Located on NS' Pocahontas Division main line, the bridge is an essential component of freight movement and economic development in the Tri-State region and Ohio River Valley. About 35 trains cross the bridge daily, carrying grain, coal and general merchandise. The 4,000-foot-long bridge is cleared to handle double-stack trains.
NS bridge crews regularly monitor and maintain the structure, which has been upgraded several times during the past century.
The structure originally was designed as a single-track bridge in 1892 by NS predecessor Norfolk and Western Railway. As nearby coal fields developed and the demand for coal in the Midwest grew, traffic increased. So, N&W rebuilt the bridge as a double-track structure and reinforced the infrastructure with pier modifications and new trusses. The modified bridge opened on March 4, 1913.
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