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|official_name= Susquehanna River Movable Bridge |official_name= Susquehanna River Movable Bridge
|image= Southbound Acela Express crossing the Susquehanna River Bridge.jpg |image= Southbound Acela Express crossing the Susquehanna River Bridge.jpg
|caption= A southbound ] crosses the bridge in 2008. The piers of the predecessor ] are visible on the right. |caption= A southbound '']'' crosses the bridge in 2008. The piers of the predecessor bridge are visible on the right.
|image_size=300px
|also_known_as= |also_known_as=
|carries= ] ] rail line |carries= ] ] rail line
|crosses= ] |crosses= ]
|locale= ] and ], ], U.S. |locale= ] and ], ], United States
|maint=] |maint=]
|id= |id=
Line 13: Line 14:
|design=Howe ] |design=Howe ]
|mainspan= |mainspan=
|length={{convert|4153|ft|m}}<ref name="RobertsBook">{{cite book | last = Roberts| first = Charles S. |author2=David W. Messer | title = Triumph VI: Philadelphia, Columbia, Harrisburg to Baltimore and Washington DC: 1827-2003 | publisher = Barnard, Roberts, and Co., Inc. | year = 2003 | location = Baltimore, Maryland | isbn = 0-934118-28-0 }}</ref>{{rp|119}} |length={{convert|4153.8|ft|m}}<ref name="RobertsBook">{{cite book |last1=Roberts |first1=Charles S. |first2=David W. |last2=Messer |title=Triumph VI: Philadelphia, Columbia, Harrisburg to Baltimore and Washington DC: 1827-2003 |publisher=Barnard, Roberts, and Co., Inc. |year=2003 |location=Baltimore, Maryland |isbn=0-934118-28-0 }}</ref>{{rp|119}}<ref name=eir1 />
|spans=18 (including center swing span)<ref name="RobertsBook" />{{rp|119}} |spans=17 fixed spans, 1 swing span<ref name=eir1 />
|width= |width=
|clearance_below={{convert|52|ft|m|1}} closed<br />{{convert|127|ft|m|1}} open<ref name=clearance />
|clearance_below={{convert|52|ft|m|1}} when closed; {{convert|127|ft|m|1}} when open <ref name="NauticalAmtrak">{{cite web|title=Nautical chart for Perryville vicinity |work=Maptech MapServer |url=http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm?lat=39.5567335002&lon=-76.0739287001&scale=40000&zoom=100&type=0&height=498&width=498&icon=0 |access-date=December 28, 2008 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|below= |below=
|num_track=2|track_gauge=Standard |num_track=2
|track_gauge={{track gauge|standard|allk=on}}
|builder=] and ] |builder=] and ]
|open=November 26, 1866<ref name="Wilson">{{cite book |title=History of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company |last=Wilson |first=William B. |year=1895 |publisher=Henry T. Coates & Co |location=Philadelphia |pages=–311 |url=https://archive.org/details/historypennsylv00wilsgoog }}</ref>
|open=May 29, 1906<ref name="Baer1906">{{cite web | last=Baer | first=Christopher T. | title=PRR Chronology: 1906 | url=http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1906%20Mar%2005.pdf | access-date=June 4, 2015 | archive-date=September 16, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916025834/http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1906%20Mar%2005.pdf | url-status=live }}</ref> |rebuilt=1904–May 29, 1906<ref name="Baer1906">{{cite web | last=Baer | first=Christopher T. | title=PRR Chronology: 1906 | url=http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1906%20Mar%2005.pdf | archive-date=September 16, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916025834/http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1906%20Mar%2005.pdf}}</ref><br />2025–2036
|closed=
⚫ |traffic=Up to 114 daily passenger and freight trains
|toll=
⚫ |traffic=Over 110 passenger and freight trains per day<ref name="MA20221118"/>
|coordinates = {{coord|39.5548|-76.0851|region:US-MD_type:landmark|display=inline,title}} |coordinates = {{coord|39.5548|-76.0851|region:US-MD_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
}} }}
⚫ ] can be seen in the foreground. Other bridges visible upstream are, front to back: the ], the ], and the ]]]


