The West Zanesville Railroad Bridge carries the Ohio Central Railroad over the Licking River in Zanesville, Ohio.
The West Zanesville Railroad Bridge carries the Ohio Central Railroad over the Licking River in Zanesville, Ohio.
The Central Ohio Railroad was incorporated in 1847 to construct a railroad from Columbus through Newark and Zanesville to the Ohio River, with the option of extending westward to the Indiana state line. 5 In 1850, bonds were issued to finance the construction of the line. 4 5 The railroad opened between Zanesville and Newark on January 26, 1852, and reached Columbus in January 1853. It was completed east to Bellaire in November 1854. 1 5 Extending 137 miles, the line connected Columbus, the state capital, with the Ohio River. 2 3
In November 1866, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad acquired the Central Ohio Railroad and thereafter operated the route as its Central Ohio Division. 1 5
A new superstructure was completed in 1898. 6 During the flood of March 1913, the bridge suffered catastrophic damage on March 26 and was later replaced with a two-span Warren through truss.
Details
- State: Ohio
- Route: Central Ohio Railroad
- Status:
- Type: Warren Through Truss
Sources
- “Central Ohio RR.” William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
- Allen, Gary. “The History Behind the Picture.” Zanesville Video History Group, Facebook, 9 Nov. 2017.
- Carskadden, Jeff. Famous Railroad Bridges in Muskingum County. Muskingum Valley Archaeological Survey, 1984.
- “Muskingum County History Timeline.” The Times Recorder, 19 Feb. 2005, p. 7A.
- “The Old Central Ohio.” Newark Daily Advocate, 18 Mar. 1899, p. 9.
- “Bridge Building.” The Railroad Gazette, vol. 30, no. 21, 3 June 1898, p. 397.