Few structures embody Philadelphia’s history like the Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge. It is more than mere stone and steel. It represents a pivotal link in the city’s transportation and artistic heritage.
The Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge stands in Fairmount Park. It gracefully spans the Schuylkill River. This bridge is just upstream from the Girard Avenue Bridge. It is also known as Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Division, Bridge No. 69. Other names include Connecting Railway Bridge, Connection Bridge, New York Connecting Bridge, New York Railroad Bridge and Junction Railroad Bridge.
Imagine trains thundering overhead. Picture the Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge carrying Amtrak Northeast Corridor rail lines today. SEPTA and NJT commuter rail lines also use it.
The story of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge began in 1866. The Connecting Railway, affiliated with the Pennsylvania Railroad, started construction. The Pennsylvania Railroad formally purchased the railway in 1871.
Before this vital link, trains navigated a circuitous route. They traveled between the Pennsylvania Railroad’s West and North Philadelphia Stations. The Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge streamlined travel. It became part of the direct line from Washington, D.C., to New York City.
John A. Wilson, chief engineer, likely designed the bridge. He surveyed the route in 1863. George Brooke Roberts completed the project after Wilson’s resignation. Roberts later became president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Thomas Seabrook was the masonry contractor. The Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge opened on June 2, 1867.
Initially, the Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge had only two tracks. An iron truss stood at mid-river. This was a 236-foot-3-inch cast- and wrought-iron arch-reinforced Whipple truss. In 1873, the Pennsylvania Railroad reduced the truss’s span. They widened the stone piers. The reinforcing arch was removed. In 1897, a Pratt truss replaced the Whipple truss. It had the same length.
Between 1912 and 1915, the Pennsylvania Railroad expanded the bridge. It more than doubled in width to accommodate five tracks. The mid-river iron truss was replaced. Two massive stone arches took its place. Alexander C. Shand designed this essentially new bridge. It was built to resemble the original. Eyre, Shoemaker, Inc. handled the masonry. Reiter, Curtis & Hill built the reinforced concrete bridges. These spanned over Lansdowne Drive and West Girard Avenue. They also built the viaduct curving around the Philadelphia Zoo.
Painters found inspiration in its stone arches. Carl Philipp Weber captured its beauty. Edmund Darch Lewis depicted it in art. Thomas Moran also painted it. Thomas Eakins immortalized it in Max Schmitt in a Single Scull.
Today, the Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge still stands. It is a testament to engineering. It links Philadelphia’s past to its present. As trains rumble across its sturdy arches, remember its rich history.