OTHER DESIGNATION:
Panhandle Bridge
pghe584-67x

LOCATION:
Pittsburgh

USGS 7.5" Topo Quad - UTM Coordinates:
Pittsburgh East - Zone 17; 0584 4476

BETWEEN:
-- near Try St on right descending bank of Monongahela River
-- near intersection of East Carson St and Arlington Av on left descending bank of Monongahela River

CROSSED:
Monongahela River at mile 1.0

LENGTH OF MAIN SPAN:

TOTAL LENGTH (including longest elevated ramp):

HEIGHT OF DECK:

YEAR ERECTED / ENGINEER:
1863, modified c1881, replaced 1903;
Jacob H. Linville, Keystone Bridge Company

The first bridge was built in 1863 and crossed the river via seven main spans, similar in length and position as current bridge; possibly Pratt trusses (parallel chords), each was a deck truss-type except the channel span (second from the northern end) which was a through truss. The bridge deck of 1863 structure was at the same elevation as downtown streets in the area and required grade crossings including Second St near the Try St Yard (site of Crosstown Blvd) and Fourth St Station (across Forbes Av [then Diamond St] from the old jail).

excerpt from "The Engineering Record," December 19, 1903:
The old bridge consisted of one 260-foot double-track through span about 40 feet deep and four 186-foot deck spans. The trusses were of the Linville type with very short panels and double-intersections diagonals. All compression members were made of cast iron, and details throughout were of the earliest types of long-span iron railroad bridges in the United States. The top chords and end posts were made with double tubular cross sections and the end posts were trussed, as shown in the accompanying photograph, with pairs of screw-ended rods which had center bearings on saddle castings and virtually hog-chained the members. The top lateral and sway-brace struts were double flanged castings with open panels. The portal girders resembled modern portals, but were made with girders, brackets, and web trussing of cast iron. The vertical posts were made with twin uprights connected by webs having large open panels.

The lower chords were made with eye-bars of a maximum width of 6 inches having welded heads. They were connected with pins with a maximum diameter of 4 inches which carried on their inner ends wrought-iron double-wing plates to which were attached the clevis heads of bottom lateral diagonals. The other ends of the diagonal rods had nuts bearing on the inner surfaces of heavy welded octagonal rings in the centers of the floor-beam panels, which were used instead of sleeve-nut connections.

The floor beams were made with pairs of channels king-post-trussed with pin-connected rods and seated in chairs resting on the bottom chords. The track was carried on wooden stringers. The main diagonal rods were square bars with screw ends and nuts bearing on bevelled seats cast on the top chords and on the feet of the vertical posts.

The old bridge was built by the Keystone Bridge Company nearly forty years ago, had sustained constant and increasing service ever since, and was found in a remarkably good condition when taken down. Pile falsework piers were built to support it and the traveler and the new bridge during the erection of the latter. The new bridge has an ordinary Pratt-truss superstructure supported on some of the old piers, and two new ones, and is being built by the American Bridge Company, S. P. Mitchell, engineer of erection; H. A. Greene, manager of western division, and James Sheedy, superintendent of erection.

Old drawings and photographs show a structure with only one through truss before about 1881. A second through truss replaced the northernmost span.

The current Panhandle Bridge was built in 1903. It was raised up as part of a grade separation project, 1912-1914.

At the north approach, Second Av and the B&O Railroad were lowered and a series of plate girder spans were constructed to carry the Panhandle Division of the PRR from the bridge past Fourth St Station and into Tunnel No. 1 which leads to Pennsylvania Union Station at Liberty and 11th St.

Since 1985, this route has been used as part of the "T" light rail system operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County. The above ground light rail vehicles cross the Panhandle Bridge, pass under several buildings and enter the PRR tunnel under Forbes Av -- thereby enterring the Pittsburgh subway.

The south approach to the Panhandle Bridge splits after crossing the Monongahela River. This was the location of the Monon Tower ("MB"). Evidence of the original connections from the wye to the PRR (now Conrail NS) may be found in the old abutments, massive stone walls and repurposed piers.

The single-track eastern (upstream) branch of the wye led to the Monongahela Division of the PRR; it now connects to the Arlington line of the "T" light rail system on new deck and piers which rise higher than the PRR previously.

The double-tracked west branch of the wye continued as the Panhandle Divison of the PRR; it led to a station at Smithfield St above the current location of the "T" light rail station near Station Square. The "T" line descends to this street-level station at East Carson and Smithfield Streets, then curves into the Mt Washington Trolley Tunnel. Several of the original piers near the river were refurbished while those nearer to East Carson St were built in 1985

The north approach is near the south portal of the Pennsylvania Canal tunnel, lift locks along the present Try St (Front St, Second St, Fourth St) and the Mon River outlet. This area is also the former location of Pipetown at Suke's Run (also called Sucks Run). Nathaniel Greenough operated a shipyard here. The section of First Av (also known at Front St) east of Try St was once called Greenough St.

FIELD CHECKED:

Introduction -- Nearby Structures