The '''Amtrak Susquehanna River Bridge''' is a ] structure, opened in 1906, that carries two tracks of ]'s ] line across the ] between ] and ], ].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.northeastallianceforrail.org/2011/08/a-21st-century-nec-the-top-four-failing-bridges-on-the-nec.html| publisher=]| title=A 21st Century NEC: The Top Four Failing Bridges that Must Be Replaced| quote=In May 2011, Maryland was awarded a $22 million federal, high-speed rail grant to support initial design and engineering for the Susquehanna Bridge replacement. Priced at $500 million, the bridge is the most expensive to replace in Maryland.| author=Jeremy Steinemann| date=August 23, 2011| access-date=February 7, 2024| archive-date=December 8, 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208091916/http://www.northeastallianceforrail.org/2011/08/a-21st-century-nec-the-top-four-failing-bridges-on-the-nec.html| url-status=live}}</ref> The '''Amtrak Susquehanna River Bridge''' is a ] bridge that carries two tracks of the ] ] line across the ] between ] and ], ]. It was built in 1906 by the ], replacing a previous bridge built in 1866 by the ]. Construction of a pair of two-track replacement bridges is expected to last from 2025 to 2036.


== History == == Design and operations ==
⚫ ], the ], and the ]-->]]
]
The bridge crosses the ] between ] and ], ], {{convert|1.0|miles}} above its mouth.<ref name=clearance /> It is {{convert|4153.8|feet}} long with 18 steel truss spans on masonry supports.<ref name="construction"/><ref name=eir1 />{{rp|Fig. 1–5}} From north to south, there is one span of {{convert|197|feet|2|in}}, eight of {{convert|260|feet}}, a ] of {{convert|280|feet}}, seven spans of {{convert|200|ft}}, and one of {{convert|196|feet|6|in}}. The northernmost two and southernmost two spans are primarily over land; the end spans cross over Broad Street in Perryville and North Union Avenue in Havre de Grace.<ref name=eir1>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/susquehanna-river-bridge/environmental-assessment/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project-environmental-assessment-chapter-1.pdf |url=https://amtraknewera.com/srb/resources/ |title=Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project Environmental Assessment And Draft 4(f) Evaluation |date=March 2017 |publisher=Federal Railroad Administration |chapter=Chapter 1: Purpose and Need}}</ref>{{rp|Fig. 1–5}}
⚫ The vicinity of the bridge has been used as a river crossing for more than 300 years. In 1695, the colonial ] granted the first licenses to operate a ferry between Perryville and what is now Havre de Grace. In 1837, railroad lines south from ], and north from ] arrived at the riverbanks. For 29 years, including the duration of the ], a ] carried passengers (on foot) and freight cars between the two towns. In 1854, a larger ferryboat began to transport entire passenger cars across the river.<ref name="RobertsBook" />{{rp|37–40,111}}


The bridge carries two tracks of the ] rail line.<ref name=eir1 />{{rp|1}} It is used by up to 90 ] intercity trains and 14 ] ] commuter trains per day.<ref name=factsheet>{{cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/susquehanna-river-bridge/srb-fact-sheet-2024.pdf |title=Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project |date=2024 |publisher=Amtrak}}</ref> Maximum speed over the bridge is {{convert|90|mph|km/h}}, slower than the {{convert|135|mph}} allowed on adjacent sections of the Northeast Corridor.<ref name=eir1 />{{rp|4}} The bridge is also used by up to 10 daily freight trains, which are operated by ] under a ] agreement.<ref name=factsheet /> Freight trains are limited to {{convert|30|mph|km/h}} over the bridge and are generally operated during nighttime hours to avoid interfering with passenger operations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hot Spots: Perryville and Havre de Grace, Md. |last=Volin |first=Rudy |work=Trains Magazine |date=July 6, 2006 |url=http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=532 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081204214928/http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=532 |archive-date=December 4, 2008}}</ref><ref name=eir1 />{{rp|4}}
⚫ In 1866, after 12 years of intermittent construction, the ] (PW&B) completed a wooden ] ]. Iron reinforcements were added between 1874 and 1880. In 1881, when the ] (PRR) formally took control of the PW&B, it cut rival ]'s access to the PW&B. The B&O was forced to construct a parallel route between Baltimore and ], including ] about {{convert|1|mi|km}} upstream.


