cynwyd Line.
The bridge's challenging geometry was executed by T. L. Eyre, a Philadelphia contractor. Another notable feature is the saw-toothed construction joints along a 65-degree skew.[2] Weather-related expansion and contraction of the bridge, coupled with corrosion of its internal steel reinforcement, led to its closure by SEPTA on October 25, 1986.
Fearing demolition, a rehabilitation campaign commenced in 1996[3] and completed in 1999.
Manayunk Bridge Rail Trail
SEPTA had little interest in restoring passenger train service after rehabilitation was completed.[4] Indeed, many attempts were made in 1996 to terminated Cynwyd service altogether due to its lower ridership (the 1986 cutback to Cynwyd removed three of the line's six stations).[4] Strong rider and political pressure led to SEPTA not only retaining service, but expanding service by 1997.[4] However, train service did not resume over the bridge as expected. Though there have been repeated calls to restore the discontinued service between Cynwyd and Ivy Ridge, SEPTA permanently dropped plans for restoration in 2008 when all 2.5 miles of trackage north of Cynwyd to Ivy Ridge was removed between 2008 and June 2010 for the Cynwyd Heritage Trail[5] and Ivy Ridge Trail.[6] The Manayunk Bridge is slated to be converted in a rail trail connecting the two trails.[7]
Further reading
- Harry Garforth, Jr., Rails Through Manayunk, Silver Brook Junction Publishing Company, Telford, PA. 1999.
- Michael Bezilla, Electric Traction on the Pennsylvania Railroad 1895-1968, Penn State University, 1988.
References
- ^ Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. PA-551, "Pennsylvania Railroad, Manayunk Bridge," 2000, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
- ^ Albert M. Wolf, "New Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge at Manayunk, Pa.," Railway Review 62, No. 6 (9 February 1918): 194-9.
- ^ Rafail Veksler and Abhay P. Thorat, "The Arch Bridge Mystery," Civil Engineering 69, No. 9 (Sep. 1999): 48-51.
- ^ a b c Williams, Gerry (1999). Trains, Trolleys & Transit: A Guide to Philadelphia Area Rail Transit. Railpace Newsmagazine. p. 84.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ cynwydtrail.org/
- ^ Ivy Ridge Green
- ^ Aaron Moselle, Aaron (January 8, 2011). "City secures $1.3 million for Manayunk Bridge trail". www.newsworks.org. Retrieved 2011-09-08.