When it was built, the Kinzua Viaduct was the tallest railroad bridge in the world. It was destroyed July 21, 2003 by an F1 tornado. This video, posted on Youtube.com is a great tribute to this engineering marvel.
Kinzua Viaduct
When the Kinzua Viaduct was built in 1882, it was the highest railroad bridge in the world. Built of iron, the original viaduct was 301 feet high, 2,053 feet long, and weighed 3,105,000 pounds. An engineering marvel, the viaduct is now a registered National Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Site.
In May of 1900 it was necessary to rebuild the entire structure to accommodate heavier trains. The job was completed in 105 days by about 100 to 150 men working ten hours a day. The new steel viaduct has the same measurements, but now weighs 6,715,000 pounds.
Tornado Hits Viaduct
On July 21, 2003 a F1 tornado ripped thru the Kinzua Gorge partially destroying support towers from the viaduct.
Nine towers remain standing as a testament to the strength of this amazing structure
“Eighth Wonder of the World”
The Kinzua Viaduct was originally advertised as the `Eighth Wonder of the World.” People from all over the civilized world came to see this engineering marvel of it’s time. Excursions came from as far away as Buffalo and Pittsburgh for a around a dollar per person.
On a typical summer Sunday of the time it was not rare to see six to eight excursion trains of ten to fourteen cars to cross the viaduct. To cross the viaduct was considered a great thrill at the time. Drinking, gambling, and parties were a common occurrence on these early excursions to the viaduct.
Many excursionists would even try to climb the iron work of the viaduct. However, many of them would only end up needing rescued from the high iron girders after they found they could not climb back down. These excursions to the Kinzua Viaduct were very popular and raised more than enough money to offset the $167,000 dollar cost to build the original structure.
History of the Viaduct
Brilliant Minds
Company president General Thomas Kane, of Civil War fame, and civil engineer Octave Chanute envisioned building a viaduct longer and higher than any ever built as an alternative to laying an additional eight miles of track over rough terrain along the railroad line leading to McKean County’s coal, timber and oil lands.
The New York, Lake Erie, and Western Railroad and Coal Company recognized the profits to be gained by transporting coal across the Kinzua Valley instead of taking the six mile route around the Kinzua Valley to waiting markets in Buffalo.
The massive sandstone blocks used to make the stone piers that support the extremely high iron columns were quarried from the nearby hills. There are 7,600 cubic yards of hard sandstone used in the stone work of the viaduct. The stone piers are embedded as far as thirty-five feet below the ground and as high as sixteen feet above the ground. On September 8, 1881, the cornerstone of the Kinzua Viaduct was placed on the south abutment, where it remains today.
Octave Chanute, Engineer
Mr. Chanute lived from 1831 until 1910 and was the inventor of call ties and date nails, which had the date engraved on them. He was also responsible for the preservation of timber by the creosote process.
Chanute awarded the bid for the Kinzua Viaduct to The Phoenix Bridge Works Company. General Kane met with Anthony Bonzano of the Clark Reeves Division of the Phoenixville Bridge Works Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, in early 1882.
Mr. Bonzano told General Kane, “We’ll build you a bridge a thousand feet high if you’ll provide the money.” Anthony Bonzano along with Oliver W. Barnes, who was the chief engineer for Kane’s railroad, joined up and planned the first Kinzua Viaduct.
On July 21, 2003 a tornado partially destroyed the viaduct that was in the process of undergoing restoration. In 2002, Pennsylvania at Risk had listed the Kinzua Viaduct as one of top ten Most Endangered Historic Properties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Today, the park is in the process of a master plan for the park that will include a new visitors center, stabilizing the existing towers to allow access on the bridge, and park improvements including overnight accommodations.