Vertical clearance under the swing span is {{convert|52|ft|m|1}} above ] when closed and {{convert|127|feet|m|1}} when open.<ref name=clearance>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/susquehanna-river-bridge/public-outreach/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project-newsletter-may-2023.pdf |title=What's Happening Here? |magazine=Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project Newsletter |issue=2 |date=May 2023 |publisher=Amtrak |page=1}}</ref><ref name=eir1 />{{rp|6}} It has two channels, each {{convert|100|feet}} wide.<ref name=construction /><ref name=eir1 />{{rp|6}} The only significant commercial water traffic under the bridge consists of barges from a ] quarry just upstream of Havre de Grace.<ref>{{cite book |last=Brubaker |first=John H. |title=Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake |publisher=Penn State Press |year=2002 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l3VccowaxDoC |isbn=0-271-02184-5}}</ref>{{rp|233}} The bridge's swing span is opened about 10 times a year; vessels that require such an opening must provide 24-hour advance notice.<ref name=clearance /><ref name=eir1 />{{rp|4}}<ref name=eir3>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/susquehanna-river-bridge/environmental-assessment/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project-environmental-assessment-chapter-3.pdf |url=https://amtraknewera.com/srb/resources/ |title=Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project Environmental Assessment And Draft 4(f) Evaluation |date=March 2017 |publisher=Federal Railroad Administration |chapter=Chapter 3: Transportation}}</ref>{{rp|4}} Due to the older design of the swing span, each opening requires more than 30 Amtrak workers on site.<ref name=eir1 />{{rp|3}}
⚫ In 1904-06, the PRR replaced the PW&B crossing with a new bridge just a few yards upstream.<ref name="RobertsBook" />{{rp|40–43,117–118}} Construction on the main structure started on August 5, 1905, and the first train rode over the bridge on May 26, 1906. The bridge was made parallel to the old bridge. The ] erected the west half of the bridge and the ] erected the east half. A strike of American Bridge Company's employees delayed construction. The bridge was 4,154 feet in length: eight spans 260 feet in length, seven spans 200 feet and 9 inches in length and a draw span of 260 feet.<ref name="construction">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cecil-whig-pennsy-to-use-the-big-bri/127437063/ |title=Pennsy to Use the Big Bridge Today |date=1906-05-26 |newspaper=] |page=1 |via=] |access-date=2023-07-01 |archive-date=2023-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701223240/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cecil-whig-pennsy-to-use-the-big-bri/127437063/ |url-status=live }}{{Open access}}</ref> Opened on May 29, 1906,<ref name="Baer1906" /> it includes a center swing span to increase vertical clearance for water traffic from the nominal {{convert|52|ft|m|1}}.<ref name="NauticalAmtrak" /><ref name="construction"/> In 1934, the PRR began installing ] on the span to help extend ] south from Wilmington to ] Regular electrified passenger service across the bridge began on February 10, 1935.<ref name="RobertsBook" />{{rp|44–45}}


== History ==
Ownership of the bridge passed to Amtrak in 1976 when it acquired much of the Northeast Corridor infrastructure.<ref name="Baer1976">{{cite web | last=Baer | first=Christopher T. | title=PRR Chronology: 1976 | url=http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1976.pdf | access-date=June 4, 2015 | archive-date=September 29, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929072404/http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1976.pdf | url-status=live }}</ref>
===First bridge===
]
⚫ The vicinity of the bridge has been used as a river crossing for more than 300 years. In 1695, the colonial ] granted the first licenses to operate a ferry between Perryville and what is now Havre de Grace. In 1837, railroad lines south from ], and north from ] arrived at the riverbanks. For 29 years, including the duration of the ], a ] carried passengers (on foot) and freight cars between the two towns. In 1854, a larger ferryboat began to transport entire passenger cars across the river.<ref name="RobertsBook" />{{rp|37–40,111}}<ref name=Harwood>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.mdoe.org/phil_wil_balt_rr.html |title=Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad |author=Herbert W. Harwood, Jr. |encyclopedia=Maryland Online Encyclopedia |publisher=Maryland Historical Society |access-date=2010-05-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720135938/http://www.mdoe.org/phil_wil_balt_rr.html |archive-date=July 20, 2008 }}</ref>


Construction of the bridge, which was a wood truss design, was begun in 1862 by the ] (PW&B). The masonry and most of the wooden spans were complete in 1866, but then a ] severely damaged the wooden components on July 25, 1866. Repairs were quickly made and the first ] crossed the bridge on November 20, 1866. The cost of construction, including rebuilding most of the truss portions, was $2.3 million. ]s began service over the bridge on November 26, 1866.<ref name="Wilson" /> The bridge was {{convert|3269|ft|m}} long with 13 spans.<ref name="RobertsBook" />
== Present status ==
As of 2006, about 100 Amtrak and ] passenger trains crossed the bridge each weekday at {{convert|90|mph|km/h}}; about 12 freight trains a day crossed at {{convert|30|mph|km/h}}. Freight traffic, operated by ] under a ] agreement, is generally restricted to nighttime hours to avoid interfering with passenger operations.<ref>{{cite web | title=Hot Spots: Perryville and Havre de Grace, Md. | last=Volin | first=Rudy | work=TRAINS Magazine | date=July 6, 2006 | url=http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=532 | access-date=December 28, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081204214928/http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=532| archive-date= 4 December 2008 <!--DASHBot-->| url-status=live}}</ref>


