Zanesville Railroad Bridge

The Zanesville Railroad Bridge carries the Ohio Central Railroad over Linden Avenue, the Muskingum River, and the Muskingum River Canal in Zanesville, Ohio.

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The Zanesville Railroad Bridge carries the Ohio Central Railroad over Linden Avenue, the Muskingum River, and the Muskingum River Canal in Zanesville, Ohio.

History

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}

The first railroad bridge at Zanesville was a Bollman through truss. ^{2 3} Its superstructure was built by W. Smith & Company in a building later occupied by Wheeler Stevels & Company, a wholesale grocer. ⁵

In November 1866, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad acquired the Central Ohio Railroad and thereafter operated the route as its Central Ohio Division. ^{1 5}

Under B&O operating rules, only one train was supposed to occupy the bridge at a time. ^{2 3} On December 5, 1866, however, two westbound trains entered the single-track crossing at once: a passenger express and a yard tender train. About 25 people aboard the express were affected, and one person was killed.

A new Pratt truss bridge was built at Zanesville in 1891. ^{2 3} That span also included a sidewalk for pedestrians.

During the flood of March 1913, the bridge suffered catastrophic damage when spans 1, 2, and 3 collapsed on March 26 after being struck by floating buildings. ^{2 3 6} Floodwaters crested at 51.8 feet, far above the previous record of 36.8 feet set in 1898 and well above the 25-foot flood stage. ⁶ A temporary bridge was erected by the Seaboard Construction Company by April 13, but permanent replacements for spans 1, 2, and 3 were finished by late summer. ^{2 3 7} It consisted of three new Warren through truss spans over the river and a single-leaf bascule span constructed by the Strauss Bascule Bridge Company of Chicago, Illinois.

In 1973, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was grouped with the Chesapeake & Ohio and Western Maryland railways under the Chessie System, although it continued to operate as a separate railroad. In 1983, the B&O abandoned the line between Cambridge and Bellaire, citing declining originating traffic. The surviving portion of the route, extending west from the Cambridge area to Columbus and including the Muskingum River bridge, is now operated by the Columbus & Ohio River Railroad as its Cambridge Subdivision.

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Gallery

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Details

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Sources

1. “Central Ohio RR.” William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
2. Allen, Gary. “The History Behind the Picture.” Zanesville Video History Group, Facebook, 9 Nov. 2017.
3. Carskadden, Jeff. Famous Railroad Bridges in Muskingum County. Muskingum Valley Archaeological Survey, 1984.
4. “Muskingum County History Timeline.” The Times Recorder, 19 Feb. 2005, p. 7A.
5. “The Old Central Ohio.” Newark Daily Advocate, 18 Mar. 1899, p. 9.
6. Schneider, Norris. “City’s Worst Disaster Occurred in 1913.” The Times Recorder, 27 Mar. 1983, p. D-1.
7. “Trains Are Now Running Across the New Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Bridge.” The Zanesville Signal, 14 Apr. 1913, p. 1.