West Side Belt RR over West Carson St - Bridges and Tunnels of Allegheny County and Pittsburgh, PA

View southeast on West Carson St toward West End Circle

More detail photos

OFFICIAL NAME:

OTHER DESIGNATION:
Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad over West Carson St
Norfolk & Western RR over West Carson St
Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad over West Carson St
pghw582-13

LOCATION:
Pittsburgh

USGS 7.5" Topo Quad - UTM Coordinates:
Pittsburgh West - Zone 17; 0582 4477

CARRIES:
Wheeling & Lake Erie RR

BETWEEN:
-- Norfolk Southern [former PRR] crossing
-- interchange with CSX RR [former Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RR]

CROSSES:
-- West Carson St [PA51, PA837]

TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION / DESIGN:
Pony, riveted steel plate girder on concrete piers [over West Carson St]
Deck, riveted steel plate girder on riveted girder bents [northwestern approach spans]

LENGTH OF MAIN SPAN:

TOTAL LENGTH (including longest elevated ramp):

HEIGHT OF DECK:

YEAR ERECTED / ENGINEER:
replaced 1931?, Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Possibly the third structure at this location. Circa 1850, the Little Saw Mill Run Railroad built a wooden trestle over West Carson St to connect to its coal docks on the Ohio River. The West Side Belt Railroad, a subsidiary of the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway, acquired the LSMRR in 1897.

The portion of the WSB east of Banksville Junction (near western portals of the Fort Pitt Tunnels) was built in 1902 and 1903 -- for the most part with wooden trestles and a few plate girder spans. The entire WSB was updated c1909 with longer structures being rebuilt of steel and it is perhaps at this time that the wooden trestle over West Carson St was replaced with a deck plate girder bridge.

The Wabash railroad properties around Pittsburgh were purchased by the Pittsbugh & West Virginia Railroad in 1917.

Allegheny County opened the West End Bridge in 1932. In preparation for the influx of traffic, the West End Circle ramps and bridges were built in 1931. At this time, it appears the present Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad bridge was built -- this time as a pony plate girder span, to allow for greater underclearance on West Carson St.

view page - History of the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway - West Side Belt Railroad

view page - Other structures in the West End Valley

FIELD CHECKED:
10-May-2004

INFO SOURCES:
field check

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Introduction -- Nearby Structures

Page created:
Last modified: 13-Jul-2004

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