Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge

The Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge (also known as the Union Railroad Rankin Hot Metal Bridge #35) is a railroad truss bridge across the Monongahela River between Whitaker, Pennsylvania and Rankin, Pennsylvania. The bridge is out of service and it hasn't seen a train in almost 40 years.

This article is about the rail bridge between Rankin and Whitaker. For the Pittsburgh bridge, see Hot Metal Bridge.
Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge
Bridge with Carrie Furnace visible
Coordinates40.4087°N 79.8857°W / 40.4087; -79.8857
CarriesUnion Railroad (Pittsburgh)
CrossesMonongahela River
LocaleWhitaker, Pennsylvania and Rankin, Pennsylvania
Official nameRankin Hot Metal Bridge #35
Other name(s)Union Railroad Rankin Hot Metal Bridge #35
Characteristics
DesignTruss bridge
MaterialSteel
Longest span483 feet (147 m)
Piers in water3
Clearance below50.8 feet (15.5 m)
History
Opened1900
Location

History

The bridge was built to carry freight between Whitaker and the US Steel Carrie Furnace, with the downstream line shielded for the use of hot metal trains.[1] It opened on 31 December 1900 for hot metal traffic and on 14 June 1901 to general traffic.[2] It is currently owned by the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.

In 2016, Allegheny County announced that it would begin assessing the bridge for future use by motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.[3] Making a direct connection with Pennsylvania Route 837 is one of the goals of the project, which officials hope will relieve backups for automobile traffic entering The Waterfront. The bridge would also provide cyclists and pedestrians a direct connection from the Carrie Furnace site to the Great Allegheny Passage.

See also

References
  1. "Carrie Furnace Bridge". pghbridges.com. June 3, 2000.
  2. "Union Railroad Company". Transtar. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  3. Blazina, Ed (December 16, 2016). "Allegheny County begins process to reopen Hot Metal Bridge between Swissvale and Munhall". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
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