⚫ Iron reinforcements were added between 1874 and 1880. A draw span was then installed in the late 1870s.<ref name="Wilson" /> Granite for the 1877 piers was mined in nearby ].<ref name=dec2024 /> In 1881, when the ] (PRR) formally took control of the PW&B, it cut rival ] (B&O) off from access to the PW&B. The B&O was forced to construct a parallel route between Baltimore and ], including ] about {{convert|1|mi|km}} upstream.
The only significant commercial water traffic under the bridge consists of barges from a large granite quarry just upstream of Havre de Grace.<ref>{{cite book | last=Brubaker | first=John H. | title=Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake | publisher=Penn State Press | year=2002 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l3VccowaxDoC | isbn=0-271-02184-5}}</ref>{{rp|233}} The bridge's swing span rarely needs to be opened; vessels that require such an opening must provide 24-hour advance notice.<ref name="RobertsBook" />{{rp|125}}
{{clear left}}
===Second bridge===
⚫ In 1904-06, the PRR replaced the PW&B crossing with a new bridge, located adjacent to the old span on the upstream side.<ref name="RobertsBook" />{{rp|40–43,117–118}} Construction on the main structure started on August 5, 1905, and the first train rode over the bridge on May 26, 1906. The ] erected the west half of the bridge and the ] erected the east half. A strike of American Bridge Company's employees delayed construction.<ref name="construction">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cecil-whig-pennsy-to-use-the-big-bri/127437063/ |title=Pennsy to Use the Big Bridge Today |date=May 26, 1906 |newspaper=] |page=1 |via=] |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701223240/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cecil-whig-pennsy-to-use-the-big-bri/127437063/ |url-status=live }}{{Open access}}</ref> The bridge opened for regular traffic on May 29, 1906.<ref name="Baer1906" />


The old bridge was converted to a road bridge and remained in use until 1940.{{cn}} The piers were not demolished and remained in the river.<ref name=eir1 />{{rp|2}}
In 2005 and 2007, Amtrak replaced the ] on the bridge, installed ], and installed new deck-level maintenance walkways, changes meant to extend the life of the bridge by 20 to 25 years.<ref>{{cite web | title= Capital Investment in Bridge Aims to Improve Reliability | url= http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/ink/AmtrakInk-032207.pdf | work= Amtrak Ink | pages= 1–7 | date= March 2007 | access-date= December 28, 2008 | archive-date= June 6, 2011 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110606172815/http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/ink/AmtrakInk-032207.pdf | url-status= live }}</ref>


In 1934, the PRR began installing ] on the span to help extend ] south from Wilmington to ] Regular electrified passenger service across the bridge began on February 10, 1935.<ref name="RobertsBook" />{{rp|44–45}} Ownership of the bridge passed to Amtrak in 1976 when it acquired much of the Northeast Corridor infrastructure.<ref name="Baer1976">{{cite web | last=Baer | first=Christopher T. | title=PRR Chronology: 1976 | url=http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1976.pdf | access-date=June 4, 2015 | archive-date=September 29, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929072404/http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1976.pdf | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=eir1 />{{rp|2}} Significant repairs and rehabilitation of the bridge took place in the 1960s, 1985, 1991, and 1998.<ref name=eir1 />{{rp|3}} In 2005 and 2007, Amtrak replaced the ] on the bridge, installed ], and installed new deck-level maintenance walkways – changes meant to extend the life of the bridge by 20 to 25 years.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Capital Investment in Bridge Aims to Improve Reliability |url=http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/ink/AmtrakInk-032207.pdf |magazine=Amtrak Ink |pages=1–7 |date=March 2007 |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606172815/http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/ink/AmtrakInk-032207.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
⚫ == Replacement ==
{{clear left}}
⚫ Preparations to replace the 1906 bridge began in May 2011, when the ] said it would provide $22 million for engineering and environmental work.<ref>{{cite web |author=U.S. Department of Transportation |date=May 9, 2011 |title=U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $2 Billion for High-Speed Intercity Rail Projects to Grow Jobs, Boost U.S. Manufacturing and Transform Travel in America |url=http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L01069 |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130220104534/http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L01069 |url-status=live }}</ref> (The ] and ] bridges, two spans of similar age on the Northeast Corridor in Maryland, were also under consideration for replacement.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amtrak Update: CSG-ERC Executive Committee |last=Decker |first=Caroline |url=http://www.csgeast.org/Annual_Meeting/2007/present/amtrakdecker.ppt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016214336/http://www.csgeast.org/Annual_Meeting/2007/present/amtrakdecker.ppt |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 16, 2009 |access-date=December 28, 2008 }}</ref>) The project study began in 2013 and was completed in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nec.amtrak.com/project/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project/|title=Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project|publisher=Amtrak|access-date=February 19, 2020|archive-date=February 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220030623/https://nec.amtrak.com/project/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, Amtrak listed a new bridge among its "Ready To Build" projects on the Northeast Corridor.<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SqRAs3Toac |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/0SqRAs3Toac |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=Ready To Build: Susquehanna River Bridge|publisher=Amtrak|website=YouTube.com|date=October 4, 2017|access-date=February 19, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
⚫ === Replacement ===
⚫ Amtrak reports in 2009 and 2010 identified replacement of the bridge with a higher fixed span as a high priority for Amtrak.<ref name=eir1 />{{rp|7, 9}} In May 2011, the ] awarded $22 million for engineering and environmental work.<ref>{{cite web |author=U.S. Department of Transportation |date=May 9, 2011 |title=U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $2 Billion for High-Speed Intercity Rail Projects to Grow Jobs, Boost U.S. Manufacturing and Transform Travel in America |url=http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L01069 |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130220104534/http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L01069 |url-status=live }}</ref> (The ] and ] bridges, two spans of similar age on the Northeast Corridor in Maryland, were also under consideration for replacement.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amtrak Update: CSG-ERC Executive Committee |last=Decker |first=Caroline |url=http://www.csgeast.org/Annual_Meeting/2007/present/amtrakdecker.ppt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016214336/http://www.csgeast.org/Annual_Meeting/2007/present/amtrakdecker.ppt |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 16, 2009 |access-date=December 28, 2008 }}</ref>) Preparation of the environmental impact report took place from 2013 to 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nec.amtrak.com/project/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project/|title=Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project|publisher=Amtrak|access-date=February 19, 2020|archive-date=February 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220030623/https://nec.amtrak.com/project/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=faq /> Reuse of the 1866 bridge piers for a bicycle and pedestrian bridge was considered, but was found infeasible due to their poor condition.<ref name=faq />


In November 2022, Amtrak announced plans to replace the bridge, with design and construction contracts to be awarded in 2023 by Amtrak, the FRA, and MDOT MTA.<ref name="MA20221118">{{cite web |last1=Weinberg |first1=Harrison |title=Amtrak Advances Susquehanna River Bridge Project |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2022/11/amtrak-advances-susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project/ |website=media.amtrak.com |publisher=Amtrak |date=November 18, 2022 |access-date=November 25, 2022 |archive-date=November 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126060325/https://media.amtrak.com/2022/11/amtrak-advances-susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2023, Amtrak secured $2.1 billion for the project via the ]. The bridge will be replaced with two bridges, each with 2-track spans and allowing speeds up to 125 mph.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-11-06 |title=Fact Sheet: President Biden Advances Vision for World Class Passenger Rail by Delivering Billions in New Funding |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/06/fact-sheet-president-biden-advances-vision-for-world-class-passenger-rail-by-delivering-billions-in-new-funding/ |access-date=2023-11-06 |website=The White House |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106105454/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/06/fact-sheet-president-biden-advances-vision-for-world-class-passenger-rail-by-delivering-billions-in-new-funding/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="faq">{{cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/susquehanna-river-bridge/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project-faq-2024.pdf |title=Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project FAQ |work=Amtrak |date=March 12, 2024 |access-date=August 11, 2024}}</ref> In November 2022, Amtrak announced plans to replace the bridge, with design and construction contracts to be awarded in 2023 by Amtrak, the FRA, and MDOT MTA.<ref name="MA20221118">{{cite web |last1=Weinberg |first1=Harrison |title=Amtrak Advances Susquehanna River Bridge Project |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2022/11/amtrak-advances-susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project/ |publisher=Amtrak |date=November 18, 2022 |archive-date=November 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126060325/https://media.amtrak.com/2022/11/amtrak-advances-susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2023, Amtrak was awarded $2.1 billion for the project from the ].<ref>{{Cite press release |date=November 6, 2023 |title=Fact Sheet: President Biden Advances Vision for World Class Passenger Rail by Delivering Billions in New Funding |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/06/fact-sheet-president-biden-advances-vision-for-world-class-passenger-rail-by-delivering-billions-in-new-funding/ |website=The White House |language=en-US |archive-date=November 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106105454/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/06/fact-sheet-president-biden-advances-vision-for-world-class-passenger-rail-by-delivering-billions-in-new-funding/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Amtrak awarded the main construction contract and two supporting contracts in December 2023.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2023/12/amtrak-awards-three-important-contracts-for-the-susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-replacement-program/ |title=Amtrak Awards Three Important Contracts for the Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Replacement Program |date=December 22, 2023 |publisher=Amtrak}}</ref> Removal of the ten remaining piers of the 1866 bridge began in early 2024 and was completed that December. Several stones were preserved for use by the municipalities of Perryville and Havre de Grace.<ref name=dec2024>{{cite press release |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2024/12/amtrak-completes-important-early-construction-activity-for-susquehanna-river-bridge-project/ |title=Amtrak Completes Important Early Construction Activity for Susquehanna River Bridge Project |date=December 17, 2024 |publisher=Amtrak}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/removal-of-old-bridge-piers-completed-at-site-of-amtraks-new-susquehanna-river-bridge/ |title=Removal of old bridge piers completed at site of Amtrak’s new Susquehanna River Bridge |newspaper=Train News Wire |date=December 18, 2024 |access-date=December 21, 2024}}</ref>


The new structure will have two 2-track bridges with a maximum speed of {{convert|160|mph}}.<ref name=kickoff>{{cite press release |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2024/07/amtrak-and-partners-kick-off-susquehanna-river-bridge-project/ |title=Amtrak and Partners Kick Off Susquehanna River Bridge Project |date=July 19, 2024 |publisher=Amtrak}}</ref> The new bridges will have {{convert|60|feet}} of vertical clearance and {{convert|235|feet}} of horizontal clearance.<ref name="faq">{{cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/susquehanna-river-bridge/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge-project-faq-2024.pdf |title=Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project FAQ |work=Amtrak |date=March 12, 2024}}</ref> The project includes modernization of {{convert|5|miles}} of tracks around the bridge, including three interlockings.<ref name=kickoff /> {{As of|March 2024}}, construction of the new bridges is scheduled to begin in 2025 and finish by 2036 at a total cost of $2.7 billion.<ref name="faq"/>
As of March 2024, construction is scheduled to begin in 2025 and finish by 2036.<ref name="faq"/>


==References== ==References==
⚫ {{Commons category|Amtrak Susquehanna River Bridge}}
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
⚫ {{Commons category inline}}
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Revision as of 05:04, 22 December 2024

Bridge in Maryland, United States
Amtrak Susquehanna River Bridge
A southbound Acela Express crosses the bridge in 2008. The piers of the predecessor bridge are visible on the right.
Coordinates39°33′17″N 76°05′06″W / 39.5548°N 76.0851°W / 39.5548; -76.0851
CarriesAmtrak Northeast Corridor rail line
CrossesSusquehanna River
LocaleHavre de Grace and Perryville, Maryland, United States
Official nameSusquehanna River Movable Bridge
Maintained byAmtrak
Characteristics
DesignHowe deck truss
MaterialSteel
Total length4,153.8 feet (1,266.1 m)
No. of spans17 fixed spans, 1 swing span
Clearance below52 feet (15.8 m) closed
127 feet (38.7 m) open
Rail characteristics
No. of tracks2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
History
Constructed byPennsylvania Steel Company and American Bridge Company
OpenedNovember 26, 1866
Rebuilt1904–May 29, 1906
2025–2036
Statistics
Daily trafficUp to 114 daily passenger and freight trains
Location

The Amtrak Susquehanna River Bridge is a deck truss bridge that carries two tracks of the Amtrak Northeast Corridor line across the Susquehanna River between Havre de Grace and Perryville, Maryland. It was built in 1906 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, replacing a previous bridge built in 1866 by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. Construction of a pair of two-track replacement bridges is expected to last from 2025 to 2036.

Design and operations

Aerial view of center swing span in 1977. Stone piers of the 1866 bridge can be seen in the foreground.

The bridge crosses the Susquehanna River between Havre de Grace and Perryville, Maryland, 1.0 mile (1.6 km) above its mouth. It is 4,153.8 feet (1,266.1 m) long with 18 steel truss spans on masonry supports. From north to south, there is one span of 197 feet 2 inches (60.10 m), eight of 260 feet (79 m), a swing span of 280 feet (85 m), seven spans of 200 feet (61 m), and one of 196 feet 6 inches (59.89 m). The northernmost two and southernmost two spans are primarily over land; the end spans cross over Broad Street in Perryville and North Union Avenue in Havre de Grace.

The bridge carries two tracks of the Northeast Corridor rail line. It is used by up to 90 Amtrak intercity trains and 14 MARC Penn Line commuter trains per day. Maximum speed over the bridge is 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), slower than the 135 miles per hour (217 km/h) allowed on adjacent sections of the Northeast Corridor. The bridge is also used by up to 10 daily freight trains, which are operated by Norfolk Southern Railway under a trackage rights agreement. Freight trains are limited to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) over the bridge and are generally operated during nighttime hours to avoid interfering with passenger operations.

Vertical clearance under the swing span is 52 feet (15.8 m) above mean high water when closed and 127 feet (38.7 m) when open. It has two channels, each 100 feet (30 m) wide. The only significant commercial water traffic under the bridge consists of barges from a Vulcan Materials Company quarry just upstream of Havre de Grace. The bridge's swing span is opened about 10 times a year; vessels that require such an opening must provide 24-hour advance notice. Due to the older design of the swing span, each opening requires more than 30 Amtrak workers on site.

History

First bridge

1866 illustration of bridge construction

The vicinity of the bridge has been used as a river crossing for more than 300 years. In 1695, the colonial General Assembly granted the first licenses to operate a ferry between Perryville and what is now Havre de Grace. In 1837, railroad lines south from Wilmington, Delaware, and north from Baltimore arrived at the riverbanks. For 29 years, including the duration of the American Civil War, a train ferry carried passengers (on foot) and freight cars between the two towns. In 1854, a larger ferryboat began to transport entire passenger cars across the river.

Construction of the bridge, which was a wood truss design, was begun in 1862 by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B). The masonry and most of the wooden spans were complete in 1866, but then a tornado severely damaged the wooden components on July 25, 1866. Repairs were quickly made and the first locomotive crossed the bridge on November 20, 1866. The cost of construction, including rebuilding most of the truss portions, was $2.3 million. Passenger trains began service over the bridge on November 26, 1866. The bridge was 3,269 feet (996 m) long with 13 spans.

Iron reinforcements were added between 1874 and 1880. A draw span was then installed in the late 1870s. Granite for the 1877 piers was mined in nearby Port Deposit, Maryland. In 1881, when the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) formally took control of the PW&B, it cut rival Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) off from access to the PW&B. The B&O was forced to construct a parallel route between Baltimore and Philadelphia, including a new bridge about 1 mile (1.6 km) upstream.

Second bridge

In 1904-06, the PRR replaced the PW&B crossing with a new bridge, located adjacent to the old span on the upstream side. Construction on the main structure started on August 5, 1905, and the first train rode over the bridge on May 26, 1906. The Pennsylvania Steel Company erected the west half of the bridge and the American Bridge Company erected the east half. A strike of American Bridge Company's employees delayed construction. The bridge opened for regular traffic on May 29, 1906.

The old bridge was converted to a road bridge and remained in use until 1940. The piers were not demolished and remained in the river.

In 1934, the PRR began installing catenary on the span to help extend 11,000-volt electrification south from Wilmington to Washington, D.C. Regular electrified passenger service across the bridge began on February 10, 1935. Ownership of the bridge passed to Amtrak in 1976 when it acquired much of the Northeast Corridor infrastructure. Significant repairs and rehabilitation of the bridge took place in the 1960s, 1985, 1991, and 1998. In 2005 and 2007, Amtrak replaced the ties on the bridge, installed continuous welded rail, and installed new deck-level maintenance walkways – changes meant to extend the life of the bridge by 20 to 25 years.

