High above Manhasset Bay, what do you see? It is the majestic Manhasset Viaduct. This remarkable structure carries the Long Island Rail Road’s Port Washington Branch. The Manhasset Viaduct stands tall between Manhasset and Thomaston.
The Manhasset Viaduct is also known by other names. Some call it the Manhasset Valley Bridge. Others refer to it as the Manhasset Valley Viaduct or the Manhasset Trestle.
Completed in 1898, the Manhasset Viaduct opened on June 23. It was a vital part of extending the Port Washington Branch. The extension ran from Great Neck to Port Washington. The King Bridge Company and Carnegie Steel Company erected this impressive bridge. Carnegie Steel provided the steel.
Standing 81 feet above Manhasset Bay, the Manhasset Viaduct stretches 679 feet long. It holds the title of the highest bridge on the entire LIRR network. The Manhasset Viaduct features a steel stringer bridge design. It is one of two King Bridge Company railway viaducts still operating.
Without the Manhasset Viaduct, the LIRR could not reach Manhasset and Port Washington. These communities sit across the valley on the Cow Neck Peninsula. The area’s geography demanded a viaduct to extend the line. The Manhasset Viaduct passes over East Shore Road and Bayview Avenue. These are major roads on each end of the viaduct.
Electrification came to the Manhasset Viaduct in 1913. On October 21, electric trains began running. This allowed electric trains to operate along the entire line.
The Manhasset Viaduct could be on the National Register of Historic Places. It has historical and architectural importance. It also has ties to the Carnegie Steel Company.
Did you know the Manhasset Viaduct appeared in a film? The 1914 serial, The Perils of Pauline, featured it.
The nearby Manhasset station opened in 1899. It was built by the Great Neck and Port Washington Railroad. The Manhasset Viaduct made this station possible.
So, as you stand before this iron giant, remember its story. The Manhasset Viaduct enabled connection. It is a piece of Long Island history. The Manhasset Viaduct remains a testament to engineering and progress.