Replacement

Amtrak reports in 2009 and 2010 identified replacement of the bridge with a higher fixed span as a high priority for Amtrak. In May 2011, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $22 million for engineering and environmental work. (The Bush River and Gunpowder River bridges, two spans of similar age on the Northeast Corridor in Maryland, were also under consideration for replacement.) Preparation of the environmental impact report took place from 2013 to 2017. Reuse of the 1866 bridge piers for a bicycle and pedestrian bridge was considered, but was found infeasible due to their poor condition.

In November 2022, Amtrak announced plans to replace the bridge, with design and construction contracts to be awarded in 2023 by Amtrak, the FRA, and MDOT MTA. In November 2023, Amtrak was awarded $2.1 billion for the project from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Amtrak awarded the main construction contract and two supporting contracts in December 2023. Removal of the ten remaining piers of the 1866 bridge began in early 2024 and was completed that December. Several stones were preserved for use by the municipalities of Perryville and Havre de Grace.

The new structure will have two 2-track bridges with a maximum speed of 160 miles per hour (260 km/h). The new bridges will have 60 feet (18 m) of vertical clearance and 235 feet (72 m) of horizontal clearance. The project includes modernization of 5 miles (8.0 km) of tracks around the bridge, including three interlockings. As of March 2024, construction of the new bridges is scheduled to begin in 2025 and finish by 2036 at a total cost of $2.7 billion.

References

  1. ^ Roberts, Charles S.; Messer, David W. (2003). Triumph VI: Philadelphia, Columbia, Harrisburg to Baltimore and Washington DC: 1827-2003. Baltimore, Maryland: Barnard, Roberts, and Co., Inc. ISBN 0-934118-28-0.
  2. ^ "Chapter 1: Purpose and Need" (PDF). Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project Environmental Assessment And Draft 4(f) Evaluation. Federal Railroad Administration. March 2017.
  3. ^ "What's Happening Here?" (PDF). Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project Newsletter. No. 2. Amtrak. May 2023. p. 1.
  4. ^ Wilson, William B. (1895). History of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Philadelphia: Henry T. Coates & Co. pp. 310–311.
  5. ^ Baer, Christopher T. "PRR Chronology: 1906" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2015.
  6. ^ "Pennsy to Use the Big Bridge Today". Cecil Whig. May 26, 1906. p. 1. Archived from the original on July 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  7. ^ "Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project" (PDF). Amtrak. 2024.
  8. Volin, Rudy (July 6, 2006). "Hot Spots: Perryville and Havre de Grace, Md". Trains Magazine. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008.
  9. Brubaker, John H. (2002). Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake. Penn State Press. ISBN 0-271-02184-5.
  10. "Chapter 3: Transportation" (PDF). Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project Environmental Assessment And Draft 4(f) Evaluation. Federal Railroad Administration. March 2017.
  11. Herbert W. Harwood, Jr. "Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad". Maryland Online Encyclopedia. Maryland Historical Society. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
  12. ^ "Amtrak Completes Important Early Construction Activity for Susquehanna River Bridge Project" (Press release). Amtrak. December 17, 2024.
  13. Baer, Christopher T. "PRR Chronology: 1976" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. "Capital Investment in Bridge Aims to Improve Reliability" (PDF). Amtrak Ink. March 2007. pp. 1–7. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 6, 2011.
  15. U.S. Department of Transportation (May 9, 2011). "U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $2 Billion for High-Speed Intercity Rail Projects to Grow Jobs, Boost U.S. Manufacturing and Transform Travel in America". Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  16. Decker, Caroline. "Amtrak Update: CSG-ERC Executive Committee". Archived from the original on October 16, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
  17. "Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project". Amtrak. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  18. ^ "Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project FAQ" (PDF). Amtrak. March 12, 2024.
  19. Weinberg, Harrison (November 18, 2022). "Amtrak Advances Susquehanna River Bridge Project". Amtrak. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022.
  20. "Fact Sheet: President Biden Advances Vision for World Class Passenger Rail by Delivering Billions in New Funding". The White House (Press release). November 6, 2023. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023.
  21. "Amtrak Awards Three Important Contracts for the Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Replacement Program" (Press release). Amtrak. December 22, 2023.
  22. "Removal of old bridge piers completed at site of Amtrak's new Susquehanna River Bridge". Train News Wire. December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  23. ^ "Amtrak and Partners Kick Off Susquehanna River Bridge Project" (Press release). Amtrak. July 19, 2024.

External links

Media related to Amtrak Susquehanna River Bridge at Wikimedia Commons

Bridges of the Susquehanna River
Upstream
Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge
 Amtrak Susquehanna River Bridge
 Downstream
Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Chesapeake Bay